Computer Engineering Commons^™

Designing A Loving Robot: A Social Construction Analysis Of A Sex Robot Creator’S Vision, Annette Masterson

Human-Machine Communication

In 2018, one of the world’s first sex robots was released by CEO Matt McMullen and his company, RealDoll. With artificial intelligence capabilities, the Harmony model is meant to support and converse with users. Using a social construction of technology theory lens, this study develops the theory’s fourth level of analysis, emphasizing mass media’s construction abilities. A critical discourse analysis of 38 publicity interviews found a tendency to emphasize the companionship of sex robots while envisioning a future where integration is normalized, and a sentient robot is possible. As the creator, McMullen’s vision could determine the future of robotic design, …

The Evolution Of Gendered Software: Products, Scientific Reasoning, Criticism, And Tools, Victoria A. E. Kratel

Human-Machine Communication

Over the past 7 decades, gendered software has become globally established. In this theoretical distribution, I outline the evolution of gendered software. The journey of gendered software started with the raw idea fueled by Alan Turing’s imitation game in the 1950s. And only shortly thereafter, in the 1960s and 1970s, the first gendered software products like Joseph Weizenbaum’s ELIZA were developed. Thus, academia took its time to not only explore technological aspects, but to further investigate the matter of gender in the 1990s CASA-paradigm (Nass et al., 1994) and Media Equation (Reeves & Nass, 1996). As these theories reasoned the …

Do People Perceive Alexa As Gendered? A Cross-Cultural Study Of People’S Perceptions, Expectations, And Desires Of Alexa, Leopoldina Fortunati, Autumn P. Edwards, Anna Maria Manganelli, Chad Edwards, Federico De Luca

Human-Machine Communication

Mainly, the scholarly debate on Alexa has focused on sexist/anti-woman gender representations in the everyday life of many families, on a cluster of themes such as privacy, insecurity, and trust, and on the world of education and health. This paper takes another stance and explores via online survey methodology how university student respondents in two countries (the United States, n = 333; and Italy, n = 322) perceive Alexa’s image and gender, what they expect from this voice-based assistant, and how they would like Alexa to be. Results of a free association exercise showed that Alexa’s image was scarcely embodied …

Gender And Human-Machine Communication: Where Are We?, Leopoldina Fortunati, Autumn P. Edwards

Human-Machine Communication

In this introduction to the fifth volume of the journal Human-Machine Communication, we present and discuss the five articles focusing on gender and human-machine communication. In this essay, we will analyze the theme of gender, including how this notion has historically and politically been set up, and for what reasons. We will start by considering gender in in-person communication, then we will progress to consider what happens to gender when it is mediated by the most important ICTs that preceded HMC: the telephone, mobile phone, and computer-mediated communication (CMC). We outline the historical framework necessary to analyze the last section …

Unstumm | Augmented Voyage: A Platform For Telematic Live Performances In Augmented Reality, Unstumm Unstumm, Nicola Hein, Claudia Schmitz, Sven Hahne Hahne

Journal of Network Music and Arts

UnStumm | Augmented Voyage is curated and developed by time-based media artist Claudia Schmitz and sound artist and guitarist Nicola L. Hein. It was programmed and developed by software engineer Sven Hahne. UnStumm | Augmented Voyage is also a mobile app and server infrastructure that serves as the artistic vehicle to realize telematic live performances with artists from around the globe. It consists of video art, music, and dance in augmented reality.
Through the use of our software, the audience is able to view the video streams by video artists as 3D video sculptures and listen to the audio streams …

“Dancedemic” In A Pandemic: A New Networked Reality, Ellen Pearlman

Journal of Network Music and Arts

The Covid-19 pandemic of 2020 forced large parts of the globe and entire industries to shut down. Network connectivity became a necessary lifeline deploying a host of technologies that, while once considered experimental, were to be adopted as a vital part of just-in-time solutions-based practices. This report examines the implementation of one of these topologies in the form of an artist-built, artist-owned global network in the hopes that other small-sized organizations can benefit from these ad hoc, but successful solutions.

A Spectrum Of Online Rehearsal Applications: A Potential Means For Cultural Connection, Dana Kemack Goot, W. Scott Deal

Journal of Network Music and Arts

The current array of telematic music applications offers exceptional opportunities to transcend distance and enable networking between various cultures and communities. As a means to achieve this, network music applications require assessment through their previous implementations, installation requirements, cost, hardware requirements, and usability in order to assess their potential and to decipher improvements needed as a means of cultural connectivity. An early precursor of telematic music was an innovative concert by Paul Robeson in 1957, which circumvented political restrictions and enabled activism as it occurred, despite the U.S. State Department’s revocation of Robeson’s passport due to his left-wing tendencies and …

Telematic Immersion: Performance, Technology, And Audiovisual Work In Virtual Studies (2020) By Paulo C. Chagas, Cássia Carrascoza Bomfim

Journal of Network Music and Arts

This article discusses the concept of telematic immersion developed in partnership with composer Paulo C. Chagas. Focusing on Chagas’s work Virtual Studies (2020) for flute, live electronics, and 3D video, we reflect on different aspects of artistic creativity in the telematic environment including the use of audio and video technology and the multiple connections between musicians and apparatuses. The article discusses how the parameters of chamber music in the physical environment, such as the uniqueness of the live performance, the corporality of sound, and the visual and choreographic dimension of the performance are being transformed through the virtual setting of …

Sonic Proximities: Locating Oneself And The Others Within A “Migratory Journey”, Ximena Alarcon Diaz

Journal of Network Music and Arts

The INTIMAL App© is a mobile application that synchronously senses people’s walking rhythms in distant locations and then rhythmically sonifies these with the user’s chosen audio frequencies. Taken altogether, the perception of breathing and walking rhythms across space and time creates an embodied telepresence. At the level of content, the app has provided first-hand narrative accounts about the migration experiences of Colombian women living in Europe. These stories are meant to elicit a response from the listener, allowing for a path to be built out of new relationships that emerge between voices and sound frequencies. In the context of the …

Editorial, Sarah Weaver

Journal of Network Music and Arts

No abstract provided.

Exoskeletons And The Future Of Work: Envisioning Power And Control In A Workforce Without Limits, Gavin L. Kirkwood, J. Nan Wilkenfeld, Norah E. Dunbar

Human-Machine Communication

Exoskeletons are an emerging form of technology that combines the skills of both machines and humans to give wearers the ability to complete physically demanding tasks that would be too strenuous for most humans. Exoskeleton adoption has the potential to both enhance and disrupt many aspects of work, including power dynamics in the workplace and the human-machine interactions that take place. Dyadic Power Theory (DPT) is a useful theory for exploring the impacts of exoskeleton adoption. In this conceptual paper, we extend DPT to relationships between humans and machines in organizations, as well as human-human communication where use of an …

Human-Machine Communication: Complete Volume 4

Human-Machine Communication

This is the complete volume of HMC Volume 4.

Embracing Ai-Based Education: Perceived Social Presence Of Human Teachers And Expectations About Machine Teachers In Online Education, Jihyun Kim, Kelly Merrill Jr., Kun Xu, Deanna D. Sellnow

Human-Machine Communication

Technological advancements in education have turned the idea of machines as teachers into a reality. To better understand this phenomenon, the present study explores how college students develop expectations (or anticipations) about a machine teacher, particularly an AI teaching assistant. Specifically, the study examines whether students’ previous experiences with online courses taught by a human teacher would influence their expectations about AI teaching assistants in future online courses. An online survey was conducted to collect data from college students in the United States. Findings indicate that positively experienced social presence of a human teacher helps develop positive expectations about an …

Sex With Robots And Human-Machine Sexualities: Encounters Between Human-Machine Communication And Sexuality Studies, Marco Dehnert

Human-Machine Communication

Sex robots are a controversial topic. Understood as artificial-intelligence enhanced humanoid robots designed for use in partnered and solo sex, sex robots offer ample opportunities for theorizing from a Human-Machine Communication (HMC) perspective. This comparative literature review conjoins the seemingly disconnected literatures of HMC and sexuality studies (SeS) to explore questions surrounding intimacy, love, desire, sex, and sexuality among humans and machines. In particular, I argue for understanding human-machine sexualities as communicative sexuotechnical-assemblages, extending previous efforts in both HMC and SeS for more-than-human, ecological, and more fluid approaches to humans and machines, as well as to sex and sexuality. This …

I Get By With A Little Help From My Bots: Implications Of Machine Agents In The Context Of Social Support, Austin Beattie, Andrew C. High

Human-Machine Communication

In this manuscript we discuss the increasing use of machine agents as potential sources of support for humans. Continued examination of the use of machine agents, particularly chatbots (or “bots”) for support is crucial as more supportive interactions occur with these technologies. Building off extant research on supportive communication, this manuscript reviews research that has implications for bots as support providers. At the culmination of the literature review, several propositions regarding how factors of technological efficacy, problem severity, perceived stigma, and humanness affect the process of support are proposed. By reviewing relevant studies, we integrate research on human-machine and supportive …

Considering The Context To Build Theory In Hci, Hri, And Hmc: Explicating Differences In Processes Of Communication And Socialization With Social Technologies, Andrew Gambino, Bingjie Liu

Human-Machine Communication

The proliferation and integration of social technologies has occurred quickly, and the specific technologies with which we engage are ever-changing. The dynamic nature of the development and use of social technologies is often acknowledged by researchers as a limitation. In this manuscript, however, we present a discussion on the implications of our modern technological context by focusing on processes of socialization and communication that are fundamentally different from their interpersonal corollary. These are presented and discussed with the goal of providing theoretical building blocks toward a more robust understanding of phenomena of human-computer interaction, human-robot interaction, human-machine communication, and interpersonal …

Fight For Flight: The Narratives Of Human Versus Machine Following Two Aviation Tragedies, Andrew Prahl, Rio Kin Ho Leung, Alicia Ning Shan Chua

Human-Machine Communication

This study provides insight into the relationship between human and machine in the professional aviation community following the 737 MAX accidents. Content analysis was conducted on a discussion forum for professional pilots to identify the major topics emerging in discussion of the accidents. A subsequent narrative analysis reveals dominant arguments of human versus machine as zero-sum, surrender to machines, and an epidemic of mistrust. Results are discussed in the context of current issues in human-machine communication, and we discuss what other quickly automating industries can learn from aviation’s experience.

Human-Machine Communication Scholarship Trends: An Examination Of Research From 2011 To 2021 In Communication Journals, Riley J. Richards, Patric R. Spence, Chad Edwards

Human-Machine Communication

Despite a relatively short history, the modern-day study of communication has grown into multiple subfields. To better understand the relationship between Human-Machine Communication (HMC) research and traditional communication science, this study examines the published scholarship in 28 communication-specific journals from 2011–2021 focused on human-machine communication (HMC). Findings suggest limited prior emphasis of HMC research within the 28 reviewed journals; however, more recent trends show a promising future for HMC scholarship. Additionally, HMC appears to be diverse in the specific context areas of research in the communication context. Finally, we offer future directions of research and suggestions for the development of …

Online Discussion Forum And Pre-Migration Information Seeking: An Affordance Perspective, Daniel Gulanowski, Luciara Nardon, Michael J. Hine

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Potential immigrants increasingly rely on online technologies to access needed information as they have limited access to offline sources of information at the pre-arrival stage. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of online discussion forums in facilitating potential immigrants’ access to relevant information about the host country labor market. This paper draws on extant literature on computer-mediated communication and a qualitative content analysis of 363 forum discussions to explore the phenomenon of increased use of online forums by prospective immigrants to Canada to access relevant labor market information. We draw on existing concepts of technology affordances …

Deepfakes, Shallowfakes, And The Need For A Private Right Of Action, Eric Kocsis

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

For nearly as long as there have been photographs and videos, people have been editing and manipulating them to make them appear to be something they are not. Usually edited or manipulated photographs are relatively easy to detect, but those days are numbered. Technology has no morality; as it advances, so do the ways it can be misused. The lack of morality is no clearer than with deepfake technology.

People create deepfakes by inputting data sets, most often pictures or videos into a computer. A series of neural networks attempt to mimic the original data set until they are nearly …

A Proportionality-Based Framework For Government Regulation Of Digital Tracing Apps In Times Of Emergency, Sharon Bassan

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

Times of emergency present an inherent conflict between the public interest and the preservation of individual rights. Such times require granting emergency powers to the government on behalf of the public interest and relaxing safeguards against government actions that infringe rights. The lack of theoretical framework to assess governmental decisions in times of emergency leads to a polarized and politicized discourse about potential policies, and often, to public distrust and lack of compliance.

Such a discourse was evident regarding Digital Tracing Apps (“DTAs”), which are apps installed on cellular phones to alert users that they were exposed to people who …

Evaluating The Factors Influencing Alignment Of It And Business In A Cloud Computing Environment, Dr. Shailja Tripathi

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Aligning IT with business strategically is the recent area of attention among researchers and practitioners because of its potential impact on organizational performance. Currently, large numbers of enterprises are migrating towards cloud computing as on-premise implementation of Information technology (IT) infrastructure is expensive. The purpose of this research is to examine the factors that influence the alignment of IT and business in cloud computing environment. Therefore, this study used the Strategic Alignment Maturity (SAM) model as a framework to validate the evolution of IT-business alignment in a cloud computing platform. A questionnaire-based survey method was employed for data collection. The …

Evolution And Diffusion Of Icts In The Indian Railways: A Historical Analysis, Ramesh Subramanian

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

The Indian Railway system is one of the largest socio-technical systems in the world. It has existed for over 160 years, starting from the British Colonial times. It continues to play a critical role in present-day India. It’s continued functioning is dependent not only on the personnel who are employed in the railways, but also the technologies that go into the system. A critical technology in the functioning of the railway system is information and communications technologies (ICTs). ICTs are deployed in almost every facet of the railway system. But these ICTs did not manifest themselves recently. They have been …

Jitim Table Of Contents - Vol. 31 Issue 2 - 2022

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

JITIM ToC

Assessing Performance Impact Of Digital Transformation For Instructors In The Covid-19 Era, Shailja Tripathi Dr., Shubhangi Urkude Dr.

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Digital transformation has evolved as the main issue for higher education institutions (HEIs) across the globe due to the Covid-19 outbreak. The purpose of this study is to investigate the performance impacts of digital transformation for instructors of HEIs during the pandemic. The technology-to-performance chain (TPC) model pursues to predict the influence of an information system on the performance of an individual user. Hence, TPC model is used to evaluate the performance of instructors due to digital transformation in the institutions during the Covid-19 pandemic. The data is collected from instructors of higher educational institutions. Recently, partial least squares path …

E-Payment Adoption In Saudi Arabia, Alexander N. Chen, Joseph Y. Thomas, Mark E. Mcmurtrey Ph.D., Michael E. Ellis

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Internet technology has influenced banking systems because of its capability to enhance the performance of financial operations. Several factors influence the adoption of new technology within the financial industry. Namely the customers’ perception of benefit, quality, Ease of Use, Security, Self-Efficacy, and Trust. However, various cultures and geopolitical issues influence technology adoption and are therefore worth further study. This paper focuses on the factors that influence the behaviors of Saudi Arabians and their adoption of e-payment systems. The paper shows the fundamental discoveries of an investigation examining the dispersion and the adoption of e-payment technology in …

Jitim Front Cover Vol 31 1 2022

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Table of Content JITIM Vol 31. issue 1, 2022

Will Products Liability Litigation Help Protect Iot Users From Cyber-Physical Attacks?, J Royce Fichtner, Troy J. Strader

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

While there is an identifiable trend towards protecting consumers from data breaches and data misuses related to IoT devices through new legislation, new regulations, government enforcement actions, and private lawsuits, there has been little progress towards creating similar legally enforceable standards of care for “cyber-physical device security.” This article explores this underdeveloped area of academic inquiry into cyber-physical device security within the context of product liability litigation in the United States. The two questions addressed in this article are: (1) Have there been any successful products liability court decisions in the United States that have held IoT manufacturers liable for …

Examining Factors Influencing Intention To Use M-Health Applications For Promoting Healthier Life Among Smartphone Users In Tanzania, Herman Mandari, Mahija Yahaya

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Deaths related with Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) have recently increases, similarly, development of mobile technologies have paved a way in which Smartphone users can use m-health applications to address high level of sedentary behaviours that relates to negative health consequences. Therefore, this study was conducted to examine factors which may influence generation Y who are Smartphone users to adopt m-health applications in controlling NCDs in Tanzania. TAM theory was extended with awareness, trust and perceived cost to develop a research conceptual model of this study. Google form was used to developed online questionnaire which was distributed through social media platforms to …