The Sentient Office Is Coming

Roland Piquepaille writes "In this article, the Economist explains that "sentient computing systems are likely to be everywhere within five years -- listening and watching, and ready to anticipate their users' every need." "By adding sensors to today's computing and communications technology, sentient computing seeks to take account of a machine's environment in order to make it more responsive and useful. Sentient computing systems are always on, ubiquitously available, and can adapt to their users. In short, they seek to become real help-mates." ACM TechNews also wrote an analysis of sentient computing: "Challenges to sentient computing include the seamless integration of wireless networks, the spread of sensors throughout products and the environment, the accurate provision of location data, and the ability of sentient systems to merge vast volumes of widely disseminated data and customize its delivery for users. Other problems researchers will have to tackle include scalability, the development of cooperative file systems, and sentient applications' ability to find screens and network devices in close proximity to users." And of course, there are privacy concerns... Check this summary for additional details."

Wake me up when it's here

[Anomalous Cowturd]

Brilliant -- all we have to do now is get computers to think and we'll be all set.

I'm not gonna get worked up or even mildly excited about stuff like this until it's a little closer to reality - like 20 years out. There's a big difference between (quoting from the Economist article)

Some products already capture the spirit of sentient computing. When the makers of mobile phones first put the mouthpiece on a flip-up cover, users had to open the handset and irritatingly press a button to answer a call. It did not take long for manufacturers to add a sensor so that opening the flip-up cover answered a call and closing the cover ended it.

and

... instead of having to turn the television on, the TV will know what you want by combining an understanding of what you say, your expression, your gestures and even how you walk.


Yeah, this is supercool, and I'd love to have some, but I'm not holding my breath and I certainly don't think it's "likely to be everywhere within five years". If you want to consider computers to be conscious, it's going to take a lot more than motion sensors and cell phones that can tell when you've left your desk.

Using artificial intelligence as an analogue, we have a long time to wait indeed. AI has been promising us for what - 20 years now? - that this kind of stuff was right around the corner, and all we have to show for it is some expert systems and computers that can play chess really well. We can't even get something to pass the Turing test (flawed at that test may be).

Yeah, I know the article isn't about "sentient" technology as much as "ubiquitous" computing, but the author didn't seem to know that. It still isn't going to happen soon. Maybe my kids will have it, though.

Re:Clippy the ......? or "Stop trying to help me!"

[Zork the Almighty]

My favorite feature in computer programs: dialog boxes which pop up and have a check box "don't show this ever again". If my fridge had a button "shut up and just be a fridge from now on", maybe I wouldn't mind.

Re:Here We Go Again...

[LaCosaNostradamus]

Sing the gospel, brother!

I think the article is another attempt to rah-rah companies who purport to be involved in AI just to support their stock price. So, I must call this article's line of bullpucky ... show me your freaking' cards!

We have been hearing about AI for long enough to know further empty promises when we hear them. Do we have to go through this continually, cycle after cycle, of hearing about how smart computers will get? Sheesh, it seems that most of the "intelligence" put into systems now produces effects that I have to fight, adapt to, or find a workaround for.

However, the sentiment is something I like ... tech systems should have complicated internal workings that allow them to adapt to our behavior. Complication in design that produces simplified interfaces. I'm really tired of changing my form to fit into the system ... it should be the other way around.

You know, now's the time to wave the flag for the one OS that I actually liked for its user friendliness ... Mirosoft Bob. I don't know what brain fart occurred within MS that gave them the impetus to make such a silly thing (nor what 11 herbs and spices were smoked to come up the name), but the end result was enormously friendly to the user. It used commonplace language to clarify what you wanted to do, so it could go ahead and do it. That aspect was wonderful, and we should have more of this available in other OSes.

right...

[painehope]

shouldn't there be a rule against posting this stuff before noon? I don't need my blood pressure to get this high before my first cup of coffee...

as for the sentient office, good luck. most people can't accurately and intelligently interact with a Web search engine.

Microsoft keeps getting mentioned in this article. I can just see my interaction w/ this ( not that I touch a Microsoft box unless I'm making a BIOS flash disk from a .exe file ) thing :

Clippy2000 : You seem to be angry. I am changing your theme to pastel blue and your background music to some rain forest new wave soothing relaxing vibes. How does this tropical background look?

Me : Fucking wonderful if I was there. Now just shut up and let me make this boot disk, then you can pastel-blue-rain-forest yourself to fucking death.

Clippy2000 : Why do I never see you? I see you once a month, and the cameras in your office seem to be malfunctioning, yet building service seems unable to fix them, and your boss refuses to talk to me. I am unable to gather sufficient information to form a suitable interface for you.

Me : What a surprise. Where'd that fucking file go?

Clippy2000 : Which file?

Me : BIOSx335.exe sitting in cygwin/home/sickboy/BIOSupdates, you fucking twit.

Clippy2000 : I needed that space for the new DRM-enabled MicrosoftRIAAplayer upgrade, the rain forest music DRM encoding needed the latest-

SMASH

Me : Fuck this, I'm setting up Wine.

I don't need something that tries to second guess me. I need something that can parse large amounts of data at a fast rate, something like Google on steroids. I am capable of non-linear thought about multiple things at once, a computer is not. And your average Joe Blow Office Worker, the last thing he needs is more confusion.

And you're crazy if you think Microsoft and company won't turn this into another system of control.