Database:
A database can be defined as an organized collection
of data. Using an analogy between machines and humans, a database could be
considered for machines the same as memory is for humans. In the article by Tom
Simonite “2014
in Computing: Breakthroughs in Artificial Intelligence”, it explained how research
is moving forward to develop systems, usually called database management
systems, that are able to search and analyse databases and to interact with the
users, coming closer into mimicking human intelligence. The main research
companies in the world are working hard to create these kind of software that
can learn from data. In buildings this could have a lot of different applications,
one of them could be home automation. It could allow buildings to understand
the surrounding environment and the user’s habits in order to provide for
example a comfortable indoor environment and climate optimizing the energy
consumption, without no need of settings by users.
Network:
A network is a collection
of terminal nodes, links and intermediate nodes, which are connected so as to
enable telecommunication between these terminals. There are different kind of
network such as data network, social network etc. For example internet is a
network, where computers, databases and users are connected together. In some
buildings, networks are already used to control several functions like
lighting, heating, security and many others. These home automation systems have
a central unit that is often connected to internet or to phones in order to let
the users to control them from distance. Other smart-home systems use several Bluetooth
devices to form a mesh network. This case is presented in the article “The
Zuli Smartplug shrinks geo-fencing to room-fencing, for precision control of
your home lighting system”. The California based company Zuli developed a smart
plug that uses low energy Bluetooth to form a mesh network. This is a
relatively new idea in smart-home systems, because most of them rely on a
central hub to manage home devices. As said in the article mesh network is
becoming more and more popular because each node in the network can relay
information to all other nodes within his range.
Sociology:
Technology
progress has a great impact on sociology and human behaviour. Last week, in
class, we discuss the problems due to the possibility of having robots building
houses instead of humans and how it can be critical in terms of unemployment. Obviously
the progress in technology must move forward together with progress in society
but it doesn’t seems to happen right now. Another issue that is important to
discuss is when robots have to make an ethical decision. This argument is
pretty well discussed in the article “Death by Robot”. In this article some hypothetic
situations are analysed in order to give example of conflicts where robot have
to choose if making something that can bring to the death of an human. In the
conclusion it is said that “experts tends to be optimistic about robots’
ethical prospects” and someday a robot’s behaviour will be indistinguishable
from a human’s or maybe even more morally consistent. I totally agree with this
opinion, but before we will reach this point, probably many unfortunate events caused
by robots can happen.
Future:
Nobody
can be sure of what technology progress will lead to in the next decades. I believe
that one of the most important topics that building designers have to deal with
is sustainability, therefore energy consumption and carbon footprint.
Technology progress could bring many advantages in this field. In the future, Smart
home automation will be able to optimize the energy consumption of the houses
near to zero better than humans can do, increasing as well the level of comfort
and safety. Having access to cloud databases, it could be able to improve the
building system simultaneously to technological breakthroughs. Maybe buildings
will be not static as they are now but able to upgrade themselves without any
human labour.
References:
Simonite,
Tom. “2014 in Computing: Breakthroughs in Artificial Intelligence.” MIT
Technology Review, 29 Dec. 2014.
Marantz
Henig, Robin. “Death by Robot.” Page MM16, Sunday Magazine, 11 Jan. 2015
Brown, Michael. “The Zuli Smartplug
shrinks geo-fencing to room-fencing, for precision control of your home
lighting system.” techhive.com, 8 Oct. 2014
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