Emerging Library Technologies, is written for librarians/information professionals, teachers, administrators, researcher
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English Pages [208] Year 2018
Table of contents :
Front Cover
Emerging Library Technologies
Emerging Library Technologies
Copyright Page
Contents
Acknowledgments
Emerging Library Technologies: It Is Not Just for Geeks
Introduction
What are Emerging Technologies?
Why Did I Write This Book?
Why Should You Read This Book?
Driverless Vehicles: Pick Me Up at the…
If You Print It, They Will Come: 3D Printing In Your Library
Is It a Bird, Is It a Plane: It Is a Drone Flying Your Way
Robotics: Robots to the Rescue
Conclusion
1 Artificial Intelligence: AI is Nearby
Introduction
What is Intelligence?
What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
A Brief History of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Market for Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Areas Within Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Deep Learning
Machine Learning
Machine Translation Technology (MTT)
Artificial Emotional Intelligence or Emotion AI
Speech Recognition Technology
Industries Impacted by Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Challenges and Opportunities for Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Challenges for Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Opportunities for Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI in Medicine
AI in Music
AI in Libraries
The Role of Libraries
Internships/Mentorships
Job Retraining
Conclusion
Questions for Further Discussion
Considerations for Implementation
Proposal
Glossary
Suggestions for Further Reading
Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI)
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology)
MIT Media Lab
Ted Talks
Bibliography
2 Robotics: Robots to the Rescue
Introduction
What is a Robot?
What is Robotics?
A Brief History of Robotics
Market for Robotics
Challenges and Opportunities for Robotics
Challenges for Robotics
Opportunities for Robotics
Applications of Robots in Various Industries
Robots in Healthcare
Robots in Education
Robots in Libraries
Chicago Public Library
Westport Connecticut Library
Peters Township Public Library
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
Seattle Public Library
Wilson (CT) Public Library
University of Texas at Arlington Library
University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) FabLab
The University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) Library
Conclusion
Questions for Further Discussion
Considerations for Implementation
Proposal
Glossary
Suggestions for Further Reading
Books
Organizations
Carnegie Mellon University
Robotics Academy
CREATE Lab
FIRST—For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology
MIT Media Lab
Magazines
Wired Magazine
Mashable Technology
Tech Crunch
Bibliography
3 Is It a Bird, Is It a Plane: It’s a Drone Flying Your Way
Introduction
What is a Drone?
A Brief History of Drones
Types of Drones
Single Rotor Drones
Multirotor Drones
Tricopters (Three Rotors or Propellers)
Quadcopters (Four Rotors or Propellers)
Hexacopter (Six Rotors or Propellers)
Octocopters (Eight Rotors or Propellers)
Fixed Wing Drones
Features in Common
Challenges and Opportunities for Drones
Challenges for Drones
Opportunities for Drones
Applications of Drones
Drones in Entertainment
Drones in agriculture
Drones in law enforcement
Drones in real estate
Drones in photography
Drones in deliveries
Drones in engineering
Drones in monitoring and protection
Drones in education
Drones in Libraries
Mandel Public Library in West Palm Beach Florida
Arapahoe Colorado Libraries
Joint Library of Broward College & Florida Atlantic University
Georgia Highlands College Library
University of South Florida Library
Colgate University Library
Ohio Wesleyan University
Idaho Schools and Libraries
Conclusion
Questions for Further Discussion
Considerations for Implementation
Proposal
Glossary
Suggestions for Further Reading
Books
Magazines
Websites
Bibliography
4 Driverless Vehicles: Pick Me Up at the…?
Introduction
What is a Driverless Car?
A Brief History of Driverless Vehicles
Self-Driving Car Market
The Self-Driving Car Major Players
Waymo (Self-Driving Unit of Google Parent Alphabet)
Uber
Tesla
Daimler-Mercedes Benz
Porsche/Huawei
Volkswagon
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA)
Volvo
Audi
BMW
Ford
General Motors (GM)
Apple
Nvidia
Baidu
Industries Impacted by Driverless Cars
Challenges and Opportunities for Driverless Vehicles
Challenges for Driverless Vehicles
Opportunities for Driverless Vehicles
Role of Libraries
Internships/Mentorships
Job Retraining
Conclusion
Questions for Further Discussion
Considerations for Implementation
Proposal
Glossary
Suggestions for Further Reading
Web Sites
Bibliography
5 Information Seeking With Big Data: Not Just the Facts
Introduction
What is Big Data?
How Big is Big Data?
History of Big Data
Applications of Big Data
Challenges and Opportunities for Big Data
Challenges for Big Data
Opportunities for Big Data
Industries Impacted by Big Data
Big Data Implications for Libraries
Big Data Library Examples
University of California Berkeley Libraries
New York University Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
Harvard University Library Analytics Toolkit
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Libraries
University of Michigan Library
Conclusion
Questions for Further Discussion
Considerations for Implementation
Proposal
Glossary
Suggestions for Further Reading
Bibliography
6 Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality: What Is Your Reality?
Introduction
What are Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality?
What is Augmented Reality (AR)?
Brief History of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality
Panoramic Paintings from the Nineteenth Century
1838—Stereoscopic Photos and Viewers
1930s—Science Fiction Story Predicted VR
1950s—Morton Helig’s Sensorama
1960—The first VR Head-Mounted Display (HMD)
1961 Headsight—First Motion Tracking HMD
1965—The Ultimate Display by Ivan Sutherland
Brief History of Augmented Reality
Market for Virtual Reality (VR)/Augmented Reality (AR)
Major Players for Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality
Google (Now Alphabet)
Sony
HTC
Oculus
Samsung
Challenges and Opportunities for Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality
Challenges for Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality
Opportunities for Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality
Applications of Virtual and Augmented Reality
Virtual Reality in Medicine and Healthcare (Fig. 6.2)
Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality in Education
Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality in Customer Service
Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality in Entertainment
Applications of Virtual Reality in Libraries
Some Examples of Libraries Utilizing Virtual/Augmented Reality
University of Oklahoma Libraries
North Carolina State University (NCSU)—NCSU Provides a VR Usability Lab, Virtual Martin Luther King (MLK) Project, and VR S...
Georgetown University Gelardin Library
San Jose Library
Virtual Reality at Evergreen Branch Library and TeenHQ
Conclusion
Questions for Further Discussion
Considerations for Implementation
Proposal
Glossary
Suggestions for Further Reading
Bibliography
7 If You Print It, They Will Come: 3D Printing in Your Library
Introduction
What is 3D Printing?
How Does 3D Printing Work?
A Brief History of 3D Printing
3D Printing Market
Types of 3D Printers
Powder-Based 3D printers
Resin-Based 3D Printers
Filament-Based 3D Printers
Hybrid 3D Printers
The Most Popular Type of 3D Consumer Printer
Popular 3D Printer Manufacturers
Challenges and Opportunities for 3D Printing
Challenges for 3D Printing
Opportunities for 3D Printing
Applications of 3D Printing
Medicine/Healthcare
Retail
Aerospace
Architecture
Education
Manufacturing
3D Printing in Libraries
Touro College School of Health Sciences
Cline Library MakerLab, Northern Arizona University
Photos
Stephen F. Austin State University, Ralph W. Steen Library
Conclusion
Questions for Further Discussion
Considerations for Implementation
Proposal
Glossary
Suggestions for Further Reading
Free 3D Files
3D Printing Services
Publications, Blogs, Videos
Books
Bibliography
8 Wearable Technologies From A to Z
Introduction
What is Wearable Technology?
Brief History of Wearable Technologies
Market for Wearable Technologies
Types of Wearable Technologies
Challenges and Opportunities for Wearable Technologies
Challenges For Wearable Technologies
Opportunities for Wearable Technologies
Implications for Wearable Technologies in Libraries
Applications of Wearable Technologies
Universal Orlando Resort Water Park
University of Pittsburgh Innovation Challenge Wearable Health Devices—Clinical and Translational Science Institute
University of California San Diego Healthcare Wearable Technology
Ryerson University Library & Archives Digital Media Experience Lab
Conclusion
Questions for Further Discussion
Considerations for Implementation
Proposal
Glossary
Suggestions for Further Reading
Bibliography
9 How to Get Stakeholder Buy In for Implementing Emerging Technologies in Your Library
Emerging Technology Stakeholder Buy in Check List
10 Keeping Abreast of Emerging Technologies
Blogs and Publications
Podcasts
Books
Trend Reports
Attend Conferences
Consortiums and Groups
Conclusion
Index
Back Cover
EMERGING LIBRARY TECHNOLOGIES
CHANDOS INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL SERIES Series Editor: Ruth Rikowski (email: [email protected]) Chandos’ new series of books is aimed at the busy information professional. They have been specially commissioned to provide the reader with an authoritative view of current thinking. They are designed to provide easy-to-read and (most importantly) practical coverage of topics that are of interest to librarians and other information professionals. If you would like a full listing of current and forthcoming titles, please visit www.chandospublishing.com. New authors: we are always pleased to receive ideas for new titles; if you would like to write a book for Chandos, please contact Dr Glyn Jones on [email protected] or telephone +44 (0) 1865 843000.
EMERGING LIBRARY TECHNOLOGIES It’s Not Just for Geeks
IDA ARLENE JOINER Librarian Universal Academy Irving, TX, United States
Chandos Publishing is an imprint of Elsevier 50 Hampshire Street, 5th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, OX5 1GB, United Kingdom Copyright r 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Details on how to seek permission, further information about the Publisher’s permissions policies and our arrangements with organizations such as the Copyright Clearance Center and the Copyright Licensing Agency, can be found at our website: www.elsevier.com/permissions. This book and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by the Publisher (other than as may be noted herein). Notices Knowledge and best practice in this field are constantly changing. As new research and experience broaden our understanding, changes in research methods, professional practices, or medical treatment may become necessary. Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating and using any information, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein. In using such information or methods they should be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including parties for whom they have a professional responsibility. To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the authors, contributors, or editors, assume any liability for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in the material herein. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress ISBN: 978-0-08-102253-5 (print) ISBN: 978-0-08-102254-2 (online) For information on all Chandos Publishing publications visit our website at https://www.elsevier.com/books-and-journals
Publisher: Glyn Jones Acquisition Editor: Glyn Jones Editorial Project Manager: Lindsay Lawrence Production Project Manager: Debasish Ghosh Cover Designer: Victoria Pearson Essar Typeset by MPS Limited, Chennai, India
CONTENTS Acknowledgments Emerging Library Technologies: It Is Not Just for Geeks
1. Artificial Intelligence: AI is Nearby Introduction What is Intelligence? What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)? A Brief History of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Market for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Areas Within Artificial Intelligence (AI) Deep Learning Machine Learning Machine Translation Technology (MTT) Artificial Emotional Intelligence or Emotion AI Speech Recognition Technology Industries Impacted by Artificial Intelligence (AI) Challenges and Opportunities for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Challenges for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Opportunities for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) AI in Medicine AI in Music AI in Libraries The Role of Libraries Internships/Mentorships Job Retraining Conclusion Questions for Further Discussion Considerations for Implementation Proposal Glossary Suggestions for Further Reading Bibliography
2. Robotics: Robots to the Rescue Introduction What is a Robot? What is Robotics?
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A Brief History of Robotics Market for Robotics Challenges and Opportunities for Robotics Challenges for Robotics Opportunities for Robotics Applications of Robots in Various Industries Robots in Healthcare Robots in Education Robots in Libraries Chicago Public Library Westport Connecticut Library Peters Township Public Library Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Seattle Public Library Wilson (CT) Public Library University of Texas at Arlington Library University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) FabLab The University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) Library Conclusion Questions for Further Discussion Considerations for Implementation Proposal Glossary Suggestions for Further Reading Bibliography
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Is It a Bird, Is It a Plane: It’s a Drone Flying Your Way
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Introduction What is a Drone? A Brief History of Drones Types of Drones Single Rotor Drones Multirotor Drones Tricopters (Three Rotors or Propellers) Quadcopters (Four Rotors or Propellers) Hexacopter (Six Rotors or Propellers) Octocopters (Eight Rotors or Propellers) Fixed Wing Drones Features in Common Challenges and Opportunities for Drones Challenges for Drones Opportunities for Drones Applications of Drones Drones in Entertainment Drones in Agriculture
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Drones in Law Enforcement Drones in Real Estate Drones in Photography Drones in Deliveries Drones in Engineering Drones in Monitoring and Protection Drones in Education Drones in Libraries Mandel Public Library in West Palm Beach Florida Arapahoe Colorado Libraries Joint Library of Broward College & Florida Atlantic University Georgia Highlands College Library University of South Florida Library Colgate University Library Ohio Wesleyan University Idaho Schools and Libraries Conclusion Questions for Further Discussion Considerations for Implementation Proposal Glossary Suggestions for Further Reading Bibliography
4. Driverless Vehicles: Pick Me Up at the. . .? Introduction What is a Driverless Car? A Brief History of Driverless Vehicles Self-Driving Car Market The Self-Driving Car Major Players Waymo (Self-Driving Unit of Google Parent Alphabet) Uber Tesla Daimler-Mercedes Benz Porsche/Huawei Volkswagon Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) Volvo Audi BMW Ford General Motors (GM) Apple Nvidia Baidu
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Industries Impacted by Driverless Cars Challenges and Opportunities for Driverless Vehicles Challenges for Driverless Vehicles Opportunities for Driverless Vehicles Role of Libraries Internships/Mentorships Job Retraining Conclusion Questions for Further Discussion Considerations for Implementation Proposal Glossary Suggestions for Further Reading Bibliography
5. Information Seeking With Big Data: Not Just the Facts Introduction What is Big Data? How Big is Big Data? History of Big Data Applications of Big Data Challenges and Opportunities for Big Data Challenges for Big Data Opportunities for Big Data Industries Impacted by Big Data Big Data Implications for Libraries Big Data Library Examples University of California Berkeley Libraries New York University Elmer Holmes Bobst Library Harvard University Library Analytics Toolkit Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Libraries University of Michigan Library Conclusion Questions for Further Discussion Considerations for Implementation Proposal Glossary Suggestions for Further Reading Bibliography
6. Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality: What Is Your Reality? Introduction What are Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality?
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What is Augmented Reality (AR)? Brief History of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Brief History of Augmented Reality Market for Virtual Reality (VR)/Augmented Reality (AR) Major Players for Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Challenges and Opportunities for Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Challenges for Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Opportunities for Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Applications of Virtual and Augmented Reality Applications of Virtual Reality in Libraries Conclusion Questions for Further Discussion Considerations for Implementation Proposal Glossary Suggestions for Further Reading Bibliography
7. If You Print It, They Will Come: 3D Printing in Your Library Introduction What is 3D Printing? How Does 3D Printing Work? A Brief History of 3D Printing 3D Printing Market Types of 3D Printers The Most Popular Type of 3D Consumer Printer Challenges and Opportunities for 3D Printing Challenges for 3D Printing Opportunities for 3D Printing Applications of 3D Printing Medicine/Healthcare Retail Aerospace Architecture Education Manufacturing 3D Printing in Libraries Touro College School of Health Sciences Cline Library MakerLab, Northern Arizona University Photos Stephen F. Austin State University, Ralph W. Steen Library Conclusion Questions for Further Discussion Considerations for Implementation
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8. Wearable Technologies From A to Z Introduction What is Wearable Technology? Brief History of Wearable Technologies Market for Wearable Technologies Types of Wearable Technologies Challenges and Opportunities for Wearable Technologies Challenges for Wearable Technologies Opportunities for Wearable Technologies Implications for Wearable Technologies in Libraries Applications of Wearable Technologies Universal Orlando Resort Water Park University of Pittsburgh Innovation Challenge Wearable Health Devices—Clinical and Translational Science Institute University of California San Diego Healthcare Wearable Technology Ryerson University Library & Archives Digital Media Experience Lab Conclusion Questions for Further Discussion Considerations for Implementation Proposal Glossary Suggestions for Further Reading Bibliography
9. How to Get Stakeholder Buy In for Implementing Emerging Technologies in Your Library
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10. Keeping Abreast of Emerging Technologies
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Blogs and Publications Podcasts Books Trend Reports Attend Conferences Consortiums and Groups Conclusion
Index
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First and foremost, I would like to thank my omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent Almighty GOD! Thank you for creating me . . . your humble servant! I dedicate this book to the memory of my late parents Joseph Jackson Joiner, Sr. and Nan Virginia Williams Joiner, and to my late brother Joseph Jackson “Joey” Joiner, Jr. To my family: Joseph “Beane” Taylor, Joseph Jackson “JJ” Joiner, III (Donniel and angels), Tionna Joiner, Pierce “Petey” Joiner, Mari “Toy” Joiner, Linda Williams, Angela Cleveland, Pam Lewis, the Joiners, Williams, Popes, Mr. Burl J. F. Moone, III (Adopted Dad), Uncle Paul and Aunt Betty Wysong, my beloved dog Figaro, and the rest of my entire family. I LOVE YOU ALL! Dr. Robin Skrine (Ashley, Ashton, and Arden): MY BFF! You always kept me on track and reminded me “You got this girl!” To Mr. Dion “Hood-e Hood”: Thank you for always reminding me that I could “do this!” You have helped me overcome so many obstacles and challenges! Everyone knows how amazing you are! You bless so many people all over the world! When God created you, he smiled and said, “GO FORTH AND BLESS OTHERS AS I AM BLESSING YOU!” A special thank you to Mrs. Diane Harris and Ms. Janice Blackmon (Founders of Universal Academy) and the rest of our Universal Academy family: Dr. Dana Jobe, Mrs. Pamela Ward, Principal Sheraton Duffey, Dr. Tera Jones, Mrs. Linda Stevens, Mrs. Daphne Hood, Mr. Gerald “Big” Peoples, Mr. Roderick “Little” Peoples, Ms. Jessica Lee, Mrs. Watts (you always encouraged me from my first day), Mrs. Angela Johnson, and everyone else at team UA! Many thanks to my Elsevier team: Dr. Glyn Jones (Publisher), Lindsay Lawrence (Project Manager), Debasish Ghosh (Editorial Project Manager), and Ashwathi Aravindakshan (Copyright Coordinator). I would not have been able to do this without your assistance! I wish to acknowledge the following persons for their hard work and support: Dr. Tom Lauwers, CEO of Bird Brain Technologies, who provided comments on the draft Robotics chapter; author Ann Whitney Gleason, who provided moral support, lessons learned, and best practices; Janet Crum, Laurel Scheinfeld, Joan Wagner, Keith Pardini, and Edward xi
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Iglesias, who provide content for the 3D printing chapter; Dr. Lori Collins, who provided content for the Drones chapter; Courtney Guhl, and Dr. Alice Scales! I would like to thank all of my pastors over the years who have given me love and encouragement: Rev. Dr. Johnnie Monroe, Rev. Dr. Ronald Peters, Rev. Dr. Randall “Pastor Randy” Bush, Rev. Heather Schoenewolf, Rev. Patrice Fowler-Searcy, and Rev. Kate McGee. To my friends all over the world: I LOVE YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL!
EMERGING LIBRARY TECHNOLOGIES: IT IS NOT JUST FOR GEEKS INTRODUCTION As technology continues to drive nearly every facet of our lives from 3D printing to self-driving vehicles to drones, people are coming to our academic, public, school, and other types of libraries and information centers in record numbers to learn more about these emerging technologies.
WHAT ARE EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES? According to BusinessDictionary.com, emerging technologies are technologies that are perceived as capable of changing the status quo. They are new technologies that are currently developing or will be developed over the next 5 10 years, and which will substantially alter the business and social environment.
WHY DID I WRITE THIS BOOK? I have more than 25 years of technology, project management, library, and training experience in academic, public, and school libraries and every industry imaginable. I have managed multimillion dollar projects either on time or ahead of schedule and under budget including training for more than 65,000 employees throughout North America and several large- and small-scale technology implementations. As a technology project manager, I developed proposals and presented them to get shareholders on board for implementing content management, learning management, websites, and other technology-related projects. In my role as a librarian, I have trained and mentored librarians and other information professionals on technology in academic, public, and school libraries. I have taught and assisted children, teens, tweens, adults, and the elderly with technology. I have published articles in MacWorld and ComputerWorld magazines. In February 2018, I was a panelist on the Top Technology Trends
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panel at the American Library Association (ALA) Mid-Winter conference where I discussed drones in libraries and how to keep abreast of emerging technologies. I published “Drones: Agriculture’s New Best Friend” in Elsevier’s SciTech Connect online publication in May 2018; “How to Get Stakeholder Buy-In for Implementing Emerging Technologies in Your Academic Library” in Elsevier’s Library Connect online publication in May 2018; “Public Libraries: The Great Tech Equalizer” in the March 2018 issue of the Princh online journal; and “Is There a Drone in Your Library’s Future?” in the December 2017 issue of Public Library Quarterly. I wrote this book to help information professionals from technology novices to experts in all types of libraries and resource centers who want to learn, use, and help others with the latest, greatest, and hottest emerging technologies that we hear about on a daily basis. This book is a guide to navigate you through learning and implementing emerging technologies in your library or information center without all of the land mines that I have encountered throughout my career.
WHY SHOULD YOU READ THIS BOOK? If you are looking for a roadmap to help guide you through the emerging technology ever changing, ever expanding, ever exciting road ahead of you, you want to read this book. There are chapters on many of the emerging technologies that we see everywhere everyday such as robotics, artificial intelligence, drones, 3D printing, big data, driverless vehicles, virtual/augmented reality, and wearable technologies. The “Keeping Abreast of these Emerging Technologies” chapter was written to keep you from feeling overwhelmed with such a plethora of emerging technology information that is always changing and neither stops nor slows down, but is a train picking up speed. This chapter offers strategies and resources to keep you informed and updated on these technologies. The “How to Get Stakeholder Buy-In for Implementing Emerging Technologies in Your Library” chapter discusses how to get your stakeholders on board to support your technology initiatives that you want to implement and features a checklist that you should follow before approaching your stakeholders with your proposal.
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There is a “Glossary” at the end of each chapter that features short definitions for unfamiliar words that you might encounter. “Suggestions for Further Reading” are included at the end of each chapter where popular journals, Ted Talks, and other informative resources are featured. Each chapter includes “Questions for Further Discussion” that you might use to spur discussions on the technology topic. You might even decide to create resource materials, training materials, webinars, online courses, workshops, programs, and other resources to assist your patrons. The “Considerations for Implementation” at the end of each chapter allows you to “look before you leap” into the emerging technology. You can consider the audience, costs, staffing, training, marketing, legal issues, and other areas before implementing the technology into your library. There is a “Bibliography” at the end of each chapter where you can locate the material referenced in the chapter and do further reading. There are several examples of possible emerging technology scenarios that you might encounter in your library or information resource center included below with the corresponding chapter in the book.
DRIVERLESS VEHICLES: PICK ME UP AT THE. . . Several of your patrons work in industries that are going to be affected by driverless vehicles and are worried that they are going to lose their jobs. They come to your library to learn more about driverless vehicles and what they can do to be proactive in their careers. They want to know what resources you have on driverless cars and what they will need to do to prepare for and apply for jobs in driverless vehicle technology. Your patrons in a public library have seen the Google driverless vehicle on their street and want to learn more about the technology and the challenges and opportunities. You research and develop a library guide that provides an overview of driverless cars including where users can find additional information. You host town meetings with driverless vehicle experts, legislators, workforce development professionals, community and faith organizations, and social service agencies that can all provide information on the future of driverless cars, how they will affect the public, and what services they can provide to people who will lose their jobs or want to change careers.
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IF YOU PRINT IT, THEY WILL COME: 3D PRINTING IN YOUR LIBRARY As a librarian or information professional you might have been tasked with researching and writing a grant to obtain a 3D printer and once the printer arrives, you become the 3D printing expert who manages and trains others on using the printer. You might have had others come to your library to obtain assistance on 3D printing that they can use for writing their own grants.
IS IT A BIRD, IS IT A PLANE: IT IS A DRONE FLYING YOUR WAY Your library decides to buy and circulate drones and your role is to purchase them, set them up, learn the Federal Aviation Association (FAA) regulations, and train other librarians and staff using the train the trainer model, and manage the “drone loan” program. Adults might visit your library to obtain information on drones before purchasing one also. In your school, the physical education and social studies teachers each want to purchase a drone for their classes. They request information from you on drones before purchasing them. In both instances, you are expected to be the expert who provides all of the information that they might need such as information on drones, drone legislation, cost and purchase information, the pros and cons, and the future of drones.
ROBOTICS: ROBOTS TO THE RESCUE You have robotics day in your public library that is located in a poor urban area. Many of the children who will be attending are poor and do not have food to eat outside of school but love technology. You collaborate with the schools in your community, faith and community–based organizations, restaurants, robotics departments at local colleges and universities, and offer free food, career information on robotics, college and university information on STEM/STEAM careers, and everything that students might need in order to be able to pursue robotics. Throughout the year, you offer workshops where students and parents can come into your library and learn, play with, and program the robots also. Your role is to organize, market, and coordinate the workshops.
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In academic libraries, librarians can collaborate with robotics faculty and students to learn more about robotics and create instructional materials for information professionals and others who are interested in learning about robots. Librarians can partner with robotics departments to provide space in their library to showcase student robotics projects. They can also collaborate with robotics departments to obtain expertise on any questions that might arise from information professionals and other patrons on robotics and circulating them to patrons.
CONCLUSION In conclusion, you might have encountered some of these emerging technology requests and challenges that I included previously. Just remember to use this book as a guide to lead you through this sea of unchartered emerging technology waters. You are not alone! This book is your lighthouse!
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CHAPTER 1
Artificial Intelligence: AI is Nearby INTRODUCTION Imagine your car senses that you are tired and takes over control of the wheel, or your virtual personal assistant recognizing that you are having a difficult day, plays calming soothing music, or your robot dog brings your favorite pair of slippers, and finally a computer that can defeat the greatest chess player in the world, or can predict what you will purchase online or who is more likely to commit a crime? This is artificial intelligence. It is in every facet of our lives and is growing so fast that no one can fully predict where it is heading. This chapter is an overview of artificial intelligence with an emphasis on how it is used in libraries (Fig. 1.1).
WHAT IS INTELLIGENCE? We know that intelligence has something to do with thinking and so if we put both words artificial and intelligence together, we might define AI as “not natural or not real thinking.”
Figure 1.1 Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and neural networks. Emerging Library Technologies DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102253-5.00002-2
© 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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However, many experts define intelligence as a blend of several abilities such as perception or being able to perceive and understand your environment or surroundings. Another is being able to learn and remember new information. This could be remembering facts, singing, playing an instrument, or any new acquired skill that involves a great deal of mastery. Being able to reason is another area of intelligence where you are able to draw conclusions from what you just learned. Another big part of intelligence is problem solving. Here you use your knowledge, skill, and experience to solve and find a new solution for a problem. The highest level of intelligence is being able to understand and use language.
WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)? There are probably as many definitions for AI as there are areas within AI and the numbers keep growing. However, I am including a few below. AI refers to “robots, computers, and other machines with a humanlike ability to reason and solve problems” (McPherson, 2018, p. 4). Artificial intelligence is the theory and development of computer systems that are able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages. Artificial intelligence makes it possible for machines to learn from experience, adjust to new inputs, and perform human-like tasks. Most AI examples that you hear about today—from chess-playing computers to self-driving cars—rely heavily on deep learning and natural language processing (https://www.sas.com/en_us/insights/analytics/what-is-artificialintelligence.html). AI or machine intelligence (MI) is intelligence displayed by machines, in contrast with the natural intelligence (NI) displayed by humans and other animals. AI is the ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot to perform tasks commonly associated with human beings. It is technology with the ability to reason and solve problems. AI mainly focuses on understanding and performing intelligent tasks such as reasoning, learning new skills, and adopting to new situations and problems. It is a combination of computer science, psychology, and philosophy (Mogali, Artificial Intelligence and its applications in Libraries).
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AI refers to science and engineering that explores how to simulate various issues and functions in the field of human intelligence. AI technology fields cover perception, recognition, reasoning, the learning process, natural language, machine translation, games, chess, and so on. From Apple’s SIRI to self-driving cars, AI is progressing rapidly. While science fiction often portrays AI as robots with human-like characteristics, AI can encompass anything from Google’s search algorithms to IBM’s Watson to autonomous weapons (Benefits & Risks of Artificial Intelligence. Future of Life Institute. Max Tegmark). AI is a major part of many cutting-edge technologies, including robotics, driverless cars, web searches, and video games. AI technologies use sophisticated algorithms, or sets of instructions, to solve very difficult tasks (Hulick, 2016, p. 12). Some AI technologies work behind the scenes to figure out who and what people like while they are using social media or shopping online (Hulick, 2016, p. 12).
A BRIEF HISTORY OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) AI has a very long history dating back to antiquity with mention of intelligent robots and artificial beings in mythology. However, Peggy Thomas writes in her book “Artificial Intelligence” that the “First glimmer of a ‘thinking machine’ came in the 1830s, when the British mathematician, Charles Babbage, envisioned the world’s first intelligent machines” (Thomas, 2005, p. 14). Babbage, often referred to as the father of computing, attempted to design the analytical engine for performing computations such as those needed to create navigational tables and read symbols other than numbers. His partner in the venture was Lady Ada Lovelace (daughter of the poet Lord Byron). Unfortunately, the project lacked financial backing and the machine was never built. Many experts feel that the birth of AI began at the Dartmouth Conference of 1956 where several experts such Marvin Minsky, John McCarthy, Allen Newell, Herbert Simon, and others asserted that “every aspect of learning or any other feature of intelligence can be so precisely described that a machine can be made to simulate it.” They persuaded conference attendees to accept “Artificial Intelligence” as the name of the field. This conference is where AI gained its name, its mission, its first success, and its major players, and is widely considered the birth of AI.
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(The History of Artificial Intelligence. Wikipedia) https://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/History_of_artificial_intelligence#cite_note-39.
MARKET FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) The artificial intelligence market was valued at $16.06 billion in 2017 and is expected to reach $190.61 billion USD by 2025 (https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/artificial-intelligence-market-74851580. html?gclid5EAIaIQobChMIgtiWk9Hx2QIVWp7ACh0VUAnKEAAYAy AAEgIksfD_BwE). International Data Corporation (IDC) reports in their Worldwide Semiannual Cognitive/Artificial Intelligence Systems Spending Guide that “the market for cognitive/AI solutions will experience a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 55.1% over the 2016 2020 forecast period” (https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId5prUS41878616). However, Lauren Bride writes in Information Management magazine that “AI requires deep mathematical understanding often only found at academic institutions or enterprise organizations like Microsoft Corp., Google and Amazon. It will take several years before mainstream businesses can create their own AI models and algorithms in real time” (https://www.information-management.com/opinion/marketplace-forartificial-intelligence-services-emerging-in-2020). There is continued skepticism that AI is only as good or intelligent as the data behind it (Fig. 1.2).
Figure 1.2 Digital artificial intelligence interface 3D rendering.
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AREAS WITHIN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) DEEP LEARNING Deep learning is one of the most powerful approaches in AI. It involves feeding example data to a large and powerful neural network. It allows machines to be able to recognize objects in images and transcribe speech almost perfectly. However, it does require lots of training data and computing power (Knight, 2018; https://www.technologyreview.com/ s/609762/google-and-others-are-building-ai-systems-that-doubt-themselves/). It is a form of machine learning based on layered representations of variables referred to as neural networks. Deep learning has made speechunderstanding practical on our phones and in our kitchens, and its algorithms can be applied widely to an array of applications that rely on pattern recognition (The present of Artificial Intelligence: Top areas already being disrupted. Everis NEXT. September 21, 2016; https://everisnext.com/2016/09/21/artificial-intelligence-top-areas/). It is a technology that helps a program recognize general patterns in a way that is somewhat similar to how a human brain works. Deep learning is a promising technology that computer scientists are using to help computers learn. It is based on neural networks. “The human brain is a neural network with approximately 100 billion neurons linked with 100 trillion connections.” Jason Brownlee writes about examples of deep learning in “8 Inspirational Applications of Deep Learning.” Some of the deep learning examples include: Colorization of black and white images and movies—In the past, this was intricately done by hand as it was a difficult and painstaking task that relied on accuracy and attention to detail. However, today deep learning can be used to use the objects and their context within the photograph to color the image, much like a human operator might approach the problem. Automatic machine translation—Given words, a phrase, or sentence in one language, the system automatically translates it into another language. This has been available for some time. However, deep learning is achieving top results in the automatic translation of text and the automatic translation of images. Object classification in photographs—This requires the classification of objects within a photograph.
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It involves identifying one or more objects within the scene of the photograph and drawing a box around them. Character text generation—New text is generated, word-by-word or character-by-character. It is capable of learning how to spell, punctuate, form sentences, and even capture the style of the text in the corpus. Image caption generation—Given an image the system must generate a caption that describes the contents of the image. Automatic game playing—The system learns how to play a computer game based only on the pixels on the screen (Brownlee, 2016; https:// machinelearningmastery.com/inspirational-applications-deep-learning/). Computer games—Google’s DeepMind used a deep learning technique called deep reinforcement learning to teach a computer to play the Atari game Breakout. Robotics—Deep learning is also heavily used in robotics these days. The robots react to people pushing them around. They get up after falling. They perform elaborate tasks that require gentleness and care such as loading and unloading a dish washer. Self-driving cars—Deep learning is used in self-driving cars also. They are able distinguish between different types of objects including people, animals, and road signs (Hadad, 2016; http://www.yaronhadad.com/ deep-learning-most-amazing-applications/).
MACHINE LEARNING Machine learning uses algorithms to build analytical models that help computers “learn” from data. It is being applied to huge quantities of data. Machine learning occurs when a program changes itself so that it can perform better in the future. Uber uses machine learning technology in a myriad of ways including routing their drivers, surge pricing, and in their self-driving cars (Knight, 2018; https://www.technologyreview.com/s/ 609762/google-and-others-are-building-ai-systems-that-doubt-themselves/). As of 2017, a quarter of organizations are spending 15 percent or more of their IT budget on machine learning capabilities, and the number of machine learning examples is expected to rise in the near future (https://www.redpixie.com/blog/examples-of-machine-learning). Insurance—The insurance industry is spending heavily on machine learning and is planning to increase the amounts in the near future. Machine learning in the insurance industry will help to prevent the more
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than 350 cases of insurance fraud worth over $3.6 million uncovered every day. Insurers such as State Farm, Progressive, and Allstate are also moving into the machine learning sphere by using virtual assistant algorithms to determine safe driving behavior and telematics. Health and social service care—Smart watches and other wearable devices are enabling personalized health monitoring, thus making telemetry a reality. Machine learning is allowing doctors and relatives to monitor the health of elderly family members. Hence, the more personal data these algorithms are fed, the better they understand a user’s profile, enabling healthcare professionals to spot potential anomalies earlier on (https:// www.redpixie.com/blog/examples-of-machine-learning). Siri and Cortana—The voice recognition systems Siri and Cortana use machine learning and deep neural networks to imitate human interaction (https://www.apple.com/ios/siri/ https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ windows/cortana). Facebook—Facebook uses robust machine learning technology that recognizes familiar faces from your friends contact list. Therefore, they no longer need to “tag” your friends (https://www.facebook.com). Google Maps—Google Maps uses machine learning to analyze the speed of traffic through anonymous location data from your own smartphone. This enables Google to reduce travel time by suggesting the quickest routes (https://www.google.com/maps/). Google Search—Google Search uses machine learning to offer recommendations and suggestions based on previous user searchers (https:// www.google.com). Gmail—In 2015, Google introduced a smart reply function in Gmail that allows your inbox to respond to emails on your behalf. This machine learning tool automatically suggests three different responses (https:// mail.google.com/). PayPal—PayPal uses a machine algorithm to combat fraud. Through its robust deep learning AI techniques, PayPal analyzes huge quantities of customer data and evaluates risk accordingly (https://www.paypal.com/ us/home). Netflix—Netflix uses a machine learning algorithm for their video recommendation engine. Netflix has valued their return on investment (ROI) at $1 billion a year due to the success of their customer retention (https://www.netflix.com). Uber—Uber uses machine learning algorithms to determine arrival times, pick-ups, and UberEATS’ meal deliveries (https://www.uber.com).
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Lyst—Lyst is a machine learning-based ecommerce fashion site that matches customer searches with relevant recommendations. It uses metadata tags to make visual comparisons between clothing items (https:// www.lyst.com/). Spotify—Spotify like Netflix uses machine learning to establish your likes and dislikes based on what you already selected and makes recommendations by providing you with a list of related tracks (https://www. spotify.com/us/).
MACHINE TRANSLATION TECHNOLOGY (MTT) Machine translation technology is a technology that converts and translates one natural language into another natural language by means of relevant computer technologies. Google Translate is an example of machine translation technology.
ARTIFICIAL EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE OR EMOTION AI This is an emerging trend in AI based on our technologies detecting how we are feeling and responding accordingly. You can think of it in terms of our devices sensing our emotions and acting to make us feel better. Emotion AI focuses on developing algorithms that can identify not only basic human emotions such as happiness, sadness, anger, and fear, but even more complex cognitive states including fatigue, attention, interest, confusion, distraction, and others. Kaliouby writes, “Emotion EI will be ingrained in the technologies we use every day, running in the background, making our tech interactions more personalized, relevant, authentic, and interactive” (Kaliouby, 2017; URL: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/609071/we-need-computerswith-empathy/).
SPEECH RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY Speech recognition technology, also called voice recognition technology, is an advanced technology that transfers human speech signals into corresponding text through a process of interactive human machine communications. An example would be accurately putting callers through to the correct department.
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INDUSTRIES IMPACTED BY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) Transportation—With AI software at the helm, cars can now park themselves, perform adaptive cruise control on highways, steer themselves during stop-and-go traffic, and alert drivers about objects in blind spots during lane changes. AI and its deep learning branch have taken transportation to levels previously unheard of. Healthcare—AI holds exceptional promise in the area of healthcare. It will be able to improve health and quality of life for millions of people. AI is based on analytics and data being used to make predictions. Surgical robots are currently being used to assist surgeons for certain operations. Researchers at Stanford University are using AI’s deep learning to predict when a patient might die to begin the “end-of-life” conversations with family members. This AI deep learning uses neural networks to filter and learn from huge amounts of data (Hsu, 2018; URL: https://spectrum. ieee.org/the-human-os/biomedical/diagnostics/stanfords-ai-predicts-deathfor-better-end-of-life-care). Public safety/law enforcement/security—Currently our smartwatches can protect us and send us help right where we are. Some of the most successful uses for AI analytics in law enforcement and security include cameras and drones for surveillance, algorithms to detect financial fraud, white-collar crime, credit card fraud, and cybersecurity. Home-based robotics—Robots have been used in the home for several years but mostly for cleaning purposes. Robots are being used in more and more homes thanks in part to a combination of sensor-based perceptions, cloud-based machine learning, mechanical improvements, and advances in speech understanding. Employment/job retraining/workforce development—With continued developments in AI, there will be massive amounts of people losing their jobs and many industries having to rethink and refocus their direction or risk shutting down as there will be a huge transformation. Many highly technical and high-skill jobs will be created through AI. However, large amounts of people will not have the education nor the skills to find employment in these financially lucrative high-technology positions. Education—Natural language processing, machine learning, and crowdsourcing have boosted online learning and enabled teachers to address individual student learning needs and styles (Hsu, Jeremy. Stanford’s AI Predicts Death for Better End-of-Life Care. IEEE Spectrum. January
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16, 2018; URL: https://spectrum.ieee.org/the-human-os/biomedical/ diagnostics/stanfords-ai-predicts-death-for-better-end-of-life-care). Impoverished/low-resource communities—In the future, AI and deep learning will be used to assist impoverished and low-resource communities. They will be used to predict what services are needed, how they should be provided, and measure the impact of what is provided. They will be used to predict such critical issues as food, education, water distribution, safety, and health prevention (Hsu, 2018; URL: https://spectrum.ieee.org/the-human-os/biomedical/diagnostics/stanfordsai-predicts-death-for-better-end-of-life-care). Entertainment—AI is being used in entertainment in such fields as music, stage performances, and even 3D generated scenes from natural language text. Collaborative filtering algorithms are being developed to recommend relevant movies, songs, or articles that are based on the user’s demographic details and browsing history.
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) As artificial intelligence continues to gain in acceptance, there are both significant challenges and opportunities that will be addressed in this section.
CHALLENGES FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) Safety and security—Kathryn Hulick writes in her book, Artificial Intelligence, that AI technology connects people to information instantly, solves difficult problems, expands human knowledge and creativity, and even entertains people or keeps them company (Hulick, 2016). However, what happens if computers are able to program themselves and take over the world or a robot or a drone or a driverless car? Some people are concerned that this could happen one day. Several AI experts from around the world signed an open letter issued by the Future of Life Institute that pledges to safely and carefully coordinate progress in the field to ensure that it does not grow beyond humanity’s control. Some of the experts included cofounders of Deep Mind, the British AI company purchased by Google in January 2014; MIT professors; and experts at some of technology’s biggest corporations including IBM’s Watson supercomputer team and Microsoft Research.
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The late Stephen Hawking, the renowned physicist, and Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, have voiced their concerns for AI. Hawking wrote in 2014 that “One can imagine such technology outsmarting financial markets, out-inventing human researchers, out-manipulating human leaders, and developing weapons we cannot even understand” (Statt, 2015). Elon Musk tweeted, “we need to be super careful with AI. Potentially more dangerous than nukes” (Statt, 2015). Musk told an audience at Massachusetts Institute of Technology that “I am increasingly inclined to think there should be some regulatory oversight, maybe at the national or international level, just to make sure that we don’t do something very foolish” (Statt, 2015). Inaccurate data—AI learns from data. If the data are inaccurate, there will be problems with the AI and it is going to be reflected in the results that you obtain. AI is programmed to do clearly defined tasks. This means that the same software that drives your autonomous vehicle cannot predict who is likely to commit a crime or win a chess match against a grand master. At this time, it cannot perform multiple complex simultaneous tasks as humans can. Massive unemployment—There will be many job losses, especially for lesser skilled workers and some industries will have to change their focus in order to remain competitive and stay in business. Some of the industries that will be affected include transportation, warehousing, retail sales, cashiers, restaurants, and others. For example, transportation and warehousing employ 5 million Americans; 8 million Americans work as retail salespeople and cashiers; US restaurants employ 14 million people (Larson, 2017; https://medium.freecodecamp.org/bill-gates-and-elon-musk-just-warnedus-about-the-one-thing-politicians-are-too-scared-to-talk-8db9815fd398). Robots have eliminated many assembly line jobs and the unemployment numbers will continue to grow. Driverless vehicles will displace millions of human drivers very quickly once they are fully implemented on the road. Unethical use of data—What happens if the data are used for unethical purposes such security fraud, identity theft, hacking driverless cars, reprogramming drones for deadly means, misdiagnosing medical patients, the list of potential unethical uses can go on and on.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) The opportunities and benefits for AI are endless. Many AI experts believe that everything that civilization has to offer is a product of human intelligence (Statt, 2015).
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The current boon in artificial intelligence was sparked, in part, by success in teaching computers to recognize the contents of static images by training deep neural networks on large labeled data sets (Will Knight, 2017). J. Storris Hall writes in Nanofuture: What’s Next for Nanotechnology that “AI techniques already pervade the business world (although often they are called other things). Every time you make a long-distance phone call or use a credit card, some computer program is analyzing the transaction and deciding whether your card is being used fraudulently.” Raymond Kurzweil who is the director of Engineering at Google, writes that AI will improve the lives of all humanity. Additional opportunities that AI presents include: Error reduction—AI helps reduce the error and chance of reaching accuracy. Difficult exploration—AI can be used to help overcome human limitations in such fields as mining, fuel exploration processes, and ocean floor exploration. AI can help augment the human workforce, allowing them to accomplish tasks that otherwise would have been impossible. For example, a robotic suit that could allow a factory worker to lift objects that would have been too heavy with their own human strength. AI technology can increase productivity that has far-reaching benefits. People might find greater return on financial investments such as using your car as a taxi service, collecting profits while not even being behind the wheel of the car. Mundane, boring, repetitive tasks—AI will allow employees who have mundane, boring, repetitive tasks associated with their jobs, to be able to focus on more creative, engaging, and exciting tasks instead. Faster and better decisions—With AI, areas such as fraud detection, identity theft, and other areas where decisions have to made in split seconds, will see improvements. Machine learning—This might be the hottest area of AI. Through Big Data, machines being able to process terabytes of data and make predictions quicker than even the smartest humans. Error elimination—With AI at the helm, machines don’t make mistakes, unlike human beings. This is crucial in areas where life and death are an issue. Exploration or elimination of danger—AI-powered robots, drones, and other machines can enter areas that either humans don’t want to go or are deemed unsafe for humans.
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Figure 1.3 Artificial intelligence in medicine.
APPLICATIONS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) Artificial intelligence is seeing explosive growth in several areas. I have included some examples below.
AI IN MEDICINE AI helps us to prevent disease, personalize treatments, and eventually even extend our lives using techniques that no human doctor could hope to match (Tom Simonite, 2016) (Fig. 1.3). AI is being used to develop new treatments and cures for patients with breast cancer. Da Vinci, a popular surgical robot, has been used almost a half million times for operations such as prostate surgery and hysterectomies (Tom Simonite, 2016).
AI IN MUSIC AI programs and techniques have been used in music for some time, in both music performance and composition. Virtual orchestras are an example of AI use in music (Fig. 1.4). They enable students to be able to perform solos along with a full orchestra. In some instances, the computer is able to listen and follow
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Figure 1.4 Artificial intelligence in music.
along (Berlatsky, Artificial Intelligence. Opposing Viewpoints in Context).
AI IN LIBRARIES Libraries use AI in robotic automation and expert systems. Librarians can provide instructional information on artificial intelligence and answer basic questions on what it is, how it is being used, and the future of AI. Librarians can form collaborations with companies, schools, colleges, universities, workforce agencies, community organizations, and others that might benefit from AI.
THE ROLE OF LIBRARIES As with drones, driverless vehicles, 3D printing, and other emerging technologies, librarians can play an integral role providing resources to patrons who want to learn more about AI, will be displaced by these technologies, and who might want to pursue careers in these areas. Librarians can provide online and printed resources on AI introducing the technology, legislation, challenges and opportunities, and new developments to their patrons.
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Librarians can host town meetings, panel discussions with experts from the AI, robotics, drones, driverless vehicles, big data, and other related areas where patrons can learn about AI and these AI-related areas and how it will affect their lives.
INTERNSHIPS/MENTORSHIPS Public librarians can collaborate with high school librarians/teachers and AI-related companies (drones, robotics, driverless vehicles, big data, and others) arrange up paid and unpaid internships and mentor opportunities for high school students who are interested in pursuing science, technology, engineering, math (STEM)/science, technology, engineering, arts, math (STEAM) careers and want to be a part of this AI explosion. Students will learn from AI experts hands-on about the technology, the market, the future, and most importantly what STEM/STEAM programs and classes to prepare for careers in this exciting, expanding, emerging technology. Having an internship, whether paid or unpaid, or mentorship opportunity will lead to lucrative full-time employment opportunities when students graduate from their STEM/STEAM college program. This is the future and what better way to learn how to prepare for it than to be a part. This technology continues to have phenomenal growth and STEM and STEAM career opportunities for students, as well as retraining for displaced and under employed adults.
JOB RETRAINING Within AI, there will be millions of employees in every industry imaginable that will be impacted. For example, drivers, restaurant workers, retail workers, cashiers, assembly line workers, and most people in low-skilled jobs will lose their jobs and many will not be able to find future employment, at the level that they were accustomed. Whole industries might disappear or become a shell of their previous successful company. Once these changes begin to take effect, librarians and information professionals will be inundated with requests for information, social services, career advice, job retraining, and every thing that might be affected with massive amounts of jobs lost. Librarians can collaborate with schools and companies that are spearheading AI, driverless vehicles, robotics, drones, and other AI-related
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emerging technology. They can host career fairs where experts can meet with students to discuss STEM and STEAM careers and what students will need to learn in order to obtain employment in these AI-related emerging technology fields. Academic librarians can collaborate with engineering, computer science, and robotics departments at their universities to showcase some of their new projects and research in AI-related emerging technologies, and to stay abreast of developments and legislation in this area. These librarians can share the projects and research with their school and public librarians so they can host programs and workshops for their high school students to learn about these technologies and pursue STEM/STEAM careers. Librarians can also collaborate with community and workforce agencies to provide resources and programming for displaced and underemployed adults who are interested in pursuing careers in AI and AI-related industries, such as drones, robotics, self-driving vehicles, big data, and others.
CONCLUSION Artificial intelligence is the technology that drives robotics, driverless vehicles, drones, big data, and other technologies. AI is such an explosive revolution that companies are clamoring to spend billions of dollars on AI-related companies, because they know that AI is the future. It is in every facet of our lives from Siri and Cortana, to predicting diseases such as breast cancer and multiple sclerosis. It is being used to determine who is likely to commit a crime or default on a loan. It will continue to see expanded growth. It is used in every industry and its uses will continue to expand. There will be opportunities and challenges currently unheard of. Libraries will be more involved in AI through STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) careers and collaborations with companies, university departments, workforce agencies, and others. As AI gains in popularity the general public will come to the library to obtain information on AI and what it means for their lives. They will also visit libraries to learn about retraining and other job-related opportunities. The opportunities are endless for those trained in artificial intelligence and its subareas, deep learning and machine learning, as well as for drones, robots, driverless vehicles, big data, and other AI-related technologies. People trained in these areas will enjoy tremendous wealthbuilding financially lucrative opportunities, whereas those who will be
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displaced will have tremendous challenges to find employment at the levels that they had enjoyed in the past.
QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION 1. Why is AI such a popular emerging technology and what does this mean for libraries? 2. Do you have resources in your library on artificial intelligence? If so, what types of resources? 3. If patrons want to learn more about AI, what resources would you share with them? 4. There are several industries that are benefiting from AI. Name some of the industries. Where do libraries fit in? 5. What role should libraries play in artificial intelligence? 6. What does the future hold for AI in general and libraries in particular? 7. What are some of the subareas of AI, such as machine learning? Do you provide information in your library on them? 8. What are some of the challenges and obstacles for AI and are you addressing them in your library? 9. Have you formed any collaborations or partnerships with others related to AI? Do you plan to do this in the future? 10. Are you keeping abreast of new developments in AI? If so, how are you doing this?
CONSIDERATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION Artificial intelligence is the technology behind robots, driverless vehicles, drones, and other emerging technologies. It is used in every industry and is in the news on a daily basis. There will be many patrons coming into libraries with questions on AI and librarians must be prepared to assist them. To help you prepare for the large volume of patrons who will need your assistance, I have included several suggestions that you should address before implementing AI-related technologies in your library. 1. Obtain stakeholder buy in—Build your case for why you need AI resources in your academic, public, or school library and prepare it for your stakeholder, whether it is administration, principals, upper management, or board of directors. One example is that many people will be displaced by AI and they are going to want to understand
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this technology, why they are being displaced by this technology, and what they can do to obtain employment. Know your audience—Do a needs analysis to determine who your audience is and who will benefit from learning about artificial intelligence. Who is your audience? Are they teens pursuing STEM/ STEAM careers? Workers displaced from artificial intelligence? Patrons, librarians, teachers, information professionals, and anyone who wants to learn about AI, which industries will be affected by the technology, and how it will affect them and others? What resources can you provide for these groups? Costs—Find the money. Who will pay for the programming and resources that you will offer patrons on AI? Do a cost benefit analysis and determine what your overall costs will be. Write grants and partner with other libraries, schools, companies, and other organizations. Find creative ways to find the money to help defray the costs of implementing AI resources and programming in your library as there will be thousands of people who will be affected and displaced by this technology. Personnel—Who on your staff might be the lead expert on staff or “go to” person for AI resources and programming in your library? Do you have anyone on staff who can fill this role or do you need to consider hiring an additional staff member to fill this role? This person will be the point person for learning about AI and sharing the information with others on staff, in the community, and online. This person’s responsibility will be to establish relationships with some AI companies and AI experts to keep abreast of their developments and how your library might help with providing resources to others who are interested in technology, will be impacted by them, or are in a position to provide social and job-related services to them. Training—What type of training will you offer staff? Will you utilize the train the trainer model where the lead “go to” AI expert in your library trains the rest of the staff? How much will this cost? What can you do to obtain for free or at a significantly reduced cost? Build strategic partnerships—Build strategic partnerships with other libraries, departments, librarians, AI companies, community organizations, schools, community colleges, universities, government officials, and others who can assist you with AI resources and programming in your library through providing funding, expertise, training and training materials, equipment, marketing materials, workshops, lectures,
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community meeting, etc. Are there legislators who can speak to your library on AI and its impact on the community? Market the AI programs and resources—How will you market your AI resources, programs, and content in your libraries? Will you just use social media or will you use additional print-based creative advertising also? How much will this cost? Can you get free advertising? Do the research—As librarians, we are experts at performing research and sharing it with others. Research what resources you currently have available on AI at your disposal such as universities, AI companies, experts in AI? Are there departments, libraries, other organizations that have already implemented AI resources, programming, and content in their libraries and can provide who you can contact for best practices? Are there materials online for AI that you can obtain? Are there experts and enthusiasts who can share their knowledge of AI through town hall meetings, workshops, and community meetings? Offer artificial programs and workshops—What programming and resources on AI will you offer? Will you offer workshops, town hall meetings, AI curriculum, legal expertise on AI legislation, and other relevant AI topics. Artificial intelligence safety and security—You should include AI safety and security information in your library and keep it updated. Since AI is the technology that enables robots, drones, and driverless vehicles to be autonomous, there are various safety and security issues that need to be addressed. If you do offer library staff and patrons the opportunity to ride in driverless vehicles, fly drones, or program robots, you will want to have a legal document that staff and patrons are required to sign so that the library isn’t liable for any safety issues that might occur. This legal document will be created in collaboration with your legal department and the technology companies that are collaborating with the library on these emerging technologies.
PROPOSAL After you have addressed these “Considerations for Implementing Artificial Intelligence Resources and Programing in Your Library,” write them into a proposal and submit it to your stakeholders, legal department, and anyone else who can support and fund this proposal to implement driverless car resources, programming, content, and training in your library.
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GLOSSARY Adaptive cruise control A system that enables a car to drive on its own, with a human available to take over if necessary. Algorithm A set of procedures or rules used by a computer in solving a problem. Android A mobile robot that typically resembles a human being. Artificial emotional intelligence or emotion AI Emotion recognition or emotion detection technology. In market research, this is commonly referred to as facial coding. Autonomous The ability to act without help or direction. Autonomous machines can determine what actions to take without human direction. Autonomous vehicles/driverless vehicles A vehicle that is capable of sensing its environment, and navigating without human input. Binary code A series of ones and zeros that a computer reads in order to run a program. Chatbot A computer program that can simulate human conversations. Apple’s virtual personal assistant Siri and many chatbots that answer customer’s questions on their company websites. Computer vision The ability of computers or robots to detect images with the help of cameras and programs. Cognitive computing Hardware and software that mimic the functioning of the human brain and help to improve human decision-making. Deep learning A process in which neural networks are exposed to massive amounts of data, where they are able to analyze the data and come to their own conclusions. Drone An unmanned aerial vehicle. An unpiloted aircraft or ship that can be guided by a remote-control device. Expert system A computer program that uses AI technologies to simulate the judgment and behavior of a human or an organization that has expert knowledge and experience in a particular field. Some fields include medicine or business. Facial recognition The ability of computers or robots to identify people in images. Machine translation technology Technology that converts and translates one natural language to another natural language by means of relevant computer technologies. Intelligence augmentation Supplementing human intelligence with artificial intelligence rather than replacing human intelligence with artificial intelligence. Neural networks A group of interconnected neurons. The brain is a neural network. There are computer systems that loosely mimic the workings of the human brain. Robot A machine that automatically performs complicated and often repetitive tasks. Humanoid robots are designed to resemble humans. Speech recognition technology The ability of computers and robots to detect spoken words. Telematics Method of capturing, processing, and analyzing driving data. It is currently used for pricing individual car insurance.
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) http://www.aaa;.org Nonprofit society that sponsors conferences and awards to promote the development of AI technology.
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FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) http://www.usfirst.org Founded by inventor Dean Kamen, the FIRST Robotics Competition challenges students to build and program robots. Teams learn about real-world science, technology, and engineering.
MIT Media Lab http://www.media.mit.edu Researchers at the MIT Media Lab study the use of digital technologies and how they can help us think express, communicate, and explore.
Ted Talks https://www.ted.com/playlists/310/talks_on_artificial_intelligen Popular Ted Talks on artificial intelligence. “Computers are being taught to learn, reason and recognize emotions. In these talks, look for insights—as well as warnings” (Ted Talk website).
BIBLIOGRAPHY McPherson, S.S., 2018. Artificial Intelligence: Building Smarter Machines. Twenty-First Century Books, Minneapolis, MN, p. 4. What is Artificial Intelligence? URL: https://www.sas.com/en_us/insights/analytics/ what-is-artificial-intelligence.html. Mogali, Artificial Intelligence and its applications in Libraries. Hulick, K., 2016. Artificial Intelligence. Abdo Publishing, Minneapolis, MN, p. 12. Knight, W., 2018. Google and others are building AI systems that doubt themselves. MIT Technology Review. URL: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/609762/googleand-others-are-building-ai-systems-that-doubt-themselves/. The present of Artificial Intelligence: Top areas already being disrupted. Everis NEXT. September 21, 2016. URL: https://everisnext.com/2016/09/21/artificial-intelligencetop-areas/. Brownlee, J. 8 Inspirational Applications of Deep Learning. Machine Learning Mastery. July 14, 2016. URL: https://machinelearningmastery.com/inspirational-applications-deeplearning/. Hadad, Y. 30 Amazing Applications of Deep Learning. URL: http://www.yaronhadad. com/deep-learning-most-amazing-applications/. URL: https://www.redpixie.com/blog/examples-of-machine-learning. Kaliouby, R., December 2017. We need computers with empathy. MIT Technology Review. URL: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/609071/we-need-computerswith-empathy/. Thomas, P., 2005. Artificial Intelligence. Thomson Gale, New York, p. 14. History of Artificial Intelligence. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_ artificial_intelligence#cite_note-39. URL: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/artificial-intelligence-market74851580.html?gclid5EAIaIQobChMIgtiWk9Hx2QIVWp7ACh0VUAnKEAAYAyAA EgIksfD_BwE. URL: https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId5prUS41878616.
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https://www.information-management.com/opinion/marketplace-for-artificial-intelligenceservices-emerging-in-2020. Hsu, J., 2018. Stanford’s AI predicts death for better end-of-life care. IEEE Spectrum. URL: https://spectrum.ieee.org/the-human-os/biomedical/diagnostics/stanfords-aipredicts-death-for-better-end-of-life-care. Statt, Nick, 2015. Artificial Intelligence Experts Sign Open Letter to Protect Mankind from Machines. Future of Life Institute, URL: https://www.cnet.com/news/artificial-intelligence-experts-sign-open-letter-to-protect-mankind-from-machines/. Larson, Q., 2017. A Warning from Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and Stephen Hawking. Free Code Camp. Available from: https://medium.freecodecamp.org/bill-gates-and-elonmusk-just-warned-us-about-the-one-thing-politicians-are-too-scared-to-talk8db9815fd398. Knight, Will, 2017. The next big step for AI? Understanding video. MIT Technology Review . Hall PHD, J. Storris, 2005. Nanofuture: What’s Next for Nanotechology. Artificial Intelligence: Closer Than You May Think. Promethesius Books, New York, pp. 197 198. Simonite, T., 2016. The recipe for the perfect robot surgeon. MIT Technology Review . “Preface to ‘What Are Some Valuable Applications of Artificial Intelligence?’ “Artificial Intelligence, edited by Noah Berlatsky, Greenhaven Press, 2011. Opposing Viewpoints. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Coleman, C.N., 2017. Artificial Intelligence and the Library of the Future, revisited. Stanford Libraries, URL: http://library.stanford.edu/blogs/digital-library-blog/2017/ 11/artificial-intelligence-and-library-future-revisited.
CHAPTER 2
Robotics: Robots to the Rescue INTRODUCTION Imagine waking up to the smell of your favorite coffee brewing, pancakes, bacon, eggs, and sausage being prepared by your humanoid robot Tatiana and after enjoying your breakfast, a self-driving car driven by the robot Tristan drives you to work, or attending a classical music concert with the featured violinist, the robot Noah, playing Felix Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor, OP 64. No, this isn’t a scene out of the latest sci-fi movie, but is the very near future, thanks to robotics (Fig. 2.1). Robotics is one of the hottest, most popular emerging technologies today. It is in the news on a daily basis and is in every facet of our lives
Figure 2.1 Robot playing the violin. Emerging Library Technologies DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102253-5.00001-0
© 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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from a female robot debating women’s issues to robots assisting law enforcement with bomb detection and deactivation. Robotics touches every industry from manufacturing to surgery, with surgery having the greatest gains. There are humanoid robots that resemble humans that serve as companions to the elderly and remind them to take their medications and that hold intelligent conversations. Several futurists and robotics experts see robots as both an asset and a threat to humankind. However, most of the robots that we encounter were designed to perform dull, mundane, often dangerous repetitive tasks. They are often found in manufacturing, medicine, space, and automobiles. This chapter is an introduction to robotics and how they are used in different industries with an emphasis on how they are used in libraries.
WHAT IS A ROBOT? The term “robot” comes from a Czech word, robota, meaning “forced labor.” The word robot first appeared in a 1920 play by Czech writer Karel Capek, “R.U.R.: Rossum’s Universal Robots.” In the play, the robots eventually overthrow their human creators. A robot is a machine that does routine tasks. They can carry out complex series of actions automatically, especially once programmed by a computer. They are essentially a mechanical device that can be programmed to follow a set of instructions. The Robot Institute of America defined a robot in 1979 as “A reprogrammable, multifunctional manipulator designed to move materials, parts, tools, or specialized devices through various programmed notions for the performance of a variety of tasks.” Webster’s Dictionary defined a robot as “An automatic device that performs functions normally ascribed to humans or a machine in the form of a human.” Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defined a robot as “a machine that resembles a living creature in being capable of moving independently (as by walking or rolling on wheels) and performing complex actions (such as grasping and moving objects).” It also defined a robot as “a device that automatically performs complicated, often repetitive tasks (as in an industrial assembly line).” Whatis.com defines a robot as “a machine designed to execute one or more tasks automatically with speed and precision. There are as many
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different types of robots as there are tasks for them to perform. Robots that resemble humans are known as androids; however, many robots aren’t built on the human model. Robots have a processing unit, sensors to perceive their environment, and motors and actuators to move their limbs or wheels. They may speak, make other sounds, or flash with lights and colors in response to their environment and instructions that they have been given. They need the ability to follow programmed instructions and not just be controlled remotely. Smart or intelligent robots, on the other hand, can learn from their environments and experience and build on and adapt their capabilities based on that knowledge. They have a range of sensors attached to them as well as their own powerful onboard processors, and significant memory capacity; all of which enables them to reproduce the capacities of the human senses. Just like us, this allows robots to gather information about their environment and enables them to start making decisions for themselves. Smart robots can collaborate with humans, working along-side them and learning from their behavior. They have the capacity for not only manual labor but cognitive tasks. A smart robot can predict human actions with surprising accuracy. Unlike simpler robots that can carry out only preprogrammed tasks, smart robots can observe a person’s movements and make predictions about what they might lead to next.
WHAT IS ROBOTICS? Robotics is the field of study that examines robots. It is an interdisciplinary branch of engineering and science that includes mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, and others. It deals with the design, construction, operation, and use of robots. This field overlaps with electronics, computer science, artificial intelligence (AI), mechatronics, nanotechnology, and bioengineering. Science-fiction author Isaac Asimov is often credited with being the first person to use the term robotics in his short story “Runaround” for the first time in the year 1942. A collection of short stories, I, Robot, was published in 1950.
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In the story, Asimov suggested three principles to guide the behavior of robots and smart machines. Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics, as they are called, have survived to the present: 1. Robots must never harm human beings. 2. Robots must follow instructions from humans without violating rule 1. 3. Robots must protect themselves without violating the other rules. (http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/robotics) A leading roboticist explains that while Asimov’s principles have made for millions of great philosophical discussions, they have not been universally programmed into real robots. Some drones, for example, definitely harm human beings.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF ROBOTICS One of the first recorded designs of a humanoid robot was made by Leonardo da Vinci (1452 1519) in around 1495. Leonardo’s notebooks, rediscovered in the 1950s, contain detailed drawings of a mechanical knight in armor which was able to sit up, wave its arms, and move its head and jaw (URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_robots). The first industrial modern robots were the Unimates developed by George Devol and Joe Engelberger in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The first patents were by Devol for parts transfer machines. Engelberger formed Unimation and was the first to market robots. As a result, Engelberger has been called the “father of robotics” (URL: https://www. cs.cmu.edu/Bchuck/robotpg/robofaq/1.html).
MARKET FOR ROBOTICS The world of robotics is one that is still young in the grand scheme of things. However, it is quickly growing. In manufacturing, robots have taken a strong foothold, and everyone has benefited from the production and efficiency they offer (URL: https://blog.robotiq.com/robot-enabledfactories-5-powerful-statistics-for-2017). The number of industrial robots deployed worldwide is expected to increase to 2.6 million units by 2019. This would be one million units more than the record-breaking performance in 2015. Currently, 70% of industrial robots are working in the automotive, electrical, metal, and machinery industries (URL: https://blog.robotiq.com/robot-enabledfactories-5-powerful-statistics-for-2017).
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China is the fastest growing sector for robotics in manufacturing. As part of their 10-year plan called “Made in China 2025” they plan to make strategic emerging industries (SEIs) account for 15% of the total economy by 2020. To do this, they will need to install between 600,000 and 650,000 new industrial robots. Meanwhile, the Central and Eastern European states are reporting large leaps in sales. Average growth is expected to be between 14% per year from 2017 19. Of the 22 countries with an above-average robot density, 14 of them are located in Europe. North America is making strides as well. Between the USA, Canada, and Mexico, the US was at the top, but Canada saw a 49% increase in the demand for robotics, and Mexico grew by 119% (URL: https://blog. robotiq.com/robot-enabled-factories-5-powerful-statistics-for-2017). Contrary to the belief that robots simply take jobs, new information has shown that this is simply not true. Not only in the US, but also in Germany, the number of employees grew parallel to the growth of robotic automation in the vehicle sector (https://blog.robotiq.com/ robot-enabled-factories-5-powerful-statistics-for-2017). The inclusion of robotics reduced production costs and made for better market prices. This in turn increased demand and fueled more jobs rather than take them away. This is just one example that shows how robots are not taking jobs, but rather creating them (https://blog.robotiq. com/robot-enabled-factories-5-powerful-statistics-for-2017). The robotics market is expected to reach $226.2 billion in total revenue in 2021 (https://blog.robotiq.com/robot-enabled-factories5-powerful-statistics-for-2017).
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ROBOTICS There are a plethora of challenges and opportunities for robotics (Fig. 2.2).
CHALLENGES FOR ROBOTICS Some of the challenges for robotics include: Massive job losses—Robots will replace workers in many areas. There will be tremendous costs for retraining. The automotive industry, for example, has suffered significant job losses through robotic automation. With driverless vehicles, there will be job losses in every industry from insurance companies to motel/hotels and law enforcement.
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Figure 2.2 Robot serving a meal in a restaurant.
Costs—Robots can be expensive to build and purchase, depending on the industry and usage. Steep learning curve—Robots can be difficult to program and to use. Training—Training can be quite expensive and time consuming. There would need to be money allocated for staff to be trained in programming and other areas related to robotics. Safety—Robots could potentially harm others through malfunctioning or be used for dangerous and illegal uses. For example, computer hackers might take control of the computer system in a driverless vehicle and crash into another oncoming car, injuring or maybe even killing the passengers. Lack empathy and ethics—This is a major concern for many people as robots do not have the ability to “feel” or have empathy as humans do. This is a major challenge that the robotics industry is working to address. Some of the issues include using AI in unethical ways, AI eroding freedoms that humans enjoy, and delegating sensitive human tasks to robots (https://www. therobotreport.com/10-biggest-challenges-in-robotics/). Decision-making—Being able to learn complex tasks on their own with minimal training data is critical. DeepMind’s AlphaGo Zero system is a good example of this. This is a challenge that will continue to need to be addressed in the future (https://www.therobotreport.com/10-biggestchallenges-in-robotics/). Brain computer interfaces—These enable some devices to be controlled directly by the brain. The equipment for sensing brain signals is very expensive and cumbersome. The data processing can be tricky, and the training, processing, and learning curves are very steep. Johnny
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Matheny lost his arm to cancer in 2005. He is the first person to live with an advanced mind-controlled robotic arm (https://www.therobotreport.com/10-biggest-challenges-in-robotics/). More autonomy for medical robotics—Medical robots are being used for minimal invasive surgery, hospital optimization, emergency response, prosthetics, and home assistance. They represent one of the fastest growing areas in robotics. However, the challenge is building reliable systems with greater levels of autonomy (https://www.therobotreport.com/10biggest-challenges-in-robotics/).
OPPORTUNITIES FOR ROBOTICS Some of the opportunities for robotics include: Interacting with others—Robots can read and interact with small children through storytimes and other programs where they sing, read, dance, and otherwise engage with children. Robots can engage children with disabilities by making them feel comfortable communicating with them rather than with other children and adults. STEM/STEAM opportunities—Robotics is a great way to teach STEM education to students. Students can learn to use, design, and program robots that can lead to careers in the STEM and STEAM areas. Job retraining—Displaced, underemployed, unemployed, and elderly adults can develop new skills programming and designing robots. This retraining can lead to new permanent careers that will continue to grow as the area of robotics further develops. Assisting the elderly—Robots can engage the elderly by teaching them tai chi and other low-impact exercises; or about music, health, literature, travel, cooking, history, other cultures, and any other topics of interest to them. Robots can assist aging populations retain their independence. This represents a key growth sector within the robotics industry. Safety and security—Robots can explore inside gas tanks and volcanoes, travel the surface of Mars, or other places too dangerous for humans to go where extreme temperatures or contaminated environments exist. Robots can assist law enforcement and other agencies with search and rescue. They can be first responders that enter buildings too unsafe for humans or to defuse bombs and other dangerous devices. Greater return on investment (ROI)—Automated robots can work at a constant speed without taking breaks, sleeping, going on vacation, and other functions that are common to humans. Thus, robots can perform better and faster than most humans.
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Job gains—Robots can create jobs for programmers, engineers, salesmen, robotic technicians, and others (McKinnon, Peter. Robotics: Everything You Need to Know About Robotics from Beginner to Expert, 2015). Mundane, boring, repetitive tasks—Robots are able to take on the more mundane, boring, repetitive tasks associated with jobs, such as in automation. This allows employees to focus on more creative, engaging, and exciting tasks instead.
APPLICATIONS OF ROBOTS IN VARIOUS INDUSTRIES ROBOTS IN HEALTHCARE Healthcare is one of the areas where robots are being used on a regular basis and the numbers are expected to continue to grow. Doctorcontrolled robots used in surgery are becoming quite common. They augment the surgeon’s expertise, precision, dexterity, and repeatability. They help hospitals streamline costs, reduce waste, and improve patient care (Anandan, Tanya M. Robotics Industry Insights—Robots and Healthcare Saving Lives Together). Many successful robotic surgeries have been performed in recent years. They allow precision, miniaturization, and smaller incisions, that lead to decreased blood loss, less pain, and shorter healing time (Fig. 2.3) (Tegmark, Max. Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence).
Figure 2.3 Robot arm performing surgery.
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Some of the many uses for robots in medicine include clearing clogged arteries, measuring blood viscosity, delivering drugs to precise areas of the body, radiation treatment, eye surgery, hair transplants, physical therapy, rehabilitation, and other medical areas. Intuitive Surgical, Inc.’s da Vinci robots, for example, are surgical robots that are used by surgeons and are considered to be the standard of care to perform minimally invasive prostatectomies (a surgical operation to remove all or part of the prostate gland). They can also help a doctor perform hysterectomies (a surgical operation to remove all or part of the uterus), lung surgeries, and other types of procedures (URL: https:// www.investopedia.com/articles/markets/011216/4-industries-robots-arerevolutionizing.asp). iRobot, as an example, is a remote presence robot that allows outpatient specialists to interact with their patients. This robot allows doctors to administer a more personalized experience, even from a substantial distance (URL: https://www.investopedia.com/articles/markets/011216/4industries-robots-are-revolutionizing.asp). In the future, robots will aid hospitals in the following manners: • Lifting and positioning patients; • Transporting medications to patients’ rooms; • Acting as mobile supply closets, following nurses from room to room; • Delivering lab samples and reports; • Conducting routine monitoring of patients including taking temperatures, blood pressure, glucose, etc.; • Delivering patient meals, medical supplies, and other items. Robots in military—Robots are being used in the military in a myriad of ways including to conduct reconnaissance, battlefield support, bomb detection and defusion, and sentry duty. Robots in delivery—Several companies, such as Amazon, are testing robots as delivery people to reduce costs and automate the delivery of goods. Unlike drones, legislators have less concerns about robots on the streets making deliveries and other tasks where they are more autonomous (Sharma, 2017; URL: There’s a Robot Delivery at Your Door (AMZN, GOOG) | Investopedia https://www.investopedia.com/news/ theres-robot-delivery-your-door-amzn-goog/#ixzz5AuSq7NG3).
ROBOTS IN EDUCATION Robots are being used in education at an increasing rate in such areas as math, science, computer science, reading, music, and languages. There
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are numerous types of robots that are being incorporated into education at all levels. They range from simple “microprocessor on wheels” robots (boebot), to advanced toolkits (mindstorms), to humanoids (robots that resemble humans). The choice of the robot is usually dictated by the area of study and the age group of the student. Smaller robots or toolkits are generally used to teach robotics or computer science. The human-like shape of humanoids makes them easier to interact with students and they are often used for language lessons. Humanoids are able to provide real-time feedback. Their shape, and engagement often lead to a personal connection to the student that helps resolve issues related to shyness, reluctance, confidence, and frustration that can occur with a human teacher. For example, a robot will not get frustrated, angry, or tired communicating when working with a student who isn’t grasping the material. Currently, robots are not designed to replace human teachers. They are just being used to engage students in a different/novel way. Telepresence is a popular means for students to learn English or other languages. The teacher can remotely connect to the classroom through a display mechanism. In some cases, the display is embedded in the robot’s torso (Mubin, Omar and Muneeb Imtiaz Ahmad, Robots likely to be used in classrooms as learning tools, not teachers). Three areas of education where robots are gaining rapidly in popularity include: Students who are too sick to attend class—Students who are suffering from cancer and other terminal diseases who are too sick to attend class or participate in school activities can now do so with the assistance of robots. The current robot technology is very expensive (potentially $6000). However, the price will drop as the technology becomes more readily available. If the student is able to have access to this technology, it will make a world of a difference to the student and family. Teaching students with autism—Students with autism can find communicating with others intimidating, frightening, and confusing. In many cases, they cannot read facial expressions and other nonverbal cues that are easy for other students to pick up on. For students with autism it is difficult for them to understand. Even though robots can resemble humans, they don’t have the facial and other expressions that humans have. Therefore, students with autism are less likely to be distracted and can focus on learning. Robots can help students with autism learn social cues, their educational lessons, and feel comfortable expressing themselves in a nonthreatening and nonintimidating atmosphere provided by the robots.
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Teaching through remote instruction—With the help of telepresence robots, teachers can teach remotely to anywhere in the world. A remote teacher is streamed into a tablet that a local robot can take around to the students. This allows students in remote, hard-to-reach, or dangerous locations where it is difficult or impossible to hire highly skilled teachers to have the same access to the same teachers as in more affluent schools. They are able to get the same benefits of having a good teacher that they communicate with through a roving iPad screen instead of in person. There is a plethora of materials on the Internet for parents and teachers for teaching robotics including the robot kits Lego Mindstorms and Vex Robotics; simple programmable robots such as Sphero balls and lesson plans; and sophisticated engaging robots such as NAO robots (Sterling, L. Five Reasons to Teach Robotics in Schools. URL: http:// theconversation.com/five-reasons-to-teach-robotics-in-schools-49357). Sterling, L. argues that robots lend themselves to “do-it-yourself ” activities. He writes that a colleague builds robots using a 3D printer and uses his smart phone as an interactive device to communicate with the printed robot (Sterling, L. Five Reasons to Teach Robotics in Schools. URL: http://theconversation.com/five-reasons-to-teach-robotics-in-schools-49357). Sterling, L. writes about some of the reasons to teach robotics in schools. They include the following. Children find robotics fun. They enjoy building robots from Lego sets and racing them to see which ones can move the fastest. It’s a fun, creative, and engaging way to introduce them to programming. By learning to program the robots, students learn the need for precise instructions. They learn what robots can and cannot do. They learn about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and how they relate to each other. Learning to program robots helps to prepare them for future financially lucrative STEM careers. Sterling, L. writes that “By programming robots, students can discover if they have the aptitude and interest in a job market of the future.” There is evidence that suggests that robots are particularly suitable for engaging students with autism. “Children on the autism spectrum respond to calm, clear, consistent interactions that robots can provide.” Ask NAO is a suite of games that have been developed for the NAO robots to teach autistic children. Milo, for example, is a robot developed by Robokind to assist autistic children (Sterling, L. Five Reasons to Teach Robotics in Schools. URL: http://theconversation.com/five-reasons-to-teach-roboticsin-schools-49357).
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ROBOTS IN LIBRARIES Libraries have always been the place where people of all ages could visit to gain knowledge and have fun. With robots appearing in every facet of our lives, people are curious about them and are going to their public libraries to learn about them and, in some libraries, check them out as if they were a book or other material. Robots can be found in all types of libraries. They are being used as a teaching tool in several public libraries.
CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY The Chicago Public Library, for example, has partnered with Google Chicago and provided 500 Finch Robots for check out and in-house use. The Finch robots were designed by Carnegie Mellon University’s CREATE lab for use in computer science education. The Northtown branch offers the Code Phreaks programming club for grades 5 12 where members can learn how to program the Finch and create their own uses for the robots (Murphy, 2015). System-wide robotics programming has been offered throughout branches of Chicago Public Library for several years. The Radical Robots programs have been offered as 6-week clubs that participants in grades 4–6 can take on mini-robotics projects from week to week. Each week’s lessons are built upon the previous one and over the course of 6 weeks. Participants build their own robots that they are able to keep and take home. Weekly themes explored the various components of robotics such as mechanics and circuitry. Additional lessons gave participants the opportunity to work with programming LEGO Mindstorms robots. These programs were facilitated by Mad Science of Chicago. More recently, branches across the city have hosted standalone LEGO WeDo programs in which children in second grade and up had the opportunity to build LEGO robots and program them using the WeDo software. These programs allowed the Chicago Public Library to introduce students to building robots and programming concepts to the younger students. These programs were well attended. These programs were facilitated by Engineering for Kids. Robotics programming at Chicago Public Library has been generously supported by the Chicago Public Library Foundation and Science Connections. They continue to seek out new and innovative programming opportunities to introduce hands-on robotics and other STEM concepts to the
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children they serve across the city (Andrew Medlar, Assistant Chief, Technology, Content, & Innovation, Chicago Public Library).
WESTPORT CONNECTICUT LIBRARY The Westport Connecticut Library obtained two NAO robots, named Vincent and Nancy that were developed by the company Aldebaran to help teach coding and computer-programming skills to their patrons. More than 2000 patrons were trained to program them. The Westport Library offers a Kids LEGO Robotics Club offered by the staff of CompuChild company’s STEAM enrichment program. The Westport Library was chosen as one of four sites in the world to host a special Hour of Code event where they featured a course in Python also (Robots Arrive at the Westport Library, September 29, 2014; URL: http://westportlibrary.org/kids/events/kids-grades-k-5-lego-robotics-club).
PETERS TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY The Peters Township Public Library offers programming robots for residents to borrow through a collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University’s Community Robotics Education and Technology Empowerment, or CREATE Lab, and the Creative Learning Collaborative, a parent group that supports science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, learning opportunities for children in the South Hills of Pittsburgh (URL: http://triblive. com/neighborhoods/alleghenyneighborhoods/alle-ghenyneighborhoodsmore/ 6508017-74/library-peters-finch).
CARNEGIE LIBRARY OF PITTSBURGH The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh offers several robotics and coding programs for children and adults to promote digital literacy, STEM competencies, problem solving, and critical thinking. Robot Raceway is a challenge of robot building and race course design. Children in Kindergarten through fifth grade collaborate with their friends as they assemble a moving robot and design a race track and obstacles for it to travel through. Super Science programs use books and hands-on experiences to engage children in scientific learning activities such as coding simple robots to try to make a robot travel through a maze!
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Through STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) experiments and demonstrations, children learn about scientific subjects and develop thinking and observation skills (www.clpgh.org).
SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY The Seattle Public Library (SPL) offers workshops for teens on how to program robots at two of their Library locations. SPL offers Finch robots for computer science education. Its design is the result of a 4-year study at Carnegie Mellon’s CREATE lab. Students work in teams to learn how to program a Finch robot to change colors, move in different directions, avoid obstacles, and more. At the end of the workshop, teams compete to see who can race their robots through a maze of obstacles the fastest. The Seattle Public Library cohosts robotics classes for kids and tweens, ages 7 12. The classes are led by a high school robotics team from Texas (Seattle Public Library, Command a Robot at The Seattle Public Library, March 24, 2016; URL: https://www.spl.org/about-the-library/librarynews-releases/finch-robots-44).
WILSON (CT) PUBLIC LIBRARY Robotics is popular at the Wilson (CT) Public Library. “Singularity Technology,” the robotics team of the Wilton (CT) Public Library that is comprised of a team of students in grades 7 12, competed in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Tech Challenge. The students compete in challenges with robots they design, build, program, and operate (URL: http://publiclibrariesonline.org/2017/05/ connecticut-library-robotics-team-competes-at-regional-competition/).
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON LIBRARY The UTA Libraries is launching a pilot program of checking out telepresence robots to distance users to connect with people in the library. The telepresence robots provide the opportunity to move and interact with others. Now, UTA users not on campus can participate in group meetings, take a tour of the FabLab, or attend an event in the library.
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Robots may be checked out to UT Arlington faculty, staff, and students from the Central Library service desk for 3 hours (taken from UTA Library website; URL: http://library.uta.edu/technology/technologyrobots).
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON (UTA) FABLAB The UTA FabLab is a creative hub for students, faculty, and staff of the University of Texas at Arlington, providing access to technologies, equipment, training, opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration, and inspirational spaces in support of invention and entrepreneurship (taken from UTA FabLab website; URL: http://fablab.uta.edu/about-fablab).
THE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, SYDNEY (UTS) LIBRARY The University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) Library recently installed a very large-sized automated storage and retrieval system that is called the Library Retrieval System or LRS underneath their library. The LRS is an automated storage and retrieval facility where low-use collection items are sorted by size and stored in metal bins. When patrons request an item, these bins are retrieved automatically by a robotic crane. Library staff deliver these items to UTS Library throughout the day for collection. The UTS system is made up of six enormous robotic cranes that tend to thousands of closely packed bins of books. (The University of Technology, Sidney Library website; URL: http://www.lib.uts.edu.au/ about-us/library-retrieval-system-lrs/.)
CONCLUSION Robots are being used in every industry imaginable, whether it is in medicine assisting with surgery, or a drone performing search and rescue missions locating lost or kidnapped individuals, or defusing a bomb, or greeting patrons as they enter the local public library. Robotics will continue to grow exponentially both now and in the future. There will be more challenges and opportunities that are currently unheard of. As more robots are integrated into the workforce, people will view them as less of a threat and will welcome them as they eliminate mundane tasks and free people to be able to work on more creative tasks.
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Libraries will continue to be the beacon of light, hope, and knowledge where people of all ages, races, and economic levels will be able to go and learn about robotics. Librarians will provide more resources on robotics that will give students more hands-on opportunities to learn, program, and build robots that will lead to careers in the STEM and STEAM areas. Libraries and librarians will continue to be on the forefront of using, providing resources, and hosting workshops, and programming robots. They will assist patrons with pursuing careers in the STEM/STEAM areas, job retraining, or just wanting to learn more about robotics and what impact they will have on their lives. As Ben Schiller writes in “The Future of Libraries is Collaborative, Robotic, and Participatory,” future libraries will employ advanced machines, like robots, to collect books and other material from underground or off-site places (Fast Company, The Future of Libraries is Collaborative, Robotic, and Participatory, November 24, 2015). As the area of robotics continues to grow and the technology becomes even more advanced, librarians will continue to be on the forefront learning about robotics and imparting this expertise and enthusiasm to their patrons in all types of libraries. Libraries will expand their services to offer this technology to the groups they serve through collaborations, trainings, workshops, classes, and whatever means are necessary to support patrons at all levels wherever they are located.
QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION 1. Should robots be made available in libraries? Why or why not? 2. What is the role of robots in libraries? 3. Do you have robots in your library? Are you planning to purchase them? Why or why not? 4. If you have robots in your library, how are they being used? For patrons to check out? For patrons to build their own? 5. What resources do you make available in your library on robotics? Are they current? 6. What are some of the challenges and opportunities for implementing robots in your library? 7. What collaborations have you formed or plan to form with other departments, schools, colleges/universities, companies, workforce development agencies for robotics?
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8. How can libraries forge strategic relationships with schools to help prepare students for careers in robotics and the STEM and STEAM areas? 9. What do you see as the future of robotics and robots in libraries? 10. Do you think that robots will replace humans in the library? Why or why not?
CONSIDERATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION Robots are becoming very popular in libraries whether circulating them to patrons, through workshops, programming, or patrons wanting to learn more about this exciting emerging technology. Therefore, librarians will need to find creative ways to get stakeholder buy in to implement them in their libraries. To assist with this effort, I am including several suggestions below that you should address before meeting with your stakeholders to bring robots into your library. 1. Obtain stakeholder buy in—You will need to justify why you need robots and robotic resources in your library. Be prepared to present your case to your stakeholders. 2. Know your audience—Who is your audience? Be sure to do a thorough analysis to determine who your audience is and who will benefit from learning about robotics. 3. Costs—Determine your total costs by doing a complete cost-benefit analysis. Once you have done this, use creative ways such as partnerships and grant writing to help defray some or all of your costs. 4. Personnel—Determine your personnel needs. Will you be able to utilize existing staff or do you need to hire additional staff and will they be contractors. You will need to justify your personnel requests. 5. Training—Determine your training needs such as what training you will need to provide, who will provide the training, and the potential training costs. 6. Collaborations—Partner with other libraries, organizations, schools, universities, government officials, and others who can assist you with your robotics initiatives. 7. Market programs and resources—Research and implement creative ways to market your robotics programs and resources. A good way to do this is to investigate how other libraries are marketing their technology programs and resources.
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8. Research—Investigate what robotic resources you currently have are available, what you would like to make available, and what other libraries provide. Obtain as many free resources as possible that are currently available. Contact other libraries and others to obtain resources and make them available to others. 9. Programming and workshops—Determine what programming and resources on robotics that you would like you offer. Some of these might include Robotics 101 workshops where you give an overview of robotics. You might want to invite robotic experts and elected officials to participate in public town hall meetings. You can research what types of programs other libraries provide and offer similar programs. 10. Safety and security—Make sure to have your legal department on board for all of your policies, procedures, collaborations, and any safety issues that might occur. You want to have a legal document that addresses any potential issues that might arise. For example, if you allow patrons to checkout drones or robots, you want to have a document that patrons are required to sign releasing the library from any damage that might occur. This will protect the library from any potential lawsuits that might occur.
PROPOSAL After you have addressed these “Considerations for Implementing Robotics Resources and Programing in Your Library,” write them into a proposal and submit it to your stakeholders, legal team, robotics experts and enthusiasts, and anyone else who can support this proposal to implement robots in your library.
GLOSSARY Android robot A robot that closely resembles a human being. Artificial intelligence (AI) The study or practice of constructing computer programs to imitate human mental functions, including using and understanding language, solving problems, interpreting sensory input, and controlling a body in the physical world. Brain computer interface (BCI) BCI allows you to manipulate computers and machinery with your thoughts. Chatbot A computer program that can simulate human conversation such as IBM’s Watson, SIRI, Google Now, Amazon’s Alexa, Microsoft’s Cortana, and Tay are all examples of personal assistants.
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Cyborg A creature that is part human or animal and part machine. Deep learning A process in which neural networks are exposed to massive amounts of data, where they are able to analyze the data and come to their own conclusions. Drone Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)—Flying robot. Either controlled by an onboard computer or flown from a remote location by a human pilot. Humanoid robot A robot with its body shape built to resemble the human body. Robot A machine that automatically performs complicated and sometimes repetitive tasks. Robotics The branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, and application of robots. Robot surgery (robot-assisted surgery) Robotic surgery is the use of computer technologies working in conjunction with robot systems to perform medical procedures. Social robotics The study of how robots and humans learn to interact with each other. Turing, Alan One of the fathers of the computer. He was an early proponent of artificial intelligence, and he proposed a famous test (called the Turing test) in an attempt to defuse the philosophical conundrums in the question, “Can a machine think?” Virtual reality Any technology that can give you the impression of being somewhere where you aren’t. There are two basic methods: external, where the system reproduces the physical stimuli you’d experience, and internal, where the system injects the signals your senses would have produced into your nerves directly. Von Neumann, John One of the fathers of the computer, and the first researcher to do a serious analysis of self-replicating machines
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING Books Moravec, H., 1988. Mind Children: The Future of Robot and Human Intelligence. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA. Moravec, H., 1999. Robot: Mere Machine to Transcendent Mind. Oxford University Press, New York. Mulhall, D., 2002. Our Molecular Future: How Nanotechnology, Robotics, Genetics, and Artificial Intelligence Will Transform Our World. Prometheus Books, Amherst, NY. Murphy, R.R., 2000. Introduction to AI Robotics. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA. Pinker, S., 1997. How the Mind Works. Norton, New York. Von Neumann, J., 1958. The Computer and the Brain. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT. Weiss, S., Kulikowski, C., 1991. Computer Systems That Learn. Morgan Kaufmann, San Mateo, CA.
Organizations Carnegie Mellon University https://www.ri.cmu.edu Since its founding in 1979, the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University has been leading the world in robotics research and education. Since its founding in 1979, the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University has been leading the world in robotics research and education.
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During the ensuing decades, we have experienced many research successes in intelligent manufacturing, autonomous vehicles, space-related robots, medical robotics, nanomachines, computer vision and graphics and anthropomorphic robots.
Robotics Academy http://education.rec.ri.cmu.edu Carnegie Mellon’s Robotics Academy studies how teachers use robots in classrooms to teach Computer Science, Science, Technology Engineering, and Mathematics (CSSTEM).
CREATE Lab http://www.cmucreatelab.org The Carnegie Mellon University Community Robotics, Education and Technology Empowerment Lab (CREATE Lab) explores socially meaningful innovation and deployment of robotic technologies. It is both a technology breeding ground and a community partner. The CREATE lab empowers citizens to chart their technology future.
FIRST—For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology https://www.firstinspires.org Founded in 1989 and based in Manchester, NH, FIRST is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit public charity designed to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology, and to motivate them to pursue education and career opportunities in STEM fields.
MIT Media Lab https://www.media.mit.edu The Media Lab came into being in 1980 through the efforts of Professor Nicholas Negroponte and former MIT President and Science Advisor to President John F. Kennedy, Jerome Wiesner. Product designers, nanotechnologists, data-visualization experts, industry researchers, and pioneers of computer interfaces work side by side to invent—and reinvent—how humans experience, and can be aided by, technology.
Magazines MIT Technology Review https://www.technologyreview.com
Wired Magazine https://www.wired.com
Mashable Technology https://mashable.com/tech/?utm_cid5mash-prod-nav-ch
Tech Crunch https://techcrunch.com
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BIBLIOGRAPHY What is Robotics? URL: http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/robotics. History of Robotics. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_robots. Robot FAQ. URL: https://www.cs.cmu.edu/Bchuck/robotpg/robofaq/1.html. Davids, M. Robot-Enabled Factories: 5 Powerful Statistics for 2017. ROBOTIQ. May 1, 2017. URL: https://blog.robotiq.com/robot-enabled-factories-5-powerful-statistics-for2017. 10 Biggest Challenges in Robotics. URL: https://www.therobotreport.com/10-biggestchallenges-in-robotics/. McKinnon, P. Robotics: Everything You Need to Know About Robotics from Beginner to Expert, 2015. Anandan, T.M. Robotics Industry Insights Robots and Healthcare Saving Lives Together. 4 Industries Robots are Revolutionizing. URL: https://www.investopedia.com/articles/ markets/011216/4-industries-robots-are-revolutionizing.asp. Sharma, R., 2017. There’s a Robot Delivery at Your Door. Investopedia. URL: There’s a Robot Delivery at Your Door (AMZN, GOOG) | Investopedia https://www.investopedia.com/news/theres-robot-delivery-your-door-amzn-goog/#ixzz5AuSq7NG3. Mubin, O., Ahmad, M.I., Robots likely to be used in classrooms as learning tools, not teachers. Sterling, L. Five Reasons to Teach Robotics in Schools. http://theconversation.com/fivereasons-to-teach-robotics-in-schools-49357. Andrew Medlar, A. Assistant Chief, Technology, Content, & Innovation, Chicago Public Library. Robots Arrive at the Westport Library, September 29, 2014). URL: http://westportlibrary.org/kids/events/kids-grades-k-5-lego-robotics-club. URL: http://triblive.com/neighborhoods/alleghenyneighborhoods/alleghenyneighborhoodsmore/6508017-74/library-peters-finch. URL: www.clpgh.org. Seattle Public Library, Command a Robot at The Seattle Public Library, March 24, 2016. URL: https://www.spl.org/about-the-library/library-news-releases/finch-robots-44. Connecticut Library Robotics Team Competes at Regional Competition. URL: http://publiclibrariesonline.org/2017/05/connecticut-library-robotics-team-competes-at-regionalcompetition/. Taken from UTA Library website. URL: http://library.uta.edu/technology/technologyrobots. Taken from UTA FabLab website. URL: http://fablab.uta.edu/about-fablab. The University of Technology, Sidney Library website. URL: http://www.lib.uts.edu.au/ about-us/library-retrieval-system-lrs. Tarver, Evan, 2016. 4 Industries that Robots are Revolutionizing. Investopedia. URL: https://www.investopedia.com/articles/markets/011216/4-industries-robots-are-revolutionizing.asp. Murphy, Derek, 2015. Unbound: Robotics and the Human Touch in Libraries and Museums. Simmons University School of Library and Information Sciences Blog. Available from: https://slis.simmons.edu/blogs/unbound/2015/04/06/robotics-andthe-human-touch-in-libraries-and-museums/. Robots Arrive at the Westport Library, Westport Connecticut Library, September 29, 2014. URL: http://westportlibrary.org/kids/events/kids-grades-k-5-lego-robotics-club. Command a Robot at The Seattle Public Library, March 24, 2016. URL: http://www.spl. org/search-results?where5Site&term5Robots&cx5012160248532957636676%3A4 e5cfg6n_a8&cof5FORID%3A11&q5Robots).
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Connecticut Library Robotics Team Competes at Regional Competition, Eileen M. Washburn. May 9, 2017. URL: http://publiclibrariesonline.org/2017/05/connecticut-libraryrobotics-team-competes-at-regional-competition/. Schiller, Ben, Fast Company, November 24, 2015. The Future of Libraries Is Collaborative, Robotic, and Participatory, November 24, 2015. URL: https://www.fastcompany. com/3053682/the-future-of-libraries-is-collaborative-robotic-and-participatory. Robots. University of Texas at Arlington Libraries. URL: http://library.uta.edu/technology/technology-robots. Tegmark, M., 2017. Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. McKinnon, P., 2016. Robotics: Everything You Need to Know About Robotics From Beginner to Expert. CreateSpace Independent Publishing. Robot Institute of America. URL: http://www.bowlesphysics.com/images/Robotics__A_historical_perspective.pdf.
CHAPTER 3
Is It a Bird, Is It a Plane: It’s a Drone Flying Your Way INTRODUCTION Whether performing military surveillance, delivering blood in remote areas of Africa, or being circulated at your library, drones are one of the hottest, most popular emerging technologies today. This is a technology that will continue to see exponential growth and tremendous opportunities (Fig. 3.1). This chapter focuses on nonmilitary drones and will get you started learning about this intriguing technology and how it might fit into your library programs. Drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), provide numerous opportunities for libraries that we will examine in this chapter. Let us dive right into drones and begin with a definition of drones.
Figure 3.1 Drones delivering package.
Emerging Library Technologies DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102253-5.00003-4
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WHAT IS A DRONE? There are almost as many definitions for drones as there are drones. The most common description for a drone is a flying robot. However, a more formal definition for a drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle or UAV. Drones are different from other aircrafts because they don’t carry a human pilot. They are either controlled by an onboard computer or flown from a remote location by a human pilot, who’s sometimes called an operator. Drones are aircrafts that may be remotely controlled or can fly autonomously through software-controlled flight plans in their embedded systems working in conjunction with onboard sensors and GPS (Fig. 3.2). Drones get their name from honeybee drones, which go about their tasks mindlessly, as they are controlled by a faraway queen. Similarly, a robotic plane with a microcontroller programmed to work as an autopilot works much the same way, albeit with the help of technology. Drones can range in price from $50 to several thousands of dollars. With all of the media attention on drones, you might think that they are a new technology. However, drones or unmanned aerial vehicles have been in existence for quite some time as we will examine in the next section.
Figure 3.2 Drone with camera attached.
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A BRIEF HISTORY OF DRONES The earliest drones or unmanned aerial vehicles were used by the military and intelligence agencies since the mid-1800s. There is a brief timeline of the history of drones or UAVs below. 1849—Austrians attacked Venice, Italy—The earliest recorded use of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was August 22, 1849, when the Austrians attacked the Italian city of Venice with unmanned balloons loaded with explosives known as Austrian balloons. 1916—World War I—Ruston Proctor Aerial—World War I saw its first pilotless aircraft, the Ruston Proctor Aerial target of 1916. This was followed by the Hewitt-Sperry Automatic Airplane known as the “flying bomb” on September 12. 1935—de Havilland DH82B Queen Bee—British Queen—In 1935, the British produced a number of radio-controlled aircraft to be used as targets for training purposes. It’s thought the term "drone" started to be used at this time, inspired by the name of one of these models, the DH.82B Queen Bee. Vietnam War—Reconnaissance UAVs were first deployed on a large scale in the Vietnam War. At that time, drones expanded their roles as decoys in combat, launching missiles against fixed targets, and dropping leaflets for psychological operations. 9/11—Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the United States has significantly increased its use of drones. These drones have mostly been used for surveillance in areas and terrains too unsafe and remote for troops to go. Drones now have many functions other than military, such as search and rescue, delivering medical supplies, inspecting bridges, photographing weddings, and other innovative uses.
TYPES OF DRONES There are many types of drones. Some drone experts categorize them based on the number of rotors or propellers and others are grouped based on how they are being used (i.e., surveillance, aerial photography, engineering, construction, entertainment). Some types of drones are included below. They range from single rotor to octocopter.
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SINGLE ROTOR DRONES Single rotor drones resemble actual helicopters. A single rotor drone has just one big-sized rotor plus a small-sized one on the tail of the drone to control its heading. The biggest advantage of a single main rotor configuration is simplicity of design. They are easily scalable also.
MULTIROTOR DRONES Multirotor or multicopter drones are the most common types of drones used by professionals and hobbyists. Multicopters are extremely popular and affordable. They are often classified based on the number of rotors on the platform. The most basic is the tricopter with three rotors, followed by the quadcopter (four rotors), hexacopter (six rotors) and octocopter (eight rotors). Of these, quadcopters are the most popular and widely used.
TRICOPTERS (THREE ROTORS OR PROPELLERS) Tricopters were some of the first flying vehicles on the market. They were popular for their light use, three motors, and propelled propulsion units. Tricopters were popular before the technology for quadcopters (brushless motors and propeller units) became available. They are often equipped with cameras to create aerial photographs during the flight. Some of the advantages for tricopters include: • Very agile due to the swivel rear engine; • Foldable and easy to carry in a backpack; • Lighter than other multicopters; • Large front field of view for camera. Some of the disadvantages for tricopters include: • No redundancy in the event of a motor failure; • Allows only a small load (small camera).
QUADCOPTERS (FOUR ROTORS OR PROPELLERS) Quadcopters are by far the most popular multicopter or drone on the market as they are fast, easy to manufacture, and affordably priced. They utilize four propellers to ensure that the aircraft is able to lift up into the air (Fig. 3.3).
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Figure 3.3 Quadcopter drone using aerial photography.
Some of the advantages are: • Relatively cheap to manufacture; • Great maneuverability; • Greater thrust and power versus tricopters. The disadvantage is that they are not as powerful as a hexacopter (six rotors or propellers) or octocopter (eight rotors or propellers). However, quadcopters are a good buy for those who want a drone that is inexpensive, fast, maneuverable, readily available, easy to fix, and very popular.
HEXACOPTER (SIX ROTORS OR PROPELLERS) The hexacopter is the next step up from a quadcopter. These models have six motors and corresponding propellers. This adds to the capability of the aircraft for anyone flying with expensive cameras attached. These models have all of the same benefits of the quadcopter with a lot more added including: • Power: They have higher speeds and more power due to the two extra motors included; • Height: They fly higher in the air than ever before; reaching higher elevations with ease compared with other drones; • Safety: They have six motors 120 degrees apart, one motor can die while the others can pick up the slack. Some of the advantages include: • Greater overall power, speed, and elevation; • Safety provided through additional motors;
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• Higher overall payload; • Great control and flight speed. Some of the disadvantages are: • Priced higher than a quadcopter; • Larger in size, making the copter harder to fly in tight spaces; • Motor parts are more expensive if they need to be replaced. Hexacopters are a good compromise between performance and price. They are more expensive than quadcopters. However, they fly exceptionally well and are far less expensive than the eight rotor/propeller octocopter.
OCTOCOPTERS (EIGHT ROTORS OR PROPELLERS) The octocopter has all of the benefits seen with the hexacopters, but with even more power. They aren’t cheap by any standards and are often seen capturing the best aerial footage available. Octocopters are the ideal choice for videographers. The octocopter features eight motors and propellers. The eight motors provide the same benefit that the hexacopter provides over the quadcopter: • Speed: Much faster than the competition; • Control: Terrific control that is not hindered as much by wind or rain; • Safety: You can lose any one motor and still fly these copters just as well as you could a hexacopter. Furthermore, you may be able to lose two or three motors without the craft crashing down, depending on positioning and the overall payload. If you plan to attach an expensive camera to your drone, to get remarkable imagery and video, the octocopter is your best choice. Some of the advantages include: • Very fast and agile; • Reach exceptionally high elevations; • Extremely powerful; • Can hold heavy camera equipment; • Very safe and stable. Some of the disadvantages are: • Big in size; • Expensive compared to the hexacopter and quadcopter; • Battery life is often far less.
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The octocopter is the best choice if you are looking for a copter that can withstand heavy wind and carry the best-of-the-best camera equipment (Dronebly.com).
FIXED WING DRONES Fixed wing drones use a “wing” like normal airplanes. They are ideal for long distance operations, geographic mapping, surveillance, wildlife monitoring, and agriculture. Two of the downsides of fixed-wing drones are higher costs and skill training required in flying. As we have seen, there are many types of drones. However, they share several features in common.
FEATURES IN COMMON Drones have several features that they share in common including: • They are made from different light composite materials that allow them to cruise at extremely high altitudes; • They can be equipped with a variety of additional equipment, including cameras, global positioning systems (GPSs), GPS-guided missiles, navigation systems, sensors, and other features; • Every drone must have waterproof motor frames, flight and motor controllers, motors, transmitters, receivers, propellers, and batteries.
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR DRONES There are many challenges and opportunities for drones. Some of the challenges include.
CHALLENGES FOR DRONES Costs—The costs for drones can range from less $50 to more than several thousands of dollars, which can be quite prohibitive for libraries on very tight budgets. Replacing parts for drones and purchasing cameras and other devices to accompany the drones can be expensive also. If the drone crashes and has to be replaced or the parts need to be replaced that can be costly. Rules and regulations—Keeping abreast of drone rules and regulations from the Federal Aviation Association (FAA) and other legislations
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can be time-consuming and expensive. Having an expert on hand to make sure that you are drone compliant is expensive. Safety—Ensuring the safety of your staff and patrons who are utilizing drones is challenging and expensive. The propeller blades are quite sharp. Therefore, the tips need to be covered. Purchasing the proper insurance is expensive. Steep learning curve—There is a steep learning curve for learning how to fly drones properly as well as ensuring the safety of yourself and others around you. There is a tremendous amount of training that individuals must attend in order to be able to fly a drone. This can be expensive, time-consuming, and difficult to learn. Privacy—What if a drone is used for spying on others, recording private conversations or business deals, and steals product information for a competitor? These are all major concerns and challenges for drones. As drone technology continues to advance and the prices drop, these challenges and more will increase.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR DRONES Just as there are many challenges for drones, there are a myriad of opportunities that we will discuss in this section. The opportunities for drones are limitless and growing each day. Some of these opportunities include: Price—The price of drones continues to drop so now you can purchase a drone for less than $50 that makes them more affordable for the average user. For example, several students at my PreK-12 charter school own drones. Fun to fly—With the number of books, blogs, websites, and drones costing less than $200 increasing on an almost daily basis, there is such an excitement with drones. Growing numbers of people of all ages, races, and sexes, are flying their drones whenever and wherever they can. Collaborations—Drones provide a unique opportunity for collaborations between libraries and drone companies and other organizations. For example, drone companies can showcase their product offerings in public, academic, and school libraries. They can provide workshops so that students, departments, faculty, community, and others can learn about this popular emerging technology. There can be collaborations between the library and engineering, architecture, geology, law, photography, and other departments to use drones for their innovative
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projects. They can go to the library for the drone training and have discussions on getting started with their projects that might include, e.g., the ramifications of building a new housing development in an inner city that was previously on a sacred Indian burial ground. Training of students for STEM/STEAM careers—Drones engage, motivate, and excite students. Introducing them to this technology will lead to many students pursuing STEM and STEAM careers. Drones can be considered the “great equalizer.” Students of all ages, races, income levels, and educational levels love drones and teachers are finding that students who were previously disengaged from learning are becoming engaged and sharing their enthusiasm and excitement with others in their classes and want to learn more. Adult retraining—Many adults find drones exciting and many drone enthusiast groups are growing around the world. People are buying, creating, and flying drones at an increasing rate. This is a great opportunity for adults to pursue drones as a career that can lead to a more fulfilling, financially lucrative future. This will be a great opportunity for community organizations, workforce development organizations, and libraries to work together. Delivery—Companies such as Zipline and Matternet are delivering much needed health supplies to remote areas of Africa and other places where the terrain and other challenges are too dangerous or difficult for humans to travel. This presents an ideal opportunity for drones to deliver the supplies. There will be even more opportunities for delivery of life-saving and other supplies via drone. There will be more companies in addition to Amazon, UPS, FedEx, Dominoes, Papa Johns, that will deliver products to consumers all over the world using drones. The opportunities for drones are limitless and will continue to grow at a rapid pace. There are opportunities for drones that were previously unheard of. Drones are currently being used in many different industries some of which are included in the next section.
APPLICATIONS OF DRONES Drone usage continues to soar in both public and private sectors. They are being used in creative ways around the world such as to deliver medicine in Rwanda, pizzas in New Zealand, and take aerial photographs for
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popular realtor websites such as Zillow. There are many innovative uses for drones in agriculture, law enforcement, real estate, film, deliveries, engineering, entertainment, animal protection, and even in schools and libraries.
DRONES IN ENTERTAINMENT Drone usage in entertainment has become quite popular whether they are being used to capture footage in ABC’s Scandal, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and the Fast and Furious six films. With the use of drones, production companies can save thousands of dollars in production.
DRONES IN AGRICULTURE Farmers are discovering just how valuable drones are for monitoring the health of their fields by using drones to monitor the health of their crops, and narrowing down the parts of their fields that need more water, fertilizer, or pesticides (Fig. 3.4). Because of their speed and agility, drones used in agriculture can spray pesticides and fertilizers at much greater speeds and covering more territory than tractors and other traditional farming equipment. For example, “A tractor rigged to spew pesticide or fertilizer can douse the same area,
Figure 3.4 Agriculture drone watering crops.
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just over an acre, in an hour. The drone did it in less than six minutes.” The drones can fly much closer to the crops.
DRONES IN LAW ENFORCEMENT Drones are being used in law enforcement for surveillance, protecting borders, drug enforcement, and finding missing persons. Drones can enter buildings and unsafe areas to search for and locate where criminals are hiding and to find kidnapped hostages. They can be used to assist SWAT, monitor crowds, riots, or any potential explosive situations. They can assist firemen by being the first to enter buildings to assess the danger and locate any humans or animals that might be trapped.
DRONES IN REAL ESTATE From high altitudes unavailable through regular photography, drones are being used for capturing panoramic views such as homes for realtors. Real estate sites such as Zillow have used drones to capture aerial photographs of homes that are featured on their website.
DRONES IN PHOTOGRAPHY Drones are being used for aerial photography from heights from above. They are being used at a growing rate as a tool for wedding photographers and filmmakers. Drones were used to capture scenes in such films as “Captain America: Civil War,” “Spectre,” and “The Wolf of Wall Street.”
DRONES IN DELIVERIES Amazon, FedEx, UPS, and other companies are testing using drones to deliver packages to customers. Amazon has filed for patents for “flying warehouses” called “airborne fulfillment centers that could be located above metropolitan areas functioning like giant airships coordinating drone deliveries. Amazon has also filed a patent for the “parachuteaided delivery of packages,” meaning drones could release parcels from above, deployed with parachutes that allow them to safely land to customers.
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Delivering medical supplies—Drones are currently being used to deliver medical supplies and other humanitarian aid to areas around the globe that are either too dangerous or too difficult to reach. Bruce Y. Lee in MIT Technology Review, writes: Working with global health organizations, companies such as Zipline and Matternet are exploring the use of drones to deliver meds. Zipline is exploring the use of drones to deliver medical supplies to five of its hospitals. The “Zip” drones will make up to 150 deliveries per day. Under a wide range of conditions, drones can provide between 20 and 50 percent cost savings over the traditional land-based transport. Zipline which uses fixed-wing drones that have a greater range and are more resilient in bad weather than the more commercial multicopter models, is the first in the world to offer regular delivery of emergency medical products. Lee (2017).
UNICEF and Doctors Without Borders are involved in similar efforts (Foster, 2016).
DRONES IN ENGINEERING Drones can be used to check and obtain data and footage for inspections, power lines, pipelines, bridges, and construction sites. BP has been using quadcopter drones for pipeline inspections for several years (BP.com, November 13, 2014).
DRONES IN MONITORING AND PROTECTION Drones are being used to monitor and gather footage to protect wildlife and animals from poachers. For example, drones are being used in Asia and Africa to protect elephants and rhinos against poachers who murder them for their ivory tusks.
DRONES IN EDUCATION The use of drones engages, motivates, and inspires students to learn in ways that no other technology allows (Carnahan, Drones in Education). The number of innovative ways that drones are being used in education is increasing rapidly. They are being used in education at all levels as a research tool, project-based learning, entertainment, and to prepare
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students for careers in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math). In science and engineering classes, students are building drones and writing the programs to steer them. School administrators are utilizing the technology to create marketing materials for YouTube channels and websites, showcasing their school and grounds from a bird’s eye view. Sports programs enlist drones to record the action in the athletic fields (Carnahan, Drones in Education) (Fig. 3.5). The program Drones for Schools that was developed through a K-12 STEM education grant at the University of Illinois prepares students for STEM careers. Through math, sciences, engineering, and computer programming students collaborate to build and deploy drones. The program was designed in part to meet the demands of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), which were developed by the National Research Council to help prepare K-12 students for a world where science literacy is increasingly necessary (Robohub, Schroyer, Drones for Schools). This program is just one of 30 collaborations through the National Science Foundation (NSF) grant EnList, which stands for Entrepreneurial Leadership in STEM Teaching and learning (Robohub, Schroyer, Drones for Schools).
Figure 3.5 Student building drone in classroom.
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Colleges all across America are meeting the demand for drone training by offering certificates, bachelors, master’s, and doctoral degrees in piloting, engineering, and repairing drones (Successfulstudent.org). At the Unmanned Vehicle University in Phoenix, Arizona, students can become certified to pilot a drone, learn to become a professional aerial photographer, or get a master’s or Ph.D. in UAV systems engineering (Successfulstudent.org).
DRONES IN LIBRARIES As with many other modern-day tools, libraries are prepared to help patrons understand how drones work, how they can be utilized constructively, and how to navigate the complex implications of their widespread use (Fig. 3.6). Libraries can provide resources on drones at all levels such as providing introduction to drones, where to purchase drones, the cost of drones, the advantages and disadvantages of drones, understanding FAA rules and regulations, how to build drones, how to use 3D printing to print drones, bringing in drone vendors to showcase their products, collaborating with schools to prepare students for careers in STEM and STEAM areas, and collaborating with workforce and other career-related organizations to retrain unemployed and underemployed adults for technical financially lucrative careers with drones. Some examples of libraries utilizing drones are included below.
Figure 3.6 Students testing drone in library.
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MANDEL PUBLIC LIBRARY IN WEST PALM BEACH FLORIDA The Mandel Public Library offers several classes and seminars on drones. They partnered with Palm Beach Drones in West Palm Beach Florida to promote robotic education and the safe use of UAS (unmanned aircraft systems). They offered their first class on drone use and regulations in June 2016. They currently offer Drones 101 where they teach drone enthusiasts about factors that ensure safe, legal, and enjoyable flying.
ARAPAHOE COLORADO LIBRARIES The Arapahoe Colorado Libraries introduces patrons to new technologies through Show and Tech, a program that includes Drones at the Library, a hands-on primer and demonstration. Anthony T. White writes in his “Drones @ Library” blog that Arapahoe Colorado Libraries has had drone programming in place for a while. They offer the AR Drone 2.0 by Parrot for community demonstrations. Their drones operate from an iOS or Android device with a video camera attached. They offer drones and other emerging technologies to their public for several reasons: • They choose to invest in emerging technologies to give their patrons the chance to interact and learn about them in an environment that is objective and free of sales pitch. • They take a chance on these technologies so their patrons don’t have to on their own. They hope to satiate their patrons’ curiosity, desire to learn, and desire to play with new and uncommon technologies. • Drones, specifically, are an emerging technology that is very much in the news and patrons may have some questions like: How are they used, why would you use it, how does it work, etc. • One of the best ways to learn is to get the chance to directly interact with the technology.
JOINT LIBRARY OF BROWARD COLLEGE & FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY The Joint Library of Broward College & Florida Atlantic University provides drone research guides for students. This includes questions to help
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guide the inquiry, relevant books, and links to searches via the catalog, databases, and other resources.
GEORGIA HIGHLANDS COLLEGE LIBRARY The Georgia Highlands College Library provides a drone-lending program at each of their four campuses. Drones can be checked out by all students and faculty. They are quite popular and continue to grow in popularity. GHC’s Library extends this opportunity to younger members of the community through its partnerships with a summer coding camp that includes drone demonstrations in its programming. The Georgia Highlands College Library provides quadcopter drones that can be checked out for 7 days. They provide Library Drone Operation guides online. They provide fun drone-flying activities and drone workshops also.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA LIBRARY The University of South Florida (USF) currently uses drones for several digital initiative projects through their Library Digital Heritage and Humanities Collections (DHHC). They utilize drones for heritage research and the creation of visualizations, public engagement tools, and curriculum-sharing concepts through their library’s digital collections. These digital collections provide freely accessible datasets, visualizations, and other information, with proper metadata, DOI (digital object identifier) assignment, and archival stability. Researchers, students, and the public frequently utilize USF digital collections for heritage education, preservation, and data visualization purposes. The DHHC is led by Principal Investigators Drs. Lori Collins and Travis Doering, who are using Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry techniques along with other forms of 3D and imaging technologies as part of numerous heritage preservation and research efforts. The USF Libraries also has a student and faculty interfacing resource called the Digital Media Commons, and works with the DHHC staff and researchers, to conduct workshops relating to drone ethics, rules, compliance, and technological innovations (Dr. Lori Collins, University of South Florida, DHHC).
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COLGATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Colgate University Library is one of the few libraries throughout the country that offers drones through a “drone loan program.” The drones are equipped with a camera that can send video back to a computer. To check out a drone, students must undergo training, have a partner for spotting, and a good reason. Students and professors can check out a remote-controlled “quadcopter” equipped with a camera that can beam back video to a computer. Library patrons must first go through a training program and explain the research purpose for which they need the gadget. One of the first takers was a biology professor doing field research in Ethiopia (Latimes. com). Drones were used to capture the activity and spirit of the 2013 movein day when first year students arrived on campus. The video was captured by a GO Pro camera attached to a drone. The University’s efforts to provide options for using drones to supplement research and academic student projects was cited in the Chronicle of Higher Education report. For example, drone technology was used to study volcanoes.
OHIO WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY Ohio Wesleyan University has been experimenting with drones on campus to see firsthand how they can be used to enhance teaching, learning, research, and service to society. Some OWU students are already bringing drones on campus.
IDAHO SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES Idaho STEM Action Center awarded more than $147,000 in grants to equip 22 schools and libraries throughout Idaho with drones, including four sites in Eastern Idaho. Grant recipients attended a two-day workshop at a drone flight school in Boise, Idaho, led by PCS Edventures and its Thrust-UAV division. They learned how to build, modify, and race the drones, and incorporate drones into classroom instruction in science, technology, engineering, and math.
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In the article, “4 East Idaho Schools Receive Drones as Part of $147K STEM Grant,” Angela Hemingway, STEM Action Center Executive Director, discusses that “Drones are a great way to engage kids in science, technology, engineering, and math, and the aircraft can even be incorporated into curriculum for classes like social studies and PE.” She further stated: Kids are naturally curious, and although many have heard about drones they may not have had an opportunity to interact with one, so drones are an easy way to get kids interested in STEM. Drones are very hands-on, and working with them utilizes all four of the core STEM disciplines—science, technology, engineering and math. We’re hoping our drones inspire students who may not have considered a career in the STEM field. (4 East Idaho Schools Receive Drones as Part of $147K STEM Grant, East Idaho News.com)
CONCLUSION In conclusion, as we have learned in this chapter, drones have been in existence for several years and their use continues to grow at a rapid pace. They are in the news on an almost daily basis, whether for military or nonmilitary reasons, such as counter terror surveillance around the world, being showcased in the latest blockbuster film, shooting a popular celebrity’s wedding, or being made available for check out at your local academic, public, or school library. According to Jeff Siddons in Library Journal, “Drones will be used everywhere within ten years, and people won’t look and point when they see one on the job, taking care of business . . .” (Siddons, Library Journal, 2017). Many experts in several industries agree that partnerships between libraries, schools, and other organizations to provide resources to prepare students for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) careers will continue to grow. Libraries will provide drone workshops and activities that focus on programming, developing, and flying drones. They will provide resources on what drones are, how they are being used, what the pros and cons are, what the legalities are, and how users at all levels can make informed decisions on purchasing, implementing, developing, and flying drones.
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Figure 3.7 Navigating drones around the world.
There will be more drones offered in public, academic, school, and other types of libraries. There will be collaborative partnerships between libraries, schools, drone companies, colleges, universities, university departments, local governments, career centers, community-based organizations, and other types of organizations to offer workforce training for students, adults, and others to develop new skills to prepare them for promising, financially lucrative STEM careers (Fig. 3.7). Libraries will serve as the hub for learning about drones through product demonstrations, hosting training workshops, hands-on activities, and providing expertise on drone safety and legislation. Increasing numbers of libraries will circulate drones to patrons, researchers, and others who will use them in creative ways for research, to obtain data, footage, and other information for their innovative projects. To learn more about creative and innovative uses for drones, there are several resources included in the Drone Resources for Further Reading section.
QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION 1. What are drones and where can you find information on them? 2. Should you use drones in your library? Why or why not?
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3. What security issues should you consider before implementing drones? 4. What are some of the challenges and opportunities for implementing drones in your library? 5. Should you consult with your legal department when considering implementing drones in your library? Why or why not? 6. What are some of the potential risks for having drones in your library? 7. What are the names of some drone resources? 8. If you want to build your own drone, how would you start? 9. Should drones be used in libraries? Why or why not? 10. Have you ever seen a drone before? Where did you see them? What did you think of them? Should they be incorporated into public, academic, and school libraries?
CONSIDERATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION The number of academic, public, and school libraries implementing drones is increasing. Several suggestions to consider before implementing drones in your library are included below. 1. Obtain stakeholder buy in—Build your case for why you need and how you will utilize drones in your academic, public, or school library and prepare it for your stakeholder whether it is administration, principals, upper management, or board of directors. 2. Know your audience—Do a needs analysis to determine who will benefit from having access to drones. Who is your audience? Are they children, teens, adults, librarians, researchers, professors, information professionals, or administrators and how might they use drones? 3. Costs—Find the money. Drones can cost hundreds and even thousands of dollars. There are other costs to consider as well. Do a cost benefit analysis and determine what your overall costs will be. Write grants and partner with other libraries, schools, companies, and other organizations. Find creative ways to find the money to help defray the costs of implementing drones in your library. 4. Personnel—Who on your staff might be the lead “go to” person for drones in your library? Do you have anyone on staff who can fill this role or do you need to consider hiring an additional staff member to fill this role? This person might be sent for training on drones and become the expert on FAA regulations. What will this cost? What additional options do you have to help defray the cost?
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5. Training—Will you have experts from drone companies provide your training? What type of training will you offer staff? Will you utilize the train the trainer model where the lead “go to” drone expert in your library trains the rest of the staff? How much will this cost? What can you obtain for free or at a significantly reduced cost? 6. Build strategic partnerships—Build strategic partnerships with other libraries, departments, librarians, drone companies, community organizations, schools, community colleges, universities, government officials, and others who can assist you with implementing drones in your library through providing funding, equipment, expertise, marketing, etc. 7. Market program—How will you market your new drones in your libraries? Will you just use social media and will you use additional print-based creative advertising also? How much will this cost? Can you get free advertising? 8. Do the research—As librarians, we are experts at performing research and sharing it with others. Research what resources you currently have available on drones at your disposal such as drone groups, drone enthusiasts, drone companies. Are there departments, libraries, other organizations that have already implemented drones in their libraries and can provide whom you can contact for best practices? Are there materials online for drones that you can obtain? For example, the Broward College/Florida Atlantic University have a drone pathfinder available. Are there experts and enthusiasts who can share their knowledge of drones and get involved with drone training and programming at your library free of cost? 9. Drone programs—What programming on drones will you offer? Will you offer workshops, hands-on, drone vendors who will showcase their drone products, build your own or “DIY” or do it yourself drones, 3D printing of drones, drone academies, drone camps, drone curriculum, legal expertise on FAA regulations, and other relevant drone topics. What are the costs? Look for volunteers to reduce the costs. Investigate ways to find sponsors to pay for all or most of your programming. 10. Drone safety and security—One of the major challenges for libraries that have introduced drones in their libraries has been the issue of safety and security. They have researched and put in place measures to address safety and security issues before introducing the technology to their library communities. They have obtained the legal expertise from their legal departments and/or other legal experts.
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Therefore, it is imperative that libraries have plans in place for addressing the safety and security of their personnel and patrons who will utilize drone technology. This means studying the FAA regulations and determining the safety and security of your staff and patrons.
PROPOSAL After you have addressed these Considerations for Implementation, write them into a proposal and submit it to your stakeholders, legal department, and anyone else who can support and fund this proposal to implement drones in your library.
GLOSSARY Aerial Associated with the sky or air. Altitude The height of something above the ground level or sea level. Amazon Prime Air A delivery system from Amazon designed to safely get packages up to five pounds to customers in 30 minutes or less using small unmanned aerial vehicles, also called drones. Aviation The practice and science of building and flying aircrafts. Cockpits The control areas in the front of planes, boats, and spacecrafts. They are where the pilot and sometimes the crew sit. Controller type Can come in the form of a hardware controller or an RC app. Drone Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)—Flying robot. Either controlled by an onboard computer or flown from a remote location by a human pilot. Flight time Average time your drone will stay in the air on a single charger. Longer is better. Hexacopter Features six motors and propellers. Octocopter Features eight motors and propellers. Onboard camera Many devices include an on-board camera or a mount to attach your own camera (e.g., GoPro camera). Propeller Most common propulsion device used in UAVs (drones). Composed of a number of blades that rotate around an axis to produce thrust by pushing air much like a fan does. Quadcopter Features four motors and propellers. By far the most popular drone. Range Shows you how far your drone can fly without losing contact to your controller (in feet). Reconnaissance The practice of observing enemy territory in order to gain information and/or plan operations. Return to home Tells the drone to automatically come back to you by using a GPS (global positioning system). Rotors The blades on a helicopter, aircraft, or drone that turn and lift it in the air. Speed The maximum speed your drone can fly in miles per hour (MPH). Stealth The practice of staying silent and hidden. Tricopter Features three motors and propellers.
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SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING There is a plethora of resources for drones. I have included some below.
Books Carnahan, C., Ziegler, L., 2016. Drones in Education: Let Your Student’s Imaginations Soar. International Society for Technology in Education. Faust, D.R., 2016. Commercial Drones. PowerKids Press, New York. Juniper, A., 2015. The Complete Guide to Drones. WellFleet Press. Kallen, S.A., 2016. What is the Future of Drones? ReferencePoint, Press, San Diego. Marsico, K., 2016. Drones. Children’s Press, New York. Newman, L., 2018. Drones. Cherry Lake Publishing, Michigan. Spilsbury, L., Spilsbury, R., 2016. Drones. Gareth Stevens Publishing, New York.
Magazines Consumer Reports MIT Technology Review Wired Magazine
Websites Thedronesmag.com Dronebly.com Flying Magazine TechCrunch Jobsindrones.com UAVcoach.com Drones.procon.org Dronebusinessmarketer.com Kidsdronezone.org Drone Ranger blog Dronepedia: Drone Reviews and Buying Guide Travelwithdrone.com Mydronelab.com: Types of Drones: Learning More About Best UAVs by Jack Brown Finding the Right Drone for You by Alex Martin (DartDrones.com) DIY Drones DroneGlobe.com Myfirstdrone.com Geekswrapped.com
BIBLIOGRAPHY 15 Best Drone Training Colleges. Referenced in: https://Sucessfulstudent.org. 2 Schools, Libraries Get Drones. June 23, 2017. Referenced in: http://magicvalley.com/ news/local/education/local-schools-libraries-get-drones/article_1871ba8e-9dd6564d-8eaf-b4cd3eed25ce.html. Aquino, T. How Drone Technology is Changing Hollywood. Referenced in: http:// www.complex.com/pop-culture/2015/12/how-drones-are-changing-up-the-entertainment-industry/. Baichtal, J., 2015. Building your Own Drones: A Beginner’s Guide to Drones, UAVs, and ROVs. Que, Indianapolis, Indiana.
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Carnahan, C., Ziegler, L., 2016. Drones in Education: Let Your Student’s Imaginations Soar. International Society for Technology in Education. Drones provide BP with eyes in the skies. BP.com. Last edited November 13, 2014. Faust, D.R., 2016. Entertainment Drones. PowerKids Press, New York, New York. Foster, T., 2016. 10 Ways drones are changing your world. Consumer Reports Referenced in: https://www.consumerreports.org/robots-drones/10-ways-dronesare-changing-the-world/. Gortolev, M. Quadcopter vs. Hexacopter vs. Octocopter: The Pros and Cons. November 24, 2014. Referenced in: https://dronebly.com. History of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. Referenced in: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ History_of_unmanned_aerial_vehicles. https://dronepedia.xyz/affordable-beginner-drones/. https://dronepedia.xyz/tricopter/. Kashiwagi, S. USA Today. Looking for a College Major? How About Drone Technology. Updated January 2, 2014. Referenced in: https://ilovelibraries.org. Lee, B.Y., 2017. Drones to the Rescue. MIT Technology Review, Referenced in: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/608080/drones-to-the-rescue/. Schwyer, M. Robohub.com. Drones for Schools. Referenced in: http://robohub.com. Scorcher, S., 2013. What drones can do for you. Natl. J. 4/13/2013, p3-3. 1p. Siddons, J., 2017. Library drones. Library J. 142 (6), 12. 4/1/2017. Top 12 Non-Military Uses for Drones. Referenced in: https://www.airdronecraze.com/ drones-action-top-12-non-military-uses/. The Best RC Drones. Geekwrapped.com. Referenced in: https://geekwrapped.com. What is a Drone: Main Features & Applications of Today’s Drones. Dronelab. Referenced in: http://mydronelab.com.
CHAPTER 4
Driverless Vehicles: Pick Me Up at the. . .? INTRODUCTION Imagine a driverless car zooming down the road and pulling into your driveway to deliver a hot pizza that you ordered online or driving you to the airport while you hold an early morning conference call from the comfort of your backseat, or a driverless library bookmobile delivering books to the elderly. This might sound like something out of a sci-fi movie, however, many companies such as Uber, Tesla, Google, Mercedes Benz, Ford, General Motors, BMW, Audi, Volkswagen, Volvo, and others are testing driverless vehicles that will change the automotive industry and our lives forever (Fig. 4.1). Studies support that driverless vehicles will reduce the number of carrelated accidents and lower the cost of car insurance (Rand Corporation, Autonomous Vehicle Technology). This chapter focuses on driverless or autonomous vehicles and how they are one of the most popular and
Figure 4.1 Woman using a smartphone in a self-driving car. Emerging Library Technologies DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102253-5.00006-X
© 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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controversial emerging technologies in our lives today and what this means for libraries and librarians who will support this life-changing driverless technology.
WHAT IS A DRIVERLESS CAR? A driverless or autonomous car is a vehicle that can guide itself without a human driver. A driverless car is also known as an autonomous car, robot car, self-driving car, autonomous vehicle, or unmanned ground vehicle. It is a vehicle that is capable of sensing its environment, and navigating without human input (Technopedia). Driverless cars are robotic vehicles that are designed to travel between destinations without a human driver. Most cars today are already partially autonomous. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration organizes all automobiles into five different levels of autonomy (Fig. 4.2). Level 0—Cars that are completely driven by humans. The human driver does all of the work including braking, steering, and gear-shifting. Drivers are currently doing this already in their vehicles. Level 1—Every car in the United States falls into this category. Level one vehicles involve some automation. However, the type of automation varies. Electronic stability control (ESC) is an example. It helps to prevent
Figure 4.2 Finger pressing a push “Autonomous Drive” button to start a self-driving car.
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cars from skidding. Antilock brake systems (ABS) is another automated technology example. ABS technology allows you to apply pressure to the car brakes to keep it from spinning out of control. This driver-assistance level means that most functions are still controlled by the driver, but a specific function (like steering or accelerating) can be done automatically by the car. Level 2—This is where two automated systems are combined. For example, some cars combine cruise control with lane-centering technology. Adaptive cruise control helps the car adjust its speed to keep far enough away from the car in front of it. Lane centering helps keep the vehicle from drifting into nearby lanes. This technology is mostly available in high-end luxury vehicles. Level 3—These vehicles can mostly drive on their own. However, there is a human driver present in case they need to take over control of the vehicle. The driver can override the automated technology operations and take control of the steering, braking, and accelerating. There are a few level 3 cars being tested on the road today. Drivers are still necessary in level 3 cars, but are able to completely shift “safety-critical functions” to the vehicle, under certain traffic or environmental conditions. It means that the driver is still present and will intervene if necessary, but is not required to monitor the situation in the same way it does for the previous levels. Level 4—This is a completely driverless car. A human sets the destination and the vehicle does all of the driving. The car can be completely empty with no humans inside. Even though these cars are being tested today, they still won’t be available for quite some time for the public to enjoy them. Level 5—This refers to a fully autonomous system that expects the vehicle’s performance to equal that of a human driver, in every driving scenario—including extreme environments like dirt roads that are unlikely to be navigated by driverless vehicles in the near future. Reese (2016). URL: https://www.techrepublic.com/article/autonomous-driving-levels-0-to-5-understanding-the-differences/. To qualify as fully autonomous, a vehicle must be able to navigate without human intervention to a predetermined destination over roads that have not been adapted for its use (whatis.com). Driverless cars use various technologies such as GPS sensing knowledge to help with navigation and sensors and other equipment to help avoid collisions (Technopdia).
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Self-driving cars are equipped with sensors, computer programs, and other components that help the car navigate roads and avoid obstacles. Artificial intelligence (AI) software imitates a human driver, allowing the car to make decisions about such things as steering and braking (Newman, Self-Driving Cars).
A BRIEF HISTORY OF DRIVERLESS VEHICLES Even though driverless or autonomous vehicles are considered by many to be one of the hottest, newest, popular emerging technologies in the news today, they are not new. Leonardo Da Vinci drew designs as early as the 1400s. He designed a self-propelled cart powered by a spring, with programmable steering and the ability to run preset courses. Da Vinci never built the cart. However, in 2006, Italy’s Institute and Museum of the History of Science in Florence, built it based on Da Vinci’s design, and it worked (Leonardo Da Vince Inventions. URL: http://www.davinci-inventions.com/flying-machine.aspx). In 1925 there was another attempt at the driverless vehicle with the development of the Linrrican Wonder. This vehicle was controlled by radio signals sent from another car following behind it. Even though this vehicle was able to navigate through the busy streets of New York City, this early attempt at a driverless vehicle was short lived as it wasn’t economically feasible to use two cars at the same time (Newman, SelfDriving Cars). People first learned a great deal about driverless cars in 1939, the year that GM held their “Futurama” exhibit at the New York World’s Fair. Many people had their first exposure of what a driverless car might look like during General Motor’s (GM) “Futurama” exhibit at the New York City World’s Fair in 1939. The exhibit showcased what the future might look like in 20 years (Shadlot, 2017). GM was unsuccessful at producing these autonomous vehicles as it was too expensive to make the huge changes to the existing roads that this driverless car would have required. In the 1970s, inventor Hans Moravec created the first robotic vehicle that was able to navigate around obstacles without a human operator. In the late 1980s, German engineer Ernst Dickmanns collaborated with Mercedes-Benz to build a driverless van. The vehicle was named “VaMoRs.” It drove itself 12 miles (19.3 kilometers) at nearly 60 miles per hour (96.6 kph). In 1995, Dickmanns’ design was used to pilot a car
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from Munich, Germany to Copenhagen, Denmark, and back. Dickmanns proved that with the correct technology, a car could steer, brake, change lanes, and pass other vehicles with little to no human action. Because of his groundbreaking innovations, Dickmanns is often referred to as the pioneer of the autonomous vehicle (Newman, SelfDriving Cars). In 2004, the United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) hosted the Grand Challenge competition where teams were tasked with creating completely autonomous vehicles that could travel 142 miles or 229 km of California’s Mojave Desert. No team completed the challenge. However, DARPA held a second challenge in 2005 where a car named Stanley won the competition. Sebastian Thrun, the captain of the team, went on to revolutionize the driverless car industry (Newman, Self-Driving Cars). In 2007, DARPA upped the ante and conducted a race in an urban setting. Although the course was much shorter, here the driverless vehicles had to comply with traffic regulations and deal with manned cars. A vehicle developed by Carnegie Mellon won in around 4 hours and 10 minutes (http://giovatto.com/blog/brief-history-autonomous-cars.php). In June 2011, Nevada, became the first jurisdiction in the world to allow driverless cars on public roadways (whatis.com).
SELF-DRIVING CAR MARKET If you live in certain cities such as Pittsburgh, Boston, Ann Arbor, San Francisco, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and others, you have probably seen driverless cars zipping around with the car driving and a human present in case of having to take over control of the vehicle. In 2017, 33 states had introduced driverless car legislation (National Conference of State Legislatures, August 2018; http://www.ncsl.org/ research/transportation/autonomous-vehicles-self-driving-vehicles-enactedlegislation.aspx). The CEO of the chip maker NVIDIA, Jensen Huang, states that, “The self-driving car revolution is about to shift into overdrive. Just look in the back lots of South Boston’s tech corridor, on the streets of Pittsburgh, in the prefab test facilities at the University of Michigan’s/ Mcity, and throughout a smattering of open highways.” He mentions also that “It will take no more than 4 years to have fully autonomous vehicles on the road” (Autonomous Vehicles: Are You Ready for
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the New Ride?” MIT Technology Review. November 9, 2017; https:// www.technologyreview.com/s/609450/autonomous-vehicles-are-youready-for-the-new-ride/ ). By 2040, autonomous vehicles are expected to comprise around 25 percent of the global market (MIT Technology Review Insights in Partnership with vmware.” (Autonomous Vehicles: Are You Ready for the New Ride?” MIT Technology Review. November 9, 2017; https://www.technologyreview.com/s/609450/autonomous-vehicles-areyou-ready-for-the-new-ride/). The following 21 states have passed autonomous vehicle legislation: • Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, and Washington DC. Governors in the following states have issued executive orders related to autonomous vehicles: • Arizona, Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Washington, DC, and Wisconsin (Autonomous Vehicles | Self-Driving Vehicles Enacted Legislation. NCSL. March 9, 2018; http://www.ncsl.org/research/ transportation/autonomous-vehicles-self-driving-vehicles-enacted-legislation.aspx). Let’s now examine who the major players are who are driving the autonomous vehicle or driverless car phenomenon below.
THE SELF-DRIVING CAR MAJOR PLAYERS The major carmakers, silicon chip companies, manufacturing companies, and others are working on driverless vehicle technology (Mercer, Which Companies are Making Driverless Cars, Techworld). Most carmakers such as Tesla, General Motors, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Volvo, Honda, Toyota, and many technology companies such as Google, Uber, Apple, and others are spending millions and billions of dollars to become the leader in autonomous or driverless vehicles. Most car companies are betting self-driving technology is inevitable, and they’re all jumping in with investments and initiatives (TECHEMERGENCE, June 4, 2017). I am including a list and brief description of some of the companies that are major players in the driverless vehicles market.
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WAYMO (SELF-DRIVING UNIT OF GOOGLE PARENT ALPHABET) https://www.waymo.com. The Google self-driving project began in 2009. Alphabet, the parent company for Google, launched Waymo, the former Google self-driving car project in 2016. In April 2016, Google announced a partnership with Ford, Lyft, Uber, and Volvo to assist in the creation of self-driving car regulations and to bring these and other companies closer to providing autonomous vehicles and taxis.
UBER www.uber.com. Uber will purchase “tens of thousands” of self-driving cars from Volvo in a deal estimated at $1.4 billion. They will purchase the “autonomous driving compatible base vehicles” between 2019 and 2021. In 2016, both companies struck a deal to develop a self-driving taxi fleet to go on trial in Pittsburgh. Uber autonomous trucks will operate first in Arizona, a state that is known for permissive laws for self-driving technology. The trucks won’t be fully driverless as they will have human safety drivers behind the wheel (Lee, Timothy B. Uber’s Self-Driving Trucks Have Started Hauling Freight. ARS Technica; URL: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/ 2018/03/ubers-self-driving-trucks-have-started-hauling-freight/).
TESLA https://www.tesla.com/autopilot. Tesla’s Model S car already includes an autopilot mode where the car drives itself on highways. Tesla’s enhanced autopilot software will enable their cars to match speed to traffic conditions, keep within a lane, automatically change lanes without requiring driver input, transition from one freeway to another, exit the freeway when your destination is near, self-park when near a parking spot, and be summoned to and from your garage. Tesla’s driverless car features will be dependent upon extensive software validation and
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regulatory approval, which may vary widely by jurisdiction (https:// www.tesla.com/autopilot).
DAIMLER-MERCEDES BENZ https://www.daimler.com/products/passenger-cars/mercedes-benz/ With Mercedes Benz Drive Pilot technology, the car does 80% of the driving. Mercedes released it in the nonpareil S-Class vehicles. Drive Pilot is to the steering wheel what adaptive cruise control is to stop and go pedals. The Drive Pilot system allows the driver to hand over control of steering and speed to the vehicle, while still managing the operation of the car (https://www.theverge.com/ces/2017/1/6/14177872/mercedesbenz-drive-pilot-self-driving-tesla-autopilot-ces-2017).
PORSCHE/HUAWEI https://www.porsche.com / http://www.huawei.com/en/?ic_medium5 direct&ic_source5surlent. Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei’s Mate 10 Pro smartphone piloted a Porsche Panamera driverless car. The company placed a camera in a box on the roof of the car, that then scanned the road ahead and wirelessly streamed imaging data to the smartphone that was mounted above the dashboard. Huawei has taught their AI-powered smartphone how to drive a car. Andrew Garrihy, chief marketing officer, Huawei Western Europe, writes that “They wanted to see if in a short space of time they could teach it to not only drive a car, but to use its AI capabilities to see certain objects, and be taught to avoid them.”
VOLKSWAGON http://www.vw.com. Volkswagon plans to launch self-driving taxi fleets in various cities in 2021 and dozens of test vehicles in 2018.
FIAT CHRYSLER AUTOMOBILES (FCA) https://www.fcagroup.com/en-US/Pages/home.aspx.
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Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has joined BMW Group, Intel, and Intel-owned Mobileye to develop an autonomous driving platform. The partnership allows the companies to draw on each other’s individual capabilities and resources, creating scalable automated driving technology for other car manufacturers to use (https://techcrunch.com/2017/08/16/ fiat-chrysler-joins-bmw-intel-and-mobileye-in-developing-self-drivingplatform/).
VOLVO http://www.volvo.com/home.html. Volvo has been heavily involved in producing and testing driverless cars in real-life situations for some time. Self-driving cars are already on Swedish roads (https://www.volvocars.com/au/about/innovations/ intellisafe/autopilot).
AUDI https://www.audi.com. German car manufacturer Audi plans to bring its driverless cars to market by 2020.
BMW https://www.bmw.com/en/index.html. BMW tested driverless cars in 2011 with a BMW 330i being tested on a closed circuit and later in 2014 with a 6 Series Gran Coupe. BMW used its i3 model in tests in Bejing. Many BMW cars also have ConnectedDrive (a driver assistance system) and intelligent parking, driving, and vision (https://techcrunch.com/ 2017/08/16/fiat-chrysler-joins-bmw-intel-and-mobileye-in-developing-selfdriving-platform/).
FORD https://corporate.ford.com/innovation/autonomous-2021.html. Ford plans to build a steering-wheel-and-pedal-less autonomous car by 2021 (https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/12/16880978/gm-autonomous-car-2019-detroit-auto-show-2018).
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“Ford has been developing and testing autonomous vehicles for more than 10 years,” Raj Nair, Ford’s chief technical officer, said as reported in Wired Magazine (Burgess, 2016). http://www.wired.co.uk/article/ford-self-driving-autonomous-carsfleet-2021.
GENERAL MOTORS (GM) http://www.gm.com. General Motors (GM) plans to make an autonomous car without a steering wheel or pedals by 2019 (Hawkins, 2018; https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/12/16880978/gm-autonomous-car-2019-detroitauto-show-2018).
APPLE https://www.apple.com. Apple CEO Tim Cook announced in Bloomberg Technology that Apple is developing autonomous systems. Bloomberg news also reported that “Apple had initially been seeking to build its own car, before recalibrating those ambitions last year to prioritize the underlying technology for autonomous driving” (Webb et al., 2017).
NVIDIA http://www.nvidia.com/content/global/global.php. Global chipmaker Nvidia has entered the driverless car market by partnering with Uber and Volkswagon. Uber has been using their GPU technology in their fleet of driverless vehicles (https://www.cnbc.com/ 2018/01/08/ces-2018-nvidia-partners-with-uber-volkswagen-and-baiduon-driverless-cars.html).
BAIDU http://usa.baidu.com. Baidu, the Chinese Internet giant, is opening its self-driving vehicle platform Apollo. Apollo features vehicle hardware, software, and cloud data platforms for the driverless car industry (https://techcrunch.com/ 2017/04/18/baidu-project-apollo/).
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Figure 4.3 Self-driving truck driving on the road.
INDUSTRIES IMPACTED BY DRIVERLESS CARS There will be several industries severely impacted by driverless cars. I have included many below (Fig. 4.3). Insurance—With fewer cars on the road due to driverless vehicles, there will be less accidents. The Kinsey report states that driverless vehicles will reduce vehicle accidents by 90% in the United States (https:// www.wsj.com/articles/self-driving-cars-could-cut-down-on-accidentsstudy-says-1425567905). With fewer accidents, there is less of a need for insurance providers. To continue to remain competitive, some insurance providers are rolling out usage-based insurance policies (UBIs), which charge consumers based on how many miles they drive, and how safe their driving habits are. Auto repair/auto parts/auto dealerships/oil change/car washes/driver schools—With fewer human drivers and cars on the road, there will be less wear and tear on cars. Hence, there will be less need for auto mechanics and auto repair businesses. The start-up Zubie offers real-time diagnostics to owners of connected cars, allowing people to know what’s wrong with their engine before they bring their car in for inspection. With multiple sensors, no distractions, and no drunk driving, selfdriving cars will largely eliminate car crashes so collision repair shops will lose a huge portion of their business (https://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/ 03/self-driving-cars-will-disrupt-10-industries-commentary.html).
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There will also be less need for replacement auto parts for cars as they have smart driving software such as brake assists. With the onset of fleets of autonomous vehicles, whether available through car companies or ride-hailing on demand transportation companies, more riders might decide not to buy their own cars, which will lead to a huge drop in car sales. Oil change businesses and car washes will be greatly impacted by driverless vehicles also, as ownership of vehicles will transfer from individuals to the fleets that will maintain them. Driver schools will mostly disappear as there will be less people driving on the road. There is already a decline in the number of millennials obtaining driver’s licenses (https://www.cbinsights.com/research/13industries-disrupted-driverless-cars/). Drivers/trucking—Driverless vehicles will reduce the demand for truck drivers, taxi drivers, bus drivers, and other driving professionals. However, humans will still continue to manage the systems. Public/on-demand transportation—With driverless vehicles, consumers will be able to have door-to-door car service where a driverless car pulls up in front of your location and takes you right to where you want to go rather than you waiting for a bus that might drop you off a few blocks from your final destination Without drivers, on-demand ride-hailing will be even cheaper for consumers, especially if fleets allow for on-demand car-pooling similar to uberPOOL. Uber wouldn’t have to pay drivers anymore in a driverless future, but it likely would have to shoulder the costs of owning its cars—a burden presently held by third-party contractors. These fleets will be able to drive to locations out of the way that were previously ignored by traditional fixed-route public transportation. Deliveries—Uber’s UberEats has already been changing the restaurant delivery business. However, self-driving cars will impact them even more as consumers will be able to program their empty driverless car to pick up their pizza, mail, laundry, groceries, books, and other items. This will almost eliminate the need for door-to-door drivers. Imagine being able to have your empty driverless car pull up to the Pizza Hut window and the employee gently places your piping hot Pizza Hut Supreme pizza in the car. Media, entertainment, and online retail—Many experts predict that there will be a sharp increase in the demand for digital entertainment as driverless vehicles become more like “rolling living rooms.”
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Parking lots—Long-term and short-term parking spaces will be greatly reduced and potentially disappear with driverless vehicles as the cars will be able to drop their passengers off and either pick up other passengers or drive to free parking locations where they can wait for their next passenger. Real estate—Not only will parking spaces need to be repurposed due to driverless vehicles but the real estate industry in general will need to re-vamp how it allocates space. Hotels/motels—Hotels and motels will see a dramatic decrease in the number of consumers staying at their businesses. With driverless vehicles, there will be a decrease in the number of truckers and other drivers who, in the past, had opted to stay at hotels and motels for one night while driving on the road. Many of these businesses are already trying to find solutions to entice millennials and other young consumers to stay at their hotels and motels rather than the AirBnBs where they are currently staying. Traditional bricks and mortar businesses—With drones and autonomous vehicles taking over delivery, the location of traditional bricks and mortar businesses will matter less and less. With people being able to read, write, chat, sleep, drink, and do other things in driverless vehicles, they may shop at more distant venues than currently, as the car will do the driving for them while they relax and enjoy the ride. Urban planning—Most modern cities were and are being built to cater to the needs of cars. Autonomous cars will change how these roads are used. Traffic signals will be redesigned and possibly eliminated in many situations, as autonomous cars will be able to take turns at higher speeds and move around each other more smoothly (https://www.cbinsights. com/research/13-industries-disrupted-driverless-cars/). Airlines—The airline industry will be impacted by driverless vehicles. Once driverless vehicles are in full swing, travelers may opt to take an ondemand ride in a driverless vehicle rather than spending significant time at the airport in order to take a short flight. Litigation—“Currently, 94% of crashes can be tied back to human error: automation will decrease these accidents, leading to a decline in related lawsuits. When accidents do occur, connected cars will provide more accurate data about accidents and who’s at fault for a crash.” (https://www.cbinsights.com/research/13-industries-disrupted-driverlesscars/). Law enforcement—With self-driving cars there will be less speeding tickets, drunk driving, and other traffic violations.
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Healthcare—A connected driverless car network would theoretically be largely free from accidental collisions. As a result of decreased collisions, the healthcare industry could lose approximately $500B annually (https:// www.cbinsights.com/research/13-industries-disrupted-driverless-cars/). Eldercare—The elderly will benefit from autonomous vehicles as they will be more mobile and able to go to places where they previously were unable. A driverless car will pick them up and take them to their designated location.
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR DRIVERLESS VEHICLES As driverless vehicles continue to gain in popularity, there are a plethora of challenges and opportunities that are included in this section.
CHALLENGES FOR DRIVERLESS VEHICLES There are several challenges that driverless cars present that are included below. Safety—Self-driving cars are new and people do not trust the technology. Drivers do not want to hand over control of their vehicles to a computer. There are concerns about hackers taking over control of the vehicle’s computer system and possibly causing an accident. The number of driverless car accidents in the news fuels this distrust also. Espen Friberg writes in “Hackers are the real obstacle for self-driving vehicles” that “Out-of-work truckers armed with “adversarial machine learning” could dazzle autonomous vehicles into crashing” (Garfinkel, 2017). There is an additional concern about how a driverless vehicle will react if a child or animal suddenly runs into the street or from hand signals from a policeman or road worker. Car washes—They have turned out to be a challenge for driverless cars as their heavy brushes and soap rinse can damage their navigation systems (Norman, 2018). Pricing—Although the cost for driverless technology could cost more than $12,000; the cost for driverless vehicle technology will continue to drop. In the very near future, the cost for a driverless car with all of the driverless functionality might cost $320,000 initially. Job losses—Job displacement for taxi drivers, delivery drivers, and truck drivers is a major concern for people who earn their living as drivers and the industry that supports them. With the onset of driverless vehicles,
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these careers would be rendered obsolete and the drivers would be displaced and might not have the opportunity or skill set to obtain meaningful employment in this highly technical area. According to the Rand Corporation, “Occupations and economies based on public transit, crash repair, and automobile insurance might suffer as the technology makes certain aspects of these occupations obsolete” (Autonomous Vehicle Technology, Rand Corporation. URL: https:// www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR443-2.html). Weather conditions—Driverless vehicles navigating through extreme weather conditions such as snow, ice, blizzards, flooding, hurricanes, smog, fog, and other weather-related challenges is an obstacle for them that could prolong how quickly they are totally available and completely replace traditional cars on the road.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR DRIVERLESS VEHICLES The opportunities for driverless or self-driving cars are endless as this technology is projected to have continued exponential growth (Fig. 4.4). In early 2016, self-driving automotive technology got a boost when President Barack Obama proposed providing nearly $4 billion over 10 years for a pilot program to test connected vehicle systems in certain designated areas of the US (US Department of Transportation, 2016). Safety—Many proponents of driverless cars believe that they would eliminate accidents caused by driver error. The US Department of
Figure 4.4 Control of self-driving bus by mobile app.
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Transportation reports that more than 90% of car accidents are caused by human error. They agree that driverless cars will lead to less cars on the road, lower insurance costs, and less car accidents (Barrons.com, Here are the 10 Best Cities for Driverless Cars, URL: https://www.barrons.com/ articles/here-are-the-10-best-cities-for-driverless-cars-1492114955). Accessibility—Having driverless cars will lead to better access to cars that can be shared. People who do not drive or who can’t afford a car will easily be able to obtain a ride. This will lead to saving lives, money, air pollution, wear and tear on cars, and improving the mobility of people who might have been limited by not having access to transportation. Environmental—As people share riding in a driverless vehicle, whether it’s going to work or grocery shopping each week, or to the airport, this reduces the number of cars on the road, and the number of vehicles scampering for the few parking spaces that are available that ultimately leads to less congestion and air pollution. The Rand Corporation writes that “vehicle occupants could spend travel time engaged in other activities, so the costs of travel time and congestion are reduced. Because such vehicles won’t need proximate urban parking, space used for parking could be repurposed.” ((Autonomous Vehicle Technology, Rand Corporation. URL: https://www.rand.org/ pubs/research_reports/RR443-2.html).) As driverless car technology continues to evolve, there will be even more opportunities that are presently unheard of. Let’s examine the role of libraries with this technology.
ROLE OF LIBRARIES Libraries have always been viewed as centers of knowledge where patrons can go to obtain knowledge on every subject imaginable. Librarians are viewed as experts at researching, retrieving, analyzing, and sharing information. Librarians can play an integral role in the driverless technology phenomenon in a myriad of ways. Librarians can provide resources on driverless technology such as online and printed resources introducing the technology, legislation, and new developments to their patrons. Librarians can host town meetings, panel discussions with experts from the driverless-technology, insurance, and other related areas where patrons can learn about driverless technology and how it will affect their lives.
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INTERNSHIPS/MENTORSHIPS Public librarians can collaborate with high school librarians/teachers and driverless vehicle companies to set up paid and unpaid internships and mentor opportunities for high school students who are interested in pursuing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)/science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) careers and want to be a part of this driverless car explosion. Students will learn from driverless car experts hands-on about the technology, the market, the future, and most importantly what STEM/ STEAM programs and classes they will need to take to prepare for careers in this exciting, expanding, emerging technology. Having an internship, whether paid or unpaid, or mentorship opportunity will lead to lucrative full-time employment opportunities when students graduate from their STEM/STEAM college program. This is the future and what better way to learn how to prepare for it than to be a part. This technology continues to have phenomenal growth and STEM and STEAM career opportunities for students as well as retraining for displaced and underemployed adults.
JOB RETRAINING With the onset of driverless cars, there will be thousands upon thousands of employees in practically every industry imaginable that will be impacted. For instance, truck drivers, bus drivers, delivery personnel, automotive industry personnel, and others will lose their jobs. Whole industries might disappear or become a shell of their previous successful company. With driverless cars in full swing, there will be less cars on our roads and highways. This means that jobs in the automotive industry will disappear forever also. Once these changes take effect, librarians and information professionals will be inundated with requests for information, social services, career advice, job retraining, and anything that might be affected with massive amounts of jobs lost. Librarians can collaborate with schools and companies that are spearheading driverless technology and have career fairs where experts can meet with students to discuss STEM and STEAM careers and what students will need to learn in order to obtain employment in driverless technology fields. Academic librarians can collaborate with engineering, computer science, and robotics departments at their universities to showcase some of
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their new projects and research in driverless technology and to stay abreast of developments and legislation in this area. These librarians can share the projects and research with their school and public librarians so they can host programs and workshops for their high school students to learn about this technology and pursue STEM/ STEAM careers. Librarians can also collaborate with community and workforce agencies to provide resources and programming for displaced and underemployed adults who are interested in pursuing careers in self-driving or autonomous vehicles.
CONCLUSION The major car manufacturers and technology companies know that driverless technology is the future and will forever change the automotive industry. Therefore, they are pursuing driverless technology at warp speed and spending millions and billions of dollars to become the industry leader. The opportunities are endless for those trained in self-driving vehicle technology as well. They will enjoy tremendous financially lucrative opportunities. According to Johanna Zmud, the Director of the National Office at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, self-driving cars will be capable of seamless parallel parking. He also states that in the future, driverless vehicles will be able to communicate with traffic signals. He writes that driverless cars will be able to drive to remote, less expensive locations, and even pick up other riders (Driverless Vehicles Will Talk To us. The Atlantic. Possibility Report. URL: http://www.theatlantic.com/sponsored/vmware-2017/driverless-vehicles/1419/). Safety will continue to be a concern for driverless cars even in the future. Tim Sylvester writes that “Automakers could even develop technology that triggers automatic and total shutdowns of vehicles. Or push software updates to cars without requiring the customer to take it to the dealer.” An example of this would be the braking system in several driverless vehicles not functioning. Mimi Spier, Vice President of VMWare’s Internet of Things, states that “The Manufacturer could update the car’s software to fix the problem in time to prevent accidents.” The in-vehicle systems could then inform the driver that the software successfully updated and addressed the problem (Driverless Vehicles Will Talk To us.
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The Atlantic. Possibility Report. URL: http://www.theatlantic.com/ sponsored/vmware-2017/driverless-vehicles/1419/). Although driverless cars present financially lucrative opportunities for many who have the education, training, and expertise in this technology, there are many who will be displaced and whole industries will be crippled or rendered obsolete. What opportunities will these people have to share in this driverless vehicle pie? What retraining or new educational opportunities will be available for them? Where can they go to obtain information on driverless technology and what this means for their future? Many will go to their local public libraries to receive assistance. Joel Barbier, director, Cisco Digitization Office, writes in CNBS’s Opinion, that “[Further], company and government leaders must immediately address the impact on jobs and get serious about retraining efforts” (Barbier, 2017. URL: https://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/03/self-drivingcars-will-disrupt-10-industries-commentary.html). This is a great opportunity for libraries. Libraries are the beacon of information where people go to gain knowledge. As experts in information, librarians are uniquely positioned to be on the forefront of driverless or self-driving car technology and legislation. Whether collaborating with experts on driverless technology, providing information, hosting workshops or town hall meetings, preparing students for STEM/STEAM careers, arranging job retraining opportunities for displaced workers, showcasing projects, or just simply keeping abreast of new developments, librarians are the glue that binds together the experts in self-driving vehicle technology with patrons who want to learn more about this life and industry-changing technology.
QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION 1. What driverless car resources will you have in your library to support your library patrons, staff members, and others who are interested in learning more about driverless cars? 2. What challenges or opportunities do you feel self-driving cars present? 3. Would you ride in a driverless car? Why or why not? 4. How can you help prepare students for STEM/STEAM careers in driverless car technologies? 5. What partnerships and collaborations can you form with community colleges, colleges, universities, other libraries, and driverless car companies to help prepare students for STEM/STEAM careers?
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6. What collaborations can you establish with outside partners to assist workers who will be displaced by driverless vehicles? 7. What collaborations and partnerships can you build with other colleges, universities, community colleges, academic departments, libraries, schools, driverless car companies, community organizations, faith-based organizations, workforce development programs to help students, displaced workers, and anyone interested in careers in driverless technology? 8. What workshops and programming can you provide for people who want to learn more about driverless vehicle technology, are displaced by this technology, or want to pursue careers in driverless car technology? 9. What does the future hold for driverless cars and how can your library be a part of this future? 10. How will you market your driverless car workshops, resources, and programming that you will offer in your library?
CONSIDERATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION Even though libraries will not house driverless vehicles physically, driverless vehicles are going to impact so many people and industries that libraries will be on the forefront for helping people impacted by this popular growing emerging technology. I am including several suggestions to consider for implementing driverless vehicle technology in your library below. 1. Obtain stakeholder buy in—Build your case for why you need driverless car resources and programming in your academic, public, or school library and prepare it for your stakeholder whether it is administration, principals, upper management, or board of directors. 2. Know your audience—Do a needs analysis to determine who your audience is and who will benefit from learning about driverless vehicles. Who is your audience? Are they teens pursuing STEM/ STEAM careers? Workers displaced from driverless vehicles such as truck drivers, delivery drivers, taxi drivers? Patrons, librarians, teachers, information professionals, and anyone who wants to learn about driverless technology, which industries will be affected by the technology, and how it will affect them and others? What resources can you provide for these groups? 3. Costs—Find the money. Who will pay for the programming and resources that you will offer patrons on driverless vehicles? Do a
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cost benefit analysis and determine what your overall costs will be. Write grants and partner with other libraries, schools, companies, and other organizations. Find creative ways to find the money to help defray the costs of implementing driverless car resources and programming in your library as there will be thousands of people who will be affected and displaced by this technology. Personnel—Who on your staff might be the lead expert on staff or “go to” person for driverless vehicle resources and programming in your library? Do you have anyone on staff who can fill this role or do you need to consider hiring an additional staff member to fill this role? This person will be the point person for learning about driverless car technology and sharing the information with others on staff, in the community, and online. This person’s responsibility will be to establish relationships with some of the major driverless car companies to keep abreast of their developments and how your library might help with providing resources to others who are interested in driverless cars, will be impacted by them, or are in a position to provide social and job-related services to them. Training—What type of training will you offer staff? Will you utilize the train the trainer model where the lead “go to” driverless vehicle expert in your library trains the rest of the staff? How much will this cost? What can you do to obtain this for free or at a significantly reduced cost? Build strategic partnerships—Build strategic partnerships with other libraries, departments, librarians, driverless car companies, community organizations, schools, community colleges, universities, government officials, and others who can assist you with implementing driverless car resources and programming in your library through providing funding, expertise, training and training materials, equipment, marketing materials, workshops, lectures, community meetings, etc. Are there legislators who can speak to your library on driverless vehicles and their impact on the community? Market the driverless vehicle programs and resources—How will you market your driverless vehicle resources, programs, and content in your libraries? Will you just use social media or will you use additional print-based creative advertising also? How much will this cost? Can you get free advertising? Do the research—As librarians, we are experts at performing research and sharing it with others. Research what resources you currently
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have available on driverless cars at your disposal such as universities, driverless car companies, experts in driverless cars, driverless car groups, driverless car enthusiasts? Are there departments, libraries, other organizations that have already implemented driverless car resources, programming, and content in their libraries and can provide who you can contact for best practices? Are there materials online for driverless cars that you can obtain? Are there experts and enthusiasts who can share their knowledge of driverless cars through town hall meetings, workshops, and community meetings? 9. Offer driverless car programs and workshops—What programming and resources on driverless cars will you offer? Will you offer workshops, town hall meetings, driverless vehicle curriculum, legal expertise on driverless car legislation, and other relevant driverless vehicle topics. Will you collaborate with some of the major driverless car companies to offer free rides in their driverless vehicles to those patrons who are interested? There could be a presentation on their driverless car technology that would be followed by a “show and tell and ride,” where patrons would go for a ride in a driverless car. 10. Driverless car safety and security—You should include driverless car safety and security information in your library and keep it updated. If you do offer library staff and patrons the opportunity to ride in driverless vehicles through collaborations with the major driverless vehicle companies, you will want to have a legal document that staff and patrons are required to sign so that the library isn’t liable if a car accident should occur. This legal document will be created in collaboration with your legal department and the driverless vehicle company.
PROPOSAL After you have addressed these “Considerations for Implementation,” write them into a proposal and submit it to your stakeholders, legal department, and anyone else who can support and fund this proposal to implement driverless car resources, programming, content, and training in your library.
GLOSSARY Accelerating Changing speed.
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Adversarial machine learning A research field that lies at the intersection of machine learning and computer security. They are inputs to machine learning models that an attacker has intentionally designed to cause the model to make a mistake; they’re like optical illusions for machines. Antilock braking system (ABS) An antilock braking system or antiskid braking system (ABS) is an automobile safety system that allows the wheels on a motor vehicle to maintain tractive contact with the road surface according to driver inputs while braking, preventing the wheels from locking up (ceasing rotation) and avoiding uncontrolled skidding. Artificial intelligence The science of making computers do things that previously needed human intelligence. Automation The use of machines rather than people to do jobs. Autonomous vehicles/driverless vehicles A vehicle that is capable of sensing its environment, and navigating without human input. Electronic stability control (ESC) Electronic stability control (ESC), also referred to as electronic stability program (ESP) or dynamic stability control (DSC), is a computerized technology that improves a vehicle’s stability by detecting and reducing loss of traction (skidding). Global positioning system (GPS) Is a global navigation satellite system that provides geolocation and time information. It is owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Air Force. Hacked To access or take control of a computer system remotely and without permission. Internet of Things (IoT) The interconnection via the Internet of computing devices embedded in everyday objects, enabling them to send and receive data. It is connecting any device with an on and off switch to the Internet. It is a network of physical devices, vehicles, home appliances, and other items embedded with electronics, software, sensors, actuators, and connectivity, which enables these objects to connect and exchange data. Override To take manual control over an automated system. Sensors Instruments that can detect and measure changes and transmit the information to a controlling device. Telematics technology The use of telecommunications to facilitate communication and gather data from vehicles.
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING Web Sites National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)—https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls? gclid 5 EAIaIQobChMI7IaNnKfn2QIVlrjACh05xQvqEAAYASAAEgLMePD_BwE. AAMVA. Autonomous Vehicle Information Library—http://www.aamva.org/AutonomousVehicle-Information-Library/. National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)—http://www.ncsl.org/research/transportation/autonomous-vehicles-self-driving-vehicles-enacted-legislation.aspx. Rand Corporation—https://www.rand.org. Futurism—https://futurism.com/?s 5 driverless 1 cars. MIT Technology Review—https://www.technologyreview.com. TechCrunch—https://techcrunch.com. TechRepublic—https://www.techrepublic.com.
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Mashable Technology—https://mashable.com/category/tech/. Business Insider (Technology)—http://www.businessinsider.com/sai. The Verge—https://www.theverge.com. The Economist (Technology)—https://www.economist.com/topics/technology. Huffington Post (Technology)—https://www.huffingtonpost.com/section/technology. The Guardian (Technology)—https://www.theguardian.com/us/technology. Technology Bloomberg—https://www.bloomberg.com/technology. Driverless Car TED Talks (YouTube Videos) • Driverless Car Ted Talks https://www.ted.com/topics/driverless 1 cars • What Moral Decisions Should Driverless Cars Make? Iyad Rahwanhttps://www. ted.com/talks/iyad_rahwan_what_moral_decisions_should_driverless_cars_make. • How a Driverless Car Sees the Road. Chris Urmson. Ted Talk. March 2015. https://www.ted.com/talks/chris_urmson_how_a_driverless_car_sees_the_road • What a Driverless World Could Look Lie. Dude, Where’s; My Driverless Car? Wanis Kabbaj. Ted Talk. September 2016 https://www.ted.com/talks/wanis_kabbaj_ what_a_driverless_world_could_look_like?referrer 5 playlist-dude_where_s_my_ driverless_ca • Google’s Driverless Car. Sebastian Thrun. March 2011. https://www.ted.com/ talks/sebastian_thrun_google_s_driverless_car?referrer 5 playlist-dude_where_s_my_ driverless_ca • The Future Race Car 150 mph, and No Driver. Chris Gerdes. May 2012. https://www.ted.com/talks/chris_gerdes_the_future_race_car_150mph_and_no_driver?referrer 5 playlist-dude_where_s_my_driverless_ca&language 5 en. • Making a Car for Blind Drivers. Dennis Hong. Ted Talk. https://www.ted.com/ talks/dennis_hong_making_a_car_for_blind_drivers?referrer 5 playlist-dude_where_ s_my_driverless_ca • If Cars Could Talk, Accidents Might Not Happen. Jennifer Healey. April 2013. https://www.ted.com/talks/jennifer_healey_if_cars_could_talk_accidents_might_be_ avoidable • A Future Beyond Traffic Gridlock. Bill Ford. March 2011. https://www.ted.com/ talks/bill_ford_a_future_beyond_traffic_gridlock
BIBLIOGRAPHY “28 Industries Other Than Auto That Driverless Cars Could Turn Upside Down.” CB Insights Research Briefs. (January 26, 2018). https://www.cbinsights.com/research/13industries-disrupted-driverless-cars/. Anderson, J.M., Kalra, N., Stanley, K.D., Sorensen, P., Samaras, C., Oluwatola, O.A., 2016. by Autonomous Vehicle Technology: A Guide for Policymakers. Rand Corporation, https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR443-2.html. [accessed 10.10.17]. “Autonomous Vehicles: Are You Ready for the New Ride?” MIT Technology Review. (November 9, 2017). https://www.technologyreview.com/s/609450/autonomousvehicles-are-you-ready-for-the-new-ride/. “Autonomous Vehicles | Self-Driving Vehicles Enacted Legislation.” National Conference of State Legislatures. (March 9, 2018). http://www.ncsl.org/research/ transportation/autonomous-vehicles-self-driving-vehicles-enacted-legislation.aspx. Barbier, J. “Driverless Cars Will Disrupt 10 Industries.” CNBC. (May 3, 2017). https:// www.cnbc.com/2017/05/03/self-driving-cars-will-disrupt-10-industries-commentary.html.
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Burgess, M., 2016. Ford to build a fleet of self-driving taxis that will be in cities by 2021. Wired. Available from: http://www.wired.co.uk/article/ford-self-driving-autonomous-cars-fleet-2021. Driverless Car Definition. http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/driverless-car. “Driverless Vehicles Will Talk to Us.” The Atlantic. Possibility Report. http://www. theatlantic.com/sponsored/vmware-2017/driverless-vehicles/1419/. Etherington, D., 2017. Fiat Chrysler joins BMW, Intel and Mobileye in developing selfdriving platform. TechCrunch URL: https://techcrunch.com/2017/08/16/fiatchrysler-joins-bmw-intel-and-mobileye-in-developing-self-driving-platform/. Fagella, D. Self-Driving Car Timeline for 11 Top Automakers. TECHEMERGENCE. (June 4, 2017). https://venturebeat.com/2017/06/04/self-driving-car-timeline-for11-top-automakers/ [accessed 10.10.17]. Garfinkel, S., 2017. Hackers are the real obstacle for self-driving vehicles. MIT Technology Review. Available from: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/608618/ hackers-are-the-real-obstacle-for-self-driving-vehicles/. Golson, J., 2017. Mercedes will give Tesla’s Autopilot its first real competition this year. The Verge. Available from: https://www.theverge.com/ces/2017/1/6/14177872/ mercedes-benz-drive-pilot-self-driving-tesla-autopilot-ces-2017. Hawkins, A.J., 2018. GM will make an autonomous car without steering wheel or pedals by 2019. The Verge. Available from: https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/12/ 16880978/gm-autonomous-car-2019-detroit-auto-show-2018. Kharpal, A., 2018. Nvidia is Partnering with Uber, Volkswagen and Baidu on Driverless Cars. CNBC Technology. Available from: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/08/ces2018-nvidia-partners-with-uber-volkswagen-and-baidu-on-driverless-cars.html. Lee, T.B., 2018. Uber’s self-driving trucks have started Hauling Freight. ARS Technica. Available from: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/03/ubers-self-drivingtrucks-have-started-hauling-freight/. Leonardo Da Vince Inventions. http://www.da-vinci-inventions.com/flying-machine.aspx. Mercer, C., Macaulay, T., 2018. Which companies are making driverless cars? Techworld. Available from: https://www.techworld.com/picture-gallery/data/-companies-working-on-driverless-cars-3641537/. Newman, L., 2018. Self-Driving Cars. Cherry Lake Publishing, Ann Arbor, MI. Norman, A., 2018. Self-driving cars are smart, but car washes stump them. Futurism. Available from: https://futurism.com/self-driving-cars-are-smart-but-car-washes-stumpthem/. Reese, H., 2016. Updated: autonomous driving levels 0 to 5: understanding the differences. Tech Republic. Available from: https://www.techrepublic.com/article/autonomous-driving-levels-0-to-5-understanding-the-differences/. Russell, J., 2017. Baidu is making its self-driving car platform freely available to the automotive industry. Tech Crunch. Available from: https://techcrunch.com/2017/04/18/ baidu-project-apollo/. Schultz, A. (April 13, 2017). “Here are the 10 Best Cities for Driverless Cars.” Barrons. https://www.barrons.com/articles/here-are-the-10-best-cities-for-driverless-cars1492114955. “Secretary Foxx Unveils President Obama’s FY17 Budget Proposal of Nearly $4 Billion for Automated Vehicles and Announces DOT Initiatives to Accelerate Vehicle Safety Innovations.” US Department of Transportation. (January 14, 2016). https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/secretary-foxx-unveils-president-obama’s-fy17-budgetproposal-nearly-4-billion. “Self-Driving Cars Could Cut Down on Accidents, Study Says.” Wall Street J. (March 5, 2015). https://www.wsj.com/articles/self-driving-cars-could-cut-down-on-accidentsstudy-says-1425567905.
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Shadlot, W. A Brief History of Autonomous Vehicles. Giovatto.com. March 30, 2017. URL: http://giovatto.com/blog/brief-history-autonomous-cars.php. Technopedia. ,https://www.techopedia.com/definition/30056/autonomous-car.. Tesla Car Website. https://www.tesla.com/autopilot. Volvo Car Web Site. https://www.volvocars.com/au/about/innovations/intellisafe/autopilot. Webb, A., Chang, E., 2017. Tim Cook says apple focused on autonomous systems in cars push. Bloomberg News. Available from: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/ 2017-06-13/cook-says-apple-is-focusing-on-making-an-autonomous-car-system.
CHAPTER 5
Information Seeking With Big Data: Not Just the Facts INTRODUCTION Data are everywhere. They are in every part of our lives. In no period of history before has there been such massive amounts of data being collected at unprecedented rates. We experience it every day whether it is through Amazon recommending purchases, Facebooks “Friends,” Google’s “auto fill,” police predicting when and where crimes might occur, or banks making lending decisions based on the massive amounts of customer data that it is has received. These are all uses of big data. In this chapter, we will focus on big data and its implications for libraries (Fig. 5.1).
WHAT IS BIG DATA? As the name implies, big data is huge. SAS Institute refers to big data as a large volume of data that is both structured and unstructured and that inundates a business on a day-to-day basis. But it’s not the amount of data
Figure 5.1 Here is big data.
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that’s important. It is what organizations do with the data that matters (https://www.sas.com/en_us/insights/big-data/what-is-big-data.html). Mayer-Schonberg and Cukier define big data in their book Big Data: A Revolution That Will Transform How We Live, Work and Think as: Big data refers to things one can do at a large scale that cannot be done at a smaller one, to extract new insights or create new forms of value, in ways that change markets, organizations, the relationships between citizens and governments and more.
Big data is often characterized by the “3Vs” (volume, velocity, and variety). Doug Laney, defined the “3Vs” of data management in his 2001 article, 3-D Data Management: Controlling Data Volume, Velocity, and Variety. Volume refers to the amount of data, velocity refers to the speed of processing, and variety refers to the number of types of data (whatis. com, http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/3Vs). Big data refers to our ability to crunch a vast quantity of information, analyze it instantly, and draw sometimes astonishing conclusions from it (Mayer-Schonberg and Cukier, 2013). Big data describes the enormous amount of data that inundates businesses on a constant basis, as well as the industry which has grown around attempts to collect, analyze, and act upon that data (https://www.statista. com/statistics/254266/global-big-data-market-forecast/). There are many definitions for big data, but just how big is big data?
HOW BIG IS BIG DATA? Big data is so large that it cannot be measured in megabytes (books or photos) or gigabytes (movies). However, it can be measured in terabytes (all the books in the world), petabytes or exabytes (all the books in multimedia formats in the world), zettabytes or yottabytes (everything recorded in human history) (Fig. 5.2). By one estimate, the total amount of data stored globally is now measured in thousands of exabytes (an exabyte is equal to a billion gigabytes) (Ford, Rise of the Robots). Martin Ford writes in his Rise of the Robots: Technology and the Threat of a Jobless Future, that Google’s servers alone handle about 24 petabytes (equal to a million gigabytes). It is primarily information about what its millions of users are searching for each and every day.
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Figure 5.2 Sheer volume of big data.
HISTORY OF BIG DATA Big data has been around longer than imagined. Big data has had a long buildup. The term first popped up in an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers publication in 1997 discussing the challenge of working with blocks of information as large as 100 gigabytes. By the late 2000s, breakthroughs in storage capacity and computing power were leading to euphoric proclamations about the transformational potential of data and analytics in almost every aspect of business and society (http:// insights.som.yale.edu/insights/what-is-the-impact-of-big-data).
APPLICATIONS OF BIG DATA Big data is having a revolutionary impact in a wide range of areas including business, politics, medicine, and nearly every field of nature and social science (Ford, Rise of the Robots). Big data is about predictions and applying math to huge quantities of data in order to infer probabilities. For example, being able to determine the likelihood that an email message is spam; that the typed letters “teh” are supposed to be “the” (Schonenberger, Big Data). Big data can be applied to diagnosing illnesses, recommending treatments, perhaps even identifying “criminals” before one actually commits a crime (Schonenberger, Big Data).
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Through big data, Amazon can recommend the ideal book; Google can rank the most relevant websites, Facebook knows our likes, and LinkedIn divines who we know (Schonenberger, Big Data). Major retailers use big data to track customer shopping preferences in order to make precisely targeted offers that increase revenue while helping to build customer loyalty. Police departments across the globe are turning to algorithmic analysis to predict the times and locations where crimes are most likely to occur and then deploying their forces accordingly. The City of Chicago’s data portal allows residents to see energy usage, crime, performance metrics for transportation, schools, and healthcare, and the number of potholes patched in a given period of time (Ford, Rise of the Robots). Big data relies on all the information, or at least as much as possible. It allows us to look at details or explore new analyses without the risk of blurriness (Mayer-Schonberger, Big Data: A Revolution). In law, big data is being applied to predict the likely outcome of cases, especially in supreme courts. Credit card companies are using big data to understand and evaluate the risk of default. Law enforcement agencies are using big data to allocate resources to predict where and when crimes might occur. CancerLinQ, a health information technology platform aimed at enhancing and improving the treatment of cancer, is utilizing big data to collect data on the care of hundreds of thousands of cancer patients, and use it to help guide treatment of other patients across the healthcare system (https://cancerlinq.org/how-it-works).
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR BIG DATA With any new technology, there are challenges and opportunities that need to be addressed. Big data is no exception.
CHALLENGES FOR BIG DATA Big data is used for analyzing voluminous amounts of data in order to make well-informed decisions. Those decisions can sometimes be made on erroneous data or even human error. With big data, algorithms will predict the likelihood that one will get a heart attack (and pay more for
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health insurance), default on a mortgage (and be denied a loan), or commit a crime (and perhaps get arrested in advance), or an innocent person being put on a no-fly list and, as a result, losing out on opportunities for business, school, or even personal family matters. Errors in analysis and prediction—A major challenge for big data is when users can’t understand the analysis and there are errors in interpretation of the data. Users should be able to see not just the results, but also to understand why they are seeing those results. Volume and transfer speed—The sheer volume and transfer speed of unimaginable amounts of data is challenging. As the name implies, big data is massive. However, the transfer speed cannot match the size. More robust processing power—Processors have gotten larger, but not at the same rate as the volume of data that they need to process. Therefore, the infrastructure must be developed, but at higher costs. By trying to compress huge volumes of data and then analyze it, is a tedious process which might ultimately prove to be ineffective (Tole, Big Data Challenges). Speed of data transfer rate—The speed at which the data transfers is quite a challenge as transfer rates are limited but requests are unlimited, so streaming data in real-time is a big challenge (Tole, Big Data Challenges). Relevancy and redundancy—The big data system receives the data in all types of unsorted formats. The challenge is being able to sort through these huge amounts of data files for relevancy and “readability” and then being able to analyze the data and make accurate, informed decisions. Data privacy and security—Data privacy and data security are huge concerns with big data. There is great fear and trepidation from people needing to share their personal data, especially through the linking of data from multiple sources. There are many ways that a user’s location, identity, and affiliations can be tracked. For example, the user’s location can be tracked through cell tower locations. A person’s presence at a political event can suggest their political affiliation. Or health-related purchases might reveal a person’s illness or condition such as in the case of the retailer Target where using their very accurate prediction pregnancy tool, they revealed a teen’s pregnancy to her family based on purchases that she made. They were able to predict the pregnancy using about 25 products analyzed together and assigned a “pregnancy prediction” score (Duhigg, 2012. URL: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html).
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Pressing challenges—Employees and executives working with big data have listed security, cost, and a lack of technical big data expertise as some of their most pressing concerns, and many executives believe that maintaining the quality of collected data remains a significant challenge (https://www.statista.com/statistics/254266/global-big-data-market-forecast/). Data quality—Dirty data cost companies in the United States $600 billion every year. Common causes of dirty data that must be addressed include user input errors, duplicate data, and incorrect data linking. In addition to being meticulous at maintaining and cleaning data, big data algorithms can also be used to help clean data (https://www.qubole.com/ resources/big-data-challenges/).
OPPORTUNITIES FOR BIG DATA Just as there are many challenges for big data, there are a myriad of opportunities as well. According to Agrawal D., in Challenges and Opportunities with Big Data, “A major investment in Big Data, properly directed, can result in major scientific, advances, but also lay the foundation for the next generation of advances in science, medicine, and business.” Increase competitive advantage—Organizations using big data analysis can speed up their processes and reveal patterns that can improve their competitive advantage. They can receive information in real time about their customers and use that information for planning and forecasting. Forecasting—With predictive analytics, big data can be used for forecasting to see where they are heading. Tole writes in Big Data Challenges that “a telecommunications company can use data stored from length of call, average text message sent, average bill amount to see which customers are likely to discard their services.” Identifying student risk—School districts can analyze big data to identify at-risk students in order to put the programs in place to help them to achieve adequate yearly progress and provide the resources to educators to ensure that students are successful. New products and services—Entrepreneurs have also capitalized on big data technology to create new products and services. https://www.qubole.com/resources/big-data-challenges/.
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INDUSTRIES IMPACTED BY BIG DATA Education—Innovators in the education industry are using big data to identify and predict how to improve student learning and engage students in the same manner as students are glued to their screens and smart devices. Healthcare—Doctors and hospitals and other healthcare providers are leveraging big data to analyze and predict a myriad of complex questions based on data analytics, such as which blood pressure range is normal or how much sugar patients should consume each day or even more complex questions. In the future, as more patients utilize the healthcare functionality of their smartphones and wearable devices, doctors will be able to better understand, analyze, and make more informed healthcare predictions for their patients. Agriculture—Big data is used in agriculture to predict the weather and even squeeze the maximum productivity out of the land. Big data will continue to grow and become more essential for feeding a growing world population. Transportation—Amtrak and Southwest transportation companies are leveraging the power of big data to keep their planes, trains, and automobiles running on time and most efficiently. Finance—The banking industry uses big data to determine how customers use their accounts and identify any potential security risks. http://blog.syncsort.com/2017/02/big-data/big-data-industries-dataanalytics/.
BIG DATA IMPLICATIONS FOR LIBRARIES As experts at searching, retrieving, and analyzing data, librarians are uniquely suited to work with big data. Librarians possess a unique set of interpersonal and technical skills that can turbo-charge research and development of new datasets and also reduce the amount of startup work involved (Huwe, 2017, p. 12). Mary Ellen Bates writes in “Big Data Ain’t So Big” that “We info pros were using Big Data (which is what valueadded online services are) long before most of our colleagues knew what online research even meant.” Big data creates competitive advantages for organizations, and how librarians can make big data visible, accessible, and usable by creating
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taxonomies, designing metadata, and developing systematic retrieval methods. In addition, librarians can use big data tools to analyze data sets to make them simple, searchable, and useable. Big data can be used in many areas in information sciences including data management, curation and archiving, search and retrieval, interdisciplinary research, and the LIS curriculum. Some other areas of growth for big data in library and information science include high-intensity performance computing, advanced statistical and computational methods, virtual reality systems, diversity formats data management, digital preservation, and curation (African Journal of Library, Archives, and Information Science. Vol. 26, No. 2 (October 2016) 93 96). Huwe writes that “prestigious university libraries, including the Universities of California, Michigan, Pittsburgh, and Washington, have launched data management as a core service (Huwe, 2017, p. 11).
BIG DATA LIBRARY EXAMPLES Many academic libraries are experimenting with big data. They are examining their own data metrics in order to make key decisions.
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY LIBRARIES University of California Berkeley libraries host several data initiatives on their campus. They include the D-Lab that is a social sciences-focused program, the Berkeley Institute for Data Sciences (BIDS), and the California Policy Lab. UC Berkeley D-Lab The D-Lab assists social scientists and humanists collect, process, and visualize data. They collaborate with data-intensive social scientists and collaborators in industry, the social sector, and government (http://dlab.berkeley.edu). Berkeley Institute for Data Sciences (BIDS) Founded in 2013, the Berkeley Institute for Data Science (BIDS) is a central hub of research and education at UC Berkeley designed to facilitate and nurture data-intensive science. They bring together broad constituents of the data science community, including domain experts from the life, social, and physical sciences and methodical
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experts from computer science, statistics, and applied mathematics (https://bids.berkeley.edu). California Policy Lab Researchers in UC Berkeley’s California Policy Lab were awarded a $1 million grant from the Laura and John Arnold foundation for the California Policy Lab to produce cutting-edge policy research on issues from education and criminal justice to social services and labor. The lab partners with several government agencies to create a new secure data warehouse that links administrative data at the city, county, and state levels, allowing researchers to do major longitudinal analyses on California’s economic, social service, and education and criminal justice systems (Unlocking Government Administrative Data with New California Policy Lab by Public Affairs, UC Berkeley, 11/29/ 2016, http://news.berkeley.edu/story_jump/unlocking-governmentadministrative-data-with-new-california-policy-lab/).
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY ELMER HOLMES BOBST LIBRARY New York University’s Elmer Holmes Bobst Library offers training, support, and consulting expertise through the entire research data life cycle. NYU offers several tools and services to support quantitative, qualitative, and geographical research at NYU. Their Data Services include access to specialty software packages for statistical analysis, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Qualitative Research Support, among others (New York University, http://www.nyu.edu/life/information-technology/research-and-data-support/data-services.html).
HARVARD UNIVERSITY LIBRARY ANALYTICS TOOLKIT The Library Analytics Toolkit is a dashboard that pulls library data together in a way that allows both librarians and library users to identify and respond to trends and changes in collections, usage, and other data. It enables libraries to understand, analyze, and visualize the patterns of activities, including checkouts, returns, and recent acquisitions, and to do so across multiple libraries (Harvard Library Lab, https://osc.hul.harvard. edu/liblab/projects/library-analytics-toolkit).
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MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (MIT) LIBRARIES Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) libraries’ Data Management Service emphasizes the library as a partner in organizing and managing data. They assist MIT faculty and researchers manage, store, and share the data they produce. They provide assistance with creating data management plans; individual consultations; and workshops that teach how to manage data more efficiently and share data with others (MIT Libraries, Data Management, https://libraries.mit.edu/data-management/services/).
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LIBRARY The University of Michigan Library provides a full array of data services through their Research Data Services and their Deep Blue Data services. They provide a suite of services as well as a repository that will support researchers throughout all phases of the research data lifecycle, which includes planning, creation, organization, sharing, and preservation. The library’s Research Data Services is a network of tools and expertise that “the library is uniquely equipped to provide,” says Elaine Westbrooks, associate university librarian for research. Research Data Services—Research Data Services is a network of services throughout the Library that assists patrons through all phases of the research data lifecycle. They provide services in the following areas: • Data Management Planning; • Discovery and Access; • Data Organization and Management; • Metadata and Documentation; • Data Sharing and Publication; • Preservation; • Data Visualization. (https://www.lib.umich.edu/research-data-services) Deep Blue Data—Deep Blue Data is an expansion of Deep Blue, the university’s institutional repository which was established in 2006 and currently holds more than 110,000 deposits. It offers a new platform specialized for datasets that enables University of Michigan researchers to meet data-sharing mandates and achieve their goals of making their research datasets more readily available to colleagues and peers throughout the world.
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Volker Sick, professor of mechanical engineering and associate vice president for the Office of Research, has been making extensive use of Deep Blue since 2011. He writes, “Our extensive experimental data are used by researchers worldwide.” (https://record.umich.edu/articles/library-launches-research-dataservices-and-deep-blue-data).
CONCLUSION Data-driven decision making using big data is in every facet of our lives and continues to increase. Managing terabytes, petabytes, or exabytes of data might have been unheard of five or ten years ago. However, today it is becoming even more common with big data. There are many challenges with managing big data, such as privacy, security, and infrastructure, but there continue to be great opportunities in every area of our society where we have not even touched the surface yet. Librarians are excellent at researching, analyzing, and presenting information to make informed decisions. Librarians can utilize this expertise to help patrons learn what big data can and cannot do. Librarians can help lead the big data movement in their libraries and communities through collaborations with other libraries, departments, communities, schools, and businesses to harness the great potential and power of big data. Big data is everywhere, continues to grow every day, and is here to stay.
QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION 1. Are you familiar with big data and how you might use it in your library? 2. Are you currently using big data in your library? If so, in what capacity? 3. Where will you obtain the data and how will manage the data? 4. Who is responsible for the data decision making? 5. Do you have the necessary hardware, software, infrastructure, bandwidth to support your big data initiatives? 6. Have you investigated privacy issues? How will you protect people’s privacy?
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7. Have you investigated security issues? How will you secure the information? 8. Do you have the proper resources, such as personnel and training, to support your big data initiatives? 9. Have you engaged your legal department to discuss the implications for implementing big data? 10. Which schools, universities, departments, agencies, organizations, and others can you partner with for your big data initiatives?
CONSIDERATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION Big data is an emerging technology that is used in almost every part of our daily lives, from predicting which students might be more likely to fail and drop out of school to what people might be interested in reading based on their past reading experiences, to what people will purchase on Amazon or other online retail websites. To this end, there are several considerations that you should address before you consider implementing big data into your libraries. I am including several suggestions to consider before implementing big data in your library below. 1. Obtain stakeholder buy in—Research and build your case for how you can utilize the power of big data in your academic, public, or school library. Be prepared to present your case to your stakeholders whether it is administration, principals, upper management, or board of directors, trustees, etc. 2. Know your audience—Do a needs analysis to determine who your audience is for big data. Patrons, librarians, teachers, information professionals, and anyone interested in learning big data or might be interested in careers in data analytics. 3. Costs—Research and determine all of your costs for implementing big data in your library. Where will you find the money? Who will pay for these initiatives? Do a cost benefit analysis and determine what your overall costs will be. Write grants and partner with other organizations. 4. Personnel—Do you have a staff member who is an expert or good at analyzing huge data? Do you have anyone on staff who can fill this role or do you need to consider hiring an additional staff member to fill this role? Will you need to hire a full-time person or a contractor? What will be the cost?
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5. Training—What type of training will you offer staff? Will you utilize the train the trainer model? Will you need to hire a big data expert? How much will this cost? What can you do to obtain for free or at a significantly reduced cost? 6. Build strategic relationships—Build strategic partnerships with other libraries, departments, librarians, schools, community colleges, universities, government officials, and others who can assist you with your big data projects. 7. Market programs and resources—How will you market your big data initiatives at your library? How will you use social media and print media to market and advertise your big data? What are the costs? Can you obtain any services for free? 8. Do the research—Locate as much information on big data that is available and share it with your patrons and colleagues. Do you currently have resources on big data in both print and online format? Are there departments, libraries, and other organizations that have already implemented big data resources, programming, and content that you can partner with and share materials? Are there materials online for big data that you can obtain? 9. Programming and workshops—What resources, programming, and workshops will you offer on big data? 10. Safety and security—You will need to determine and plan for how secure your data will be and that the person(s) analyzing the data are accurate in their analysis.
PROPOSAL After you have addressed these “Considerations for Implementation,” write them into a proposal and submit it to your stakeholders, legal department, and anyone else who can support and fund this proposal to implement big data in your library.
GLOSSARY 3Vs (volume, variety, and velocity) The three defining properties of dimensions of big data. Volume refers to how much data, variety refers to the various types of data, and velocity refers to how fast the data are processed (Whatis.com). Algorithm A procedure or formula for solving a problem, based on conducting a sequence of specified actions. It is a set of instructions designed to perform a specific task. API (application programming interface)—A defined protocol that allows computer programs to use functionality and data from other software systems.
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Big data The capability to manage a huge volume of disparate data, at the right speed and with the right time frame, to allow real-time analysis and reaction. Big data is typically broken down to the 3Vs (volume, velocity, and variety). Byte A basic and physical unit of information in computing and digital communications. Data mining The process of exploring and analyzing large amounts of data to find patterns. Exabytes An exabyte (EB) is a large unit of computer data storage that is approximately 1 billion gigabytes or 1000 petabytes. 1 exabyte 5 2 million personal computers; 5 exabytes 5 All words spoken by mankind; 15 exobytes 5 Total data held by Google (whatisabyte.com). Hadoop Hadoop is designed to parallelize data process across computing nodes to speed computations and hide latency. Two major components of Hadoop exist; a massively scalable distributed file system that can support petabytes of data and a massively scalable MapReduce engine that computes results in batch. Open source A movement in the software industry that makes programs available along with the source code used to create them so that others can inspect and modify how programs work. Changes to source code are shared with the community at large. Petabytes A petabyte (PB) is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information. A petabyte encompasses about 1000 terabytes. 20 petabytes 5 The amount of data processed by Google on a daily basis (whatsabyte.com). Predictive analytics A statistical or data-mining solution consisting of algorithms and techniques that can be used on both structured and unstructured data to determine future outcomes. It can be deployed for prediction, optimization, forecasting, simulation, and many other uses. SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) A protocol specification for exchanging data. Along with REST, it is used for restoring and retrieving data in the Amazon storage cloud. Structured data Data that have a defined length and format. Examples of structured data include numbers, dates, and groups of words and numbers called strings (e.g., a customer’s name, address, telephone number, etc.). Terabytes (TB) A measure of computer storage capacity that is approximately one trillion bytes. A terabyte is 1,024 gigabytes (GB). The prefix tera is derived from the Greek word for monster (Searchstorage.techtarget.com). 1 terabyte 5 3.6 million 300 kilobyte images; 1 terabyte 5 300 hours of good-quality video; 1 terabyte 5 1000 copies of the Encyclopedia Britannica; 10 terabytes 5 The printed collection of the entire Library of Congress (whatsabyte.com). Unstructured data or unstructured information Data or information that does not follow a specified data format. Unstructured data can be text, video, images, and content. Unstructured information can be text heavy but may contain data such as dates, numbers, and facts also (Wikipedia).
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING There are several technologies for managing big data that are included below. I have provided links to additional information to learn more about each technology. MapReduce—Programmers often use this when they are confronted with large amounts of data. It is a tool for mapping and reducing datasets.
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https://www.ibm.com/analytics/us/en/technology/hadoop/mapreduce/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MapReduce. https://hadoop.apache.org/docs/r1.2.1/mapred_tutorial.html. Hadoop—The most popular open source software that is used for mining and sorting data. It is used by Facebook, Google, and other large companies. It provides massive storage for any kind of data, enormous processing power, and the ability to handle virtually limitless concurrent tasks or jobs. It is an open source, Java-based programming framework that supports the processing and storage of large data sets in a distributed computing environment. It is part of the Apache project sponsored by the Apache Software Foundation. https://hadoop.apache.org. http://searchcloudcomputing.techtarget.com/definition/Hadoop. https://www.sas.com/en_us/insights/big-data/hadoop.html. IBM DB2—A fast and solid data manipulating system. DB2 is a database product from IBM. It is a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS). DB2 is designed to store, analyze, and retrieve the data efficiently. DB2 product is extended with the support of Object-Oriented features and nonrelational structures with XML. https://www.ibm.com/analytics/us/en/db2/. https://www-03.ibm.com/systems/power/software/i/db2/. https://www.tutorialspoint.com/db2/db2_introduction.htm. Oracle—Oracle provides a complete solution for managing large amounts of data from creating the solution from top to bottom based on NoSQL (Not SQL). It is based on ACQUIRE . ORGANIZE . ANALYZE . DECIDE (Oracle Big Data Strategy Guide). http://www.oracle.com/us/technologies/big-data/big-data-strategy-guide-1536569.pdf. https://www.oracle.com/big-data/index.html. http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/entarch/articles/oea-big-data-guide-1522052.pdf. SAS Viya—Provides a high-performance analytic solution that is more oriented to providing software solutions to help companies benefit from data that they have stored. https://www.sas.com/en_us/insights/articles/business-intelligence/a-brave-new-worldof-analytics.html. https://www.sas.com/en_us/insights/big-data.html. https://www.sas.com/en_us/insights/articles/business-intelligence/a-brave-new-world-ofanalytics.html. IFLA Big Data SIG—https://www.ifla.org/about-big-data. IFLA Trend Report—Big Data—https://trends.ifla.org/literature-review/big-data. Big Data Ted Talks—https://www.ted.com/search?q 5 big 1 data.
BIBLIOGRAPHY Agrawal D., Bernstein P., Bertino E., Davidson S., Dayal U., Franklin M., et al. (2012). Challenges and Opportunities with Big Data: A white paper prepared for the Computing Community Consortium committee of the Computing Research Association. http://cra.org/ccc/resources/ccc-led-whitepapers/. http://cra.org/ccc/ wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/05/bigdatawhitepaper.pdf. Duhigg, C., 2012. How companies learn your secrets. The New York Times. Available from: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html. Ford, M., 2015. Rise of the Robots. Technology and the Threat of a Jobless Future. Basic Books. Perseus Books, Pennsylvania: Philadelphia, 2015. Huwe, T.K. May/June 2017. Onlinesearcher.net. Librarians and Data: Curator, Creator, or Both?
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Laney, D., February 2001. 3D Data Management: Controlling Data Volume, Velocity, and Variety. META Group Research. Available from: http://blogs.gartner.com/doug-laney/ files/2012/01/ad949-3D-Data-Management-Controlling-Data-Volume-Velocity-andVariety.pdf. Mayer-Schonberger, Vr, Cukier, K., 2013. Big Data: A Revolution That Will Transform How We Live, Work, and Think. Houghton-Mifflin Harcourt, Boston. Mutula, S., October 2016. Big data industry: implication for the library and information sciences. Afr. J. Library Arch. Inf. Sci. 26 (2), 93 96. “The Big Data Conundrum: How to Define It?” MIT Technology Review. October 3, 2013. https://www.technologyreview.com/s/519851/the-big-data-conundrum-howto-define-it/. Tole, A.A. Big data challenges. Database Syst. J. IV. 3/2013. http://www.dbjournal.ro/ archive/13/13_4.pdf. Pentland, A., 2014. Social Physics: How Good Ideas Spread The Lessons from A New Science. The Penguin Press, New York. Winslow, R., 2013. ‘Big Data’ for cancer cure. Wall Street J. Available from: https://www. wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323466204578384732911187000.
CHAPTER 6
Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality: What Is Your Reality? INTRODUCTION Virtual reality and augmented reality are popular emerging technologies that were used primarily in the military, training, entertainment, and gaming industries. However, they have been gaining widespread use in medicine, healthcare, education, and libraries (Fig. 6.1). This chapter will focus on the many uses for virtual reality and augmented reality with an emphasis on libraries. Let’s examine virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), beginning with a definition of each.
Figure 6.1 Laboratory scientist wearing virtual reality headset interacts with monitors showing brain activity information.
WHAT ARE VIRTUAL REALITY AND AUGMENTED REALITY? Virtual reality is an artificially generated environment that can either be in a form of a 360-view recorded video, picture, or animated scene like Emerging Library Technologies DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102253-5.00007-1
© 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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the ones in video games. To enter a virtual world, you just need a VR headset and a computer or mobile phone (https://www.viarbox.com/single-post/VR-Business-Opportunities). Virtual reality is an artificial environment that is created with software and presented to the user in such a way that the user suspends belief and accepts it as a real environment. On a computer, virtual reality is primarily experienced through two of the five senses: sight and sound. The simplest form of virtual reality is a 3D image that can be explored interactively at a personal computer, usually by manipulating keys or the mouse so that the content of the image moves in some direction or zooms in or out. More sophisticated efforts involve such approaches as wrap-around display screens, actual rooms augmented with wearable computers, and haptic devices that let you feel the display images (whatis. com; http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/virtual-reality).
WHAT IS AUGMENTED REALITY (AR)? There are several definitions for augmented reality (AR). Some of the more popular ones are included below. Augmented reality (AR) is a live, direct or indirect view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented (or supplemented) by computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphics, or GPS data. It merges 3D virtual objects into a 3D real environment and displays this combination in real time. Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that superimposes a computer-generated image on a user’s view of the real world, thus providing a composite view. It is an artificial environment created through the combination of real-world and computer-generated data. AR works by employing computerized simulation and techniques such as image and speech recognition, animation, head-mounted and hand-held devices, and powered display environments to add a virtual display on top of real images and surroundings Technopedia. https://www.techopedia.com/definition/ 4776/augmented-reality-ar. With AR, you can look up at a building, take out your smartphone, and see what offices, restaurants, and shops are inside (https://www.techopedia.com/definition/4776/augmented-reality-ar).
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BRIEF HISTORY OF VIRTUAL REALITY AND AUGMENTED REALITY Virtual reality is not a new technology as there have been simple examples since the nineteenth century. Some of this VR history is included below.
Panoramic Paintings from the Nineteenth Century Earliest attempts at virtual reality include 360-degree murals (or panoramic paintings) from the nineteenth century. They were intended to fill the viewer’s entire field of vision, making them feel present at some historical event or scene.
1838—Stereoscopic Photos and Viewers In 1838, according to Charles Wheatstone’s research, the brain processes different two-dimensional images from each eye into a single object of three dimensions. Development of the popular View-Master stereoscope (patented 1939), was used for “virtual tourism.” The design of the Stereoscope is still used today in Google Cardboard and low-budget VR head-mounted displays for mobile phones.
1930s—Science Fiction Story Predicted VR In the 1930s a story by science fiction writer Stanley G. Weinbaum (Pygmalion’s Spectacle) contains the idea of a pair of goggles that let the wearer experience a fictional world through holographics, smell, taste, and touch.
1950s—Morton Helig’s Sensorama In the 1950s, cinematographer Morton Helig developed the Sensorama (patented in 1962) which was an arcade-style theater cabinet that would stimulate all of the senses, not just sight and sound. It featured stereo speakers, a stereoscope 3D display, fans, smell generators, and a vibrating chair. The Sensorama was intended to fully immerse the individual in the film.
1960—The first VR Head-Mounted Display (HMD) Morton Helig’s next invention was the Telesphere Mask (patented 1960) and was the first example of a head-mounted display (HMD). The headset provided steroscopic 3D and wide vision with stereo sound.
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1961 Headsight—First Motion Tracking HMD In 1961, Comeau and Bryan developed the first precursor to the HMD as we know it today—the Headsight. It incorporated a video screen for each eye and a magnetic motion tracking system, which was linked to a closed-circuit camera.
1965—The Ultimate Display by Ivan Sutherland Ivan Sutherland described the “Ultimate Display” concept in a paper that later became virtual reality. His concept described reality that was simulated to the point where one could not tell the difference from actual reality (History of Virtual Reality. VRS (Virtual Reality Society)).
BRIEF HISTORY OF AUGMENTED REALITY The first AR technology was developed in 1968 at Harvard when computer scientist Ivan Sutherland (named the “father of computer graphics”) created an AR head-mounted display system that was called the “Sword of Damocles.” This used computer-generated graphics to show users simple wireframe drawings. The first commercial AR application appeared in 2008. It was developed for advertising purposes by German agencies in Munich. They designed a printed magazine ad of a model BMW Mini, which, when held in front of a computer’s camera, also appeared on the screen. This allowed for interaction with a digital model in real time. In 2011, National Geographic showed rare or extinct animal species as if they were walking through a shopping mall and showed cartoon characters on a large screen in Times Square interacting with people on the street. In 2013, Coca-Cola simulated environmental problems, such as ice melting right beside you in a shopping mall. In 2015, Skoda ran an ad where an AR mirror was placed in the Victoria railway station in London, so that people passing by could customize a car and then see themselves driving it on a large screen. Currently, augmented reality is having great success with consumers being able to try on products virtually (https://hbr.org/2016/10/themainstreaming-of-augmented-reality-a-brief-history).
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MARKET FOR VIRTUAL REALITY (VR)/AUGMENTED REALITY (AR) The projected economic impact of VR/AR technologies is $15.6 billion by the year 2020. The global augmented and virtual reality market size is $215 billion by the year 2021. The global virtual reality market share for the Americas is estimated at 83%. Virtual reality is one of the fastest-growing global emerging technologies in the market today. Oculus VR, HTC, Sony, Samsung, and Google are all planning to offer more affordable and mass-market VR products in the very near future. Statista reports that by 2018, the total number of active virtual reality users is expected to reach 171 million. They anticipate that the revenue generated from virtual reality products worldwide is forecast to reach $5 billion (https://www.statista.com/topics/2532/ virtual-reality-vr/).
MAJOR PLAYERS FOR VIRTUAL REALITY AND AUGMENTED REALITY There are several companies that are major players in the virtual reality/ augmented reality market. They are included below. Please note that this information can change over time.
Google (Now Alphabet) Cardboard is the simplest and least expensive device on the VR market today. It is folded cardboard that is turned into a VR device. It ranges between $10 to less than $100. However, you can download the kit and manual for free from the Google Play Store. There are hundreds of VR apps in the Google Play Store also (https://vr.google.com/cardboard/) Ramirez, Murray. Virtual Reality for Beginners: How to Understand, Use & Create with VR. P. 52.
Sony A leader in the VR and gaming equipment industry also, Sony Playstation VR equipment bundles are affordable and provide goodquality graphics. Released in early 2016, they have gained in popularity
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considerably. They range in price from $250 399.99 (https://www.playstation.com/) Ramirez, Murray. Virtual Reality for Beginners: How to Understand, Use & Create with VR. P. 58.
HTC The HTC Vive virtual reality headset was developed by HTC and the Valve Corporation. It is the first of its kind VR platform developed for total immersion. The HTC Vive VR headsets cost around $499 (https:// www.vive.com/us/) Ramirez, Murray. Virtual Reality for Beginners: How to Understand, Use & Create with VR. P. 60.
Oculus Originally developed by Oculus VR, Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook purchased Oculus for $2 billion in 2014. The Oculus Rift is one of the most popular VR headsets. You can purchase one for around $499 or you can purchase an Oculus Ready PC for between $799 2099 https://www. oculus.com/rift/. Ramirez, Murray. Virtual Reality for Beginners: How to Understand, Use & Create with VR. P. 63.
Samsung The Samsung Gear VR is another popular mobile-based VR headset and controller that is powered by Oculus. The price is $99 for the headset and $29.99 for the controller Ramirez, Murray. Virtual Reality for Beginners: How to Understand, Use & Create with VR. P. 67.
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR VIRTUAL REALITY AND AUGMENTED REALITY Virtual and augmented reality are popular rapidly growing emerging technologies. There are several challenges and opportunities, some of which I will discuss below.
CHALLENGES FOR VIRTUAL REALITY AND AUGMENTED REALITY Costs—Even as the cost for VR equipment continues to drop, they are still out of the reach of some libraries and the added costs for materials and replacements can be prohibitive also. Health issues—Some people have experienced various health issues while visiting virtual worlds with their VR equipment including nausea,
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anxiety, eye strain, and potential radiation exposure from electromagnetic frequency radiation (http://www.vesttech.com/4-health-risks-fromusing-virtual-reality-headsets/). Steep learning curve—Learning to use the VR technology and training others on it can be challenging as it can have a steep learning curve.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR VIRTUAL REALITY AND AUGMENTED REALITY The opportunities for AR/VR are endless. They range from students interested, excited, engaged, and motivated to use VR in their classes to libraries circulating VR equipment to patrons. Some additional opportunities include: Costs—The cost for VR equipment continues to drop and is becoming more affordable for some libraries and families. They can be purchased for between $10 to $500. Fun to use—There is such an excitement with VR/AR and the numbers are rapidly increasing. Growing numbers of people of all ages, races, and sexes, are enjoying virtual/augmented reality whenever and wherever they can. Collaborations—Virtual reality/augmented reality provide a unique opportunity for collaborations between libraries and VR companies and other organizations. For example, VR companies can showcase their product offerings in public, academic, and school libraries. They can provide workshops so that students, parents, families, schools, colleges, universities, teachers, departments, faculty, communities, faith organizations, and others can learn about this popular emerging technology. There can be collaborations between the library and engineering, architecture, geology, law, photography, and other departments to use VR for their innovative projects. They can go to the library for the VR training and have discussions on getting started with their projects. Training of students for STEM/STEAM careers—VR engages, motivates, and excites students. Introducing them to this technology will lead to many students pursuing STEM and STEAM careers. Students of all ages, races, income levels, and educational levels love virtual reality and teachers are finding that students who were previously disengaged from learning are becoming engaged and sharing their enthusiasm and excitement with others in their classes and want to learn more. Adult retraining—Many adults find virtual/augmented reality exciting and many VR enthusiast groups are growing around the world. People
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are buying and using VR at an increasing rate. This is a great opportunity for adults to pursue virtual/augmented reality careers. This can lead to a more fulfilling financially lucrative future. This will be a great opportunity for community organizations, workforce development organizations, and libraries to work together.
APPLICATIONS OF VIRTUAL AND AUGMENTED REALITY In the past, many people have associated virtual and augmented reality with gaming, the military, and training. However, that is no longer the case as VR/AR is making significant gains in education, medicine, healthcare, psychology, entertainment, libraries, and many other areas.
Virtual Reality in Medicine and Healthcare (Fig. 6.2) In “10 Ways Virtual Reality is Revolutionizing Medicine and Healthcare,” Erin Carson writes: Even within one industry, healthcare, the potential is open-ended. The good thing is that scientists and medical professionals have been at the drawing board for years now, developing and implementing virtual reality in ways that can help them train, diagnose, and treat in a myriad of situations.
Even though the field of VR in medicine is brand new, virtual reality is finding increased success in practically every area of healthcare. It is an area with tremendous possibilities. Doctors are prescribing VR for pain relief in hospitals. They are using virtual reality to help cure patients at all levels.
Figure 6.2 Surgeons using augmented reality while operating on a patient.
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Hospitals are using VR/AR technology to treat fears and phobias. They are finding that if you are irrationally afraid of something, then experiencing this stressful situation and exposing anxiety step by step via VR is a great way to get rid of it. VR is being used to help people suffering from fear of heights, arachnophobia, or even paranoia and schizophrenia. Through virtual reality, surgeons, medical students, family members, and others are able to watch and virtually participate in an operation from all over the world. With a virtual reality camera, surgeons can stream operations globally and allow medical students to be there in the OR (operating room) using their VR goggles Medical Futurist; http://medicalfuturist.com/5-ways-medical-vr-is-changing-healthcare/. Virtual reality is being used in several hospitals to relax and help cure chronically ill patients. Brennan Spiegel and his team at the Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles introduced VR worlds to their patients to help them release stress and reduce pain (Medical Futurist; http://medicalfuturist.com/5-ways-medical-vr-is-changing-healthcare/). Spiegel says that not only can the hospital experience be improved with medical VR, but the costs of care may also be reduced. By reducing stress and pain, the length of the patient’s stay in the ward or the amount of resources utilized can both be decreased (Medical Futurist; http:// medicalfuturist.com/5-ways-medical-vr-is-changing-healthcare/). Currently, there are hospitals that are using VR/AR to grant patients their last wish. VR enables them to achieve their bucket list goals by virtually transporting them to remote locations like flying them to the Moon, Paris, the Super Bowl, skydiving, or partaking in an African safari. All this can be achieved through VR/AR without even leaving the bed. Virtual reality helps to relieve suffering in patients also. If affects the parts of the brain that are linked to generating pain by making them less active during the experience. Patients with amputated limbs or who are undergoing very painful medical procedures benefit greatly from this virtual therapy (https://www.future-processing.com/blog/incredible-virtualreality-business-opportunities/).
Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality in Education Students love playing with their Sony PlayStations and other gaming equipment. They are fun, engaging, and interactive. Virtual and augmented reality combine fun, learning, and entertainment and are taking
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education to the “next level” for students and teachers. With the power of VR, students can visit places and cultures all over the world from the comfort of their VR headsets and other equipment. They can visit the ruins in Maya, the great pyramids of Egypt, the opera house in Sydney, and climb Mount Kilimanjaro all without leaving their classroom. With the richness of VR, students are more motivated, engaged, and excited about learning. Rather than learning about history, students are now living, learning, and loving it!
Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality in Customer Service VR has found a good home in customer service. It allows customers to see, feel, engage, customize, and really dive into the product. This results in very happy return customers, which increases sales and customer retention. VR is being used to create 3D walkthroughs to sell a property in real estate and to present the premises. 3D VR modeling is being used to save time and money on product testing and creating prototypes. This allows customers to experience the actual product before purchasing it.
Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality in Entertainment Virtual reality in entertainment is continuing to grow by leaps and bounds around the world. For example, VR cinemas or arcade experiences are opening around the world. They are becoming the new innovative exciting form of public amusement. But this technology can also be adapted to more "serious" areas of entertainment and culture. VR museum collections are already available where visitors can not only enjoy paintings and sculptures, but can virtually immerse themselves fully into scenes of World War II, the Apollo moon mission, the Holocaust, the Middle Passage, or the Titanic.
APPLICATIONS OF VIRTUAL REALITY IN LIBRARIES Virtual reality is used in many libraries and continues to grow rapidly. Some of the potential uses in libraries include for storytelling, virtual stacks, and tours of libraries. With augmented reality patrons outfitted with a camera in conjunction with the software can experience reality as the user sees it is altered in some way, while they can still move around freely. A user could even navigate through a virtual card catalog or
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indexed search. A colored line could lead patrons through the stacks to their selection http://publiclibrariesonline.org/2016/02/virtual-realityin-the-library-creating-a-new-experience/. Troy Lambert writes in “Public Libraries, Virtual Reality in the Library: Creating a New Experience,” that there are many practical uses of virtual reality. Some of which include: Virtual travel and experience—Using VR to visit places virtually, such as flying around the Statue of Liberty or the entire New York City. Virtually visiting museums, national landmarks, libraries, art galleries, and popular places around the world that are outside of our reality. Virtual gaming and new skills—Gaming in the classroom, library, at work, and at home is increasingly popular and combining it with virtual reality is successful and a win/win for all parties involved https://librarytechnology.org/repository/item.pl?id 5 22917.
Some Examples of Libraries Utilizing Virtual/Augmented Reality University of Oklahoma Libraries The University of Oklahoma Libraries conducted what is believed to be the first multistate, multicampus, curated virtual reality class. The Innovation @ the Edge, located in the University of Oklahoma Libraries, is a pioneer in developing pedagogical and research content for virtual reality headsets. During this VR class, partner institutions, including two separate physical locations at University of Central Oklahoma, Archaeology Southwest and University of Arizona, Tucson and two separate physical locations at the University of Oklahoma along with a session leader in a home office, connected in shared virtual reality space, bringing together 15 people in total in order to tour a cave with rare archaic cave art that is located on private land and is otherwise inaccessible to the public.
North Carolina State University (NCSU)—NCSU Provides a VR Usability Lab, Virtual Martin Luther King (MLK) Project, and VR Studio NCSU Libraries lends VR/AR equipment and hosts spaces for experiences, games, and development. They lend 360 degree cameras and have programs for creating and viewing 360 degree videos. They provide access to many virtual reality tools, games, and experiences.
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Georgetown University Gelardin Library They provide VR stations, VR headsets, and VR consultations before using the equipment. Library patrons can reserve equipment via the online library portal. The library provides HTC Valve and Oculus equipment. For users who are interested in creating 360 degree video content there are two Ricoh Theta cameras that are available to film 360 degree video (https://www.library.georgetown.edu/gelardin/vr). San Jose Library The San Jose Library, through a partnership provided by the California Library Association and Oculus Rift, provides virtual reality.
Virtual Reality at Evergreen Branch Library and TeenHQ Patrons can experience virtual reality at the Evergreen Branch Library and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library’s TeenHQ. Patrons can try out VR at either location when they have programs featuring the Oculus Rift Systems. Some of their VR policies include: Patrons 13 and older can use the VR systems at Evergreen Branch. Only teens 13 and up can use the VR systems at TeenHQ, unless an event indicates otherwise. Patrons can do the following with VR at the library: • Explore: Experience our planet by traveling around the world to distant planets and even back in time without ever leaving the library. • Learn: Discover more about the ocean, outer space, or the human body through VR experiences. • Create: Make works of art in VR. • Play: Try gaming by immersing yourself in a 3D environment. They offer the following VR workshops: • Virtual Reality: Introduction for Adults and Seniors; • Virtual Reality Open House; • Virtual Reality for Teens.
CONCLUSION In conclusion, as we have learned in this chapter, virtual/augmented reality has been in existence for many years and their use continues to grow at a rapid pace. They are in the news on an almost daily basis, whether for gaming, training, education, libraries, marketing, or medicine.
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Many leading technology experts in several industries agree that partnerships between libraries, schools, and other organizations to provide resources to prepare students for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) careers will continue to grow. Libraries will provide VR workshops and activities that focus on programming, developing, and using VR. They will provide resources on VR and AR, including how they are being used, what the pros and cons are, what the legalities are, and how users at all levels can make informed decisions on purchasing, implementing, developing, and using virtual and augmented reality. Virtual reality resources will be offered in public, academic, school, and other types of libraries. There will be collaborative partnerships between libraries, schools, VR companies, colleges, universities, university departments, local governments, career centers, community-based organizations, and other types of organizations to offer workforce training for students, adults, and others to develop new skills to prepare them for promising, financially lucrative technology careers. Libraries will serve as the hub for learning about virtual reality through product demonstrations, hosting training workshops, hands-on activities, and providing expertise on the VR best practices. Increasing numbers of libraries will use and circulate VR equipment to patrons, researchers, and others who will use them in innovative ways for research, marketing, advertising, and other creative uses.
QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION 1. Have you ever used virtual reality equipment in your library? What were you experiences? 2. Do you provide VR/AR services and equipment in your library? If not, are you planning to purchase any VR equipment for your library patrons? 3. How will you use the VR equipment in your library/resource center? 4. What budget do you have for VR/AR resources, replacement parts, upgrades, training, marketing, legal fees, and/or will you write grants? 5. Should you charge a fee for your VR/AR resources? If so, how will you determine the amount?
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6. Who will provide the VR/AR training and what are the costs? 7. What collaborations can you have with other departments, schools, universities, workforce investment agencies, community, and other organizations to provide VR/AR services? 8. How will you market your VR/AR services to your patrons? 9. What policies will you have in place to safeguard against illegal use of your VR/AR technology and resources? 10. Where do you see your library’s role in the future of VR/AR? How can your library help to shape the future of AR/VR?
CONSIDERATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION Academic, public, school, and special libraries are implementing virtual reality and augmented reality technology in their libraries and resource centers. I have included several tips below to consider before adding these technologies to your library. 1. Get your stakeholders on board—Who are you stakeholders and how can VR/AR benefit them? Make sure to address how it can benefit them. 2. Who is your audience—Who is your audience? Are they teens, tweens, young adults, adults, or the elderly? Are they library patrons who have purchased or are investigating purchasing VR/AR equipment? Or are they staff members who want to develop new skills or are planning to purchase the technology. You should perform a needs analysis to determine who they are and what their needs will be and how you will meet those needs. 3. Costs—Virtual reality equipment can cost between $10 to $500. Determine all of your costs and do a cost benefit analysis. Find creative ways to find the money to help pay for the costs. 4. Staffing— Have you planned for staffing? Who will be your lead VR staff person? Do you have anyone on staff who can fill this role or do you need to consider hiring an additional staff member or contractor to fill this role? 5. Training—Who will provide your VR/AR training? What type of training will you offer staff? What are the costs for implementing the VR/AR training? Determine who will pay for these training costs. 6. Collaborations/partnerships—Contact organizations that you can build collaborations and strategic partnerships with such as schools, community and faith-based organizations, government officials, other libraries,
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community colleges, universities, VR/AR companies, other libraries, and any other organizations or individuals who might be able to assist. Market your VR/AR services—Determine how you will market your VR/AR services in your library or resource center and the costs involved. Do the research and find the resources—There is a myriad of free VR/ AR resources. Find them, share them, and keep them updated! VR/AR programs and workshops—You should host free VR/AR workshops and programs whenever you have the opportunity and collaborate with any VR/AR companies, community and faithbased organizations, schools, government/elected officials, VR/AR experts and enthusiasts, and others who can support these initiatives. Legal issues—Meet with your legal department to obtain the necessary legal expertise on any policies that you want to implement to protect you from any possible legal issues that might arise when patrons use the VR/AR technology. Make sure to address any potential legal issues and obtain a sign-off from your legal department before you submit your proposal to your stakeholders.
PROPOSAL After you have addressed these Considerations for Implementation, write them into a proposal and submit it to your stakeholders, legal department, staff members, and any other potential supporters.
GLOSSARY Augmented—Added to, made greater in size, or made larger. Augmented reality—Superimposes video, graphics, sound, and other elements on real world things (Technopedia. Augmented Reality 101). Breadth of information—How many senses are being stimulated by the virtual environment. 3-D (three-dimensional)—Describes an image that provides the perception of depth. Graphics—Visual images or designs on some surface, such as a wall, canvas, screen, paper, or stone to inform, illustrate, or entertain. Haptic—Relating to the sense of touch, in particular relating to the perception and manipulation of objects using the senses of touch and proprioception.
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Hardware—Computer equipment, as in the physical parts or components of a computer, such as the monitor, keyboard, computer data storage, graphic card, sound card, and motherboard. Head-mounted display (HMD)—A display device, worn on the head or as part of a helmet, that has a small display optic in front of one (monocular HMD) or each eye (binocular HMD). Immersive—Completely absorbing or surrounding. Innovators—People who think of and create new or creative ideas or inventions. Layar mobile app—Augmented reality application that allows user to drag-and-drop interactive digital elements. Nauseous—A feeling of being sick to the stomach. Patent—Legal document that gives the inventor of an item sole rights to make and sell it. Software—Computer programs or instructions that control hardware and/or equipment. Virtual—Made to appear to be the real thing. Virtual reality—A computer technology that replicates an environment, real or imagined. Artificially creates sensory experiences, which can include sight, sound, touch, hearing, and smell.
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING •
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TED (Technology Entertainment Design) Talks—A collection of TED talks and more on the topic of virtual reality/augmented reality. https://www.ted.com/topics/virtual 1 reality https://www.ted.com/ topics/augmented 1 reality. MIT Technology Review—Expertly written articles on virtual and augmented reality. https://www.technologyreview.com. Consumer Reports—Reviews Virtual Reality and accessories. http:// www.consumerreports.com. Wired Magazine—Features latest articles on virtual/augmented reality. https://www.wired.com. TechCrunch—Plethora of expertly written articles on VR/AR. https://techcrunch.com. The Verge—Latest articles and reviews on VR/AR. https://www.theverge.com/vr-virtual-reality.
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Google Earth VR—Google enables people to explore some of the world’s most incredible places through VR. https://vr.google.com/ earth/. Virtual Reality—YouTube—Here you can explore 360-degree video without having VR equipment. https://www.youtube.com/360. Upload VR—Is dedicated to bringing virtual reality and augmented reality technology to the consumer masses. https://uploadvr.com. Road to VR—Virtual reality news resource. A podcast that features interviews with the pioneering game developers, enthusiasts, and technologists driving the resurgence of virtual reality. https://www. roadtovr.com. Voices of VR—Popular podcast devoted to virtual reality. http://voicesofvr.com. Enter VR—Popular VR, gaming, technology website where users are encouraged to enter virtual and gaming worlds. http://entervr.net.
BIBLIOGRAPHY 10 Ways Virtual Reality is Revolutionizing Medicine and Healthcare,” Erin Carson. Augmented Reality 101. Technopedia. By Michael Gabriel Sumastre, September 3, 2012. History of Virtual Reality. VRS. Virtual Reality Society. http://medicalfuturist.com/5-ways-medical-vr-is-changing-healthcare/. http://medicalfuturist.com/5-ways-medical-vr-is-changing-healthcare/. http://medicalfuturist.com/5-ways-medical-vr-is-changing-healthcare/. http://publiclibrariesonline.org/2016/02/virtual-reality-in-the-library-creating-a-newexperience/. http://publiclibrariesonline.org/2016/02/virtual-reality-in-the-library-creating-a-newexperience/. http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/virtual-reality. http://www.dictionary.com/browse/augmented-reality?s 5 t. http://www.vesttech.com/4-health-risks-from-using-virtual-reality-headsets/. https://hbr.org/2016/10/the-mainstreaming-of-augmented-reality-a-brief-history. https://librarytechnology.org/repository/item.pl?id 5 22917. https://vr.google.com/cardboard/. https://www.future-processing.com/blog/incredible-virtual-reality-business-opportunities/. https://www.library.georgetown.edu/gelardin/vr. https://www.oculus.com/rift/. https://www.playstation.com/. https://www.statista.com/topics/2532/virtual-reality-vr/. https://www.techopedia.com/2/28771/trends/augmented-reality-101. https://www.viarbox.com/single-post/VR-Business-Opportunities. https://www.vive.com/us/. Ramirez, Murray. Virtual Reality for Beginners: How to Understand, Use & Create with VR. P. 52.
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Ramirez, Murray. Virtual Reality for Beginners: How to Understand, Use & Create with VR. P. 58. Ramirez, Murray. Virtual Reality for Beginners: How to Understand, Use & Create with VR. P. 60. Ramirez, Murray. Virtual Reality for Beginners: How to Understand, Use & Create with VR. P. 63. Ramirez, Murray. Virtual Reality for Beginners: How to Understand, Use & Create with VR. P. 67. Technopedia https://www.techopedia.com/definition/4784/virtual-reality. Technopedia. https://www.techopedia.com/definition/4776/augmented-reality-ar https:// www.techopedia.com/definition/4776/augmented-reality-ar technopedia). Virtual Reality Headsets Bring Stories to Life at San Jose Public Libraries. By Gillian Brassil. August 11, 2017. Virtual Reality in the Library: Creating a New Experience. When Will Virtual Reality Be Able to Connect Directly to Our Minds? (Futurism. https://futurism.com/when-will-virtual-reality-be-able-to-connect-directly-to-ourminds/).
CHAPTER 7
If You Print It, They Will Come: 3D Printing in Your Library INTRODUCTION Three-dimensional or 3D printing is one of the most popular emerging technologies that is in the news on an almost daily basis, whether it is printing a prosthetic limb for humans and animals on a 3D printer in a school library, or a prototype heart in a medical library, or NASA using 3D printed parts on the space shuttle. These are all uses for 3D printing as it is in every facet of our lives. Chris Anderson, the former editor-inchief of Wired Magazine, states that “3D printing will be bigger than the Web.” (Foremski, 2012) (Fig. 7.1). 3D printing provides many opportunities for all types of libraries also. This chapter will focus on an overview of 3D printing and how there is a myriad of opportunities for this expanding emerging technology in libraries.
Figure 7.1 3D printed heart. Emerging Library Technologies DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102253-5.00004-6
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WHAT IS 3D PRINTING? 3D printing is a style of manufacturing known as an additive. It is additive manufacturing that is a process of making three-dimensional solid objects from a digital file. One of the most important and fast-growing applications of 3D printing is in the medical industry. With 3D printing, surgeons can produce mockups of parts of their patient’s body before operating on them (http://www.geeetech.com/wiki/index.php/3D_Printing_Basics). 3D printing makes it possible to print parts and other items in just hours. With the expansion and lower costs for 3D printing, everything from aerospace components to food and toys are being built with the help of 3D printers. Some of the materials that 3D printers can use are chocolate, plastics, nylon, gold, silver, brass, bronze, titanium, and others. 3D printing is going to impact every industry imaginable, including education, libraries, automotive, medical, manufacturing, technology, retail, entertainment, real estate, engineering, aerospace, architecture, and others.
HOW DOES 3D PRINTING WORK? 3D printing begins with the creation of a 3D model on your computer. This digital design is a CAD (computer-aided design) file. A 3D model is either created from the ground up with 3D modeling software or based on data generated with a 3D scanner. With a 3D scanner, you are able to create a digital copy of an object (https://3dprinting.com/what-is-3dprinting/). To create an object to be printed on a 3D printer, you need a digital 3D-model. You can scan a set of 3D images, or draw it using computerassisted design or CAD software. You can also download them from the internet. The digital 3D model is usually saved in STL (Surface Tessellation Language or STereoLithography) format and then sent to the printer. The process of “printing” a three-dimensional object, layerby-layer with equipment, is quite similar to that with ink-jet printers (https://3dprinting.com/what-is-3d-printing/). The creation of a 3D printed object is achieved using additive processes. In an additive process an object is created by laying down successive layers of material until the object is created. Each of these layers can be seen as a
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thinly sliced horizontal cross-section of the eventual object (https://3dprinting.com/what-is-3d-printing/). 3D printing is the opposite of subtractive manufacturing which is cutting out/hollowing out a piece of metal or plastic with a milling machine (https://3dprinting.com/what-is-3d-printing/). 3D printing enables you to produce complex (functional) shapes using less material than traditional manufacturing methods (Horvath, The New Shop Class). 3D printers share in common that they build parts layer by layer. Part of the 3D printing workflow is taking the desired 3D model that is usually in STL format and feeding it into slicing software. This software then slices the 3D model into a series of thin horizontal cross-sections that will form the complete part when stacked (Horvath, The New Shop Class). There are advances in 3D printing that are announced almost on a daily basis. 3D printing is used from building body parts such as hearts, legs, and teeth, to homes and cars. NASA even has a 3D printer on their International Space Station to print needed parts. 3D printers range in price from less than $500 to more than $500,000 depending on the size, type, and complexity of the 3D printer. To print an object in 3D, you need a 3D model and a 3D printer. There are different sources for obtaining a 3D model. They include: 3D modeling software for creating an original model and a 3D scanner to virtualize the object. There are several websites that allow you to download 3D files that are included at the end of this chapter.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF 3D PRINTING 3D printing isn’t new. It has been around for almost three decades. 3D printing was originally invented by Charles W. Hull in 1984. The original intent for 3D printers was to create prototypes for engineers. Marie Christiano writes in “Introduction to 3D Printing: History, Processes, and Market Growths,” “that today’s 3D printers had their start in the rapid prototyping (RP) technologies of the 1980s and found their use in the industrial market.” She further states that “as patents expire, 3D printing technology is becoming more available to consumers” (https://www. allaboutcircuits.com/news/introduction-to-3d-printing-history-processesand-market-growth/).
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3D printers are focused on creating scale models using computer-aided design (CAD). Charles Hull received the first patent for a 3D printer in 1986. It was for the “Apparatus for Production of Three-dimensional Objects by Stereolithography.” Hull later founded the first 3D printing company, 3D Systems Corporation (https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/ news/introduction-to-3d-printing-history-processes-and-market-growth/).
3D PRINTING MARKET The 3D printer market was $2200 million ($2.2 billion) in 2012; all reports and forecasts point to a huge growth cycle. The market is expected to hit $7240 million ($7.2 billion) by 2019, with global forecasts calling for $30.19 billion by 2022 (https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/news/introduction-to-3d-printing-history-processes-and-market-growth/).
TYPES OF 3D PRINTERS There are many types and manufacturers of 3D printers. Some are included below. Many 3D printers are categorized by the type of feed stock that they use, such as powders, resin, filament, and other technologies.
Powder-Based 3D printers Many commercial 3D printers use fine powders such as gypsum, nylon, or metal. They are fused together either by using heat to sinter or melt the fine particles to fuse them together, or by depositing a binding agent (a glue or solvent) to make them adhere (Horvath, Joan. The New Shop Class).
Resin-Based 3D Printers Resin-based printers are printers that use selective solidification, where a liquid is selectively turned into a solid, typically by using ultraviolet light to catalyze polymerization. Digital light projection printers use a projector to harden an entire layer at once. The resin cures (hardens) on exposure to sunlight (Horvath, Joan. The New Shop Class).
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Filament-Based 3D Printers This is the most common type of 3D printer, where the machine extrudes material in a sticky, viscous form through a moving nozzle before allowing it to harden. This machine can be classified as selective deposition because it deposits materials only where you want it to create an object (Horvath, Joan. The New Shop Class). The most common form of selective deposition involves pushing a thermoplastic filament through a heated nozzle. This popular 3D printer is often referred to as an FFF (fused filament fabrication) and costs less than $1000 (Horvath, Joan. The New Shop Class).
Hybrid 3D Printers There are many technologies that are not filament-, resin-, or powderbased, they use sheets of flat material like paper that they cut (subtractive manufacturing) into shapes and then adhere them to one another additively. Horvath writes in “The New Shop Class” that, almost on a daily basis, there are articles on a new type of 3D printer that prints chocolate, sugar, pizza, body organs, concrete, or paper using either one of the three previously mentioned types of 3D printers or a new undiscovered one.
THE MOST POPULAR TYPE OF 3D CONSUMER PRINTER The filament-based printer is the most popular 3D printer for consumers. It is a robot that is designed to perform repetitive tasks very precisely. They typically can print features 1 millimeter in size. They usually extrude plastic from a nozzle around a third to half a millimeter in diameter which limits the smallest feature that can be drawn in the plane of the platform to about twice the nozzle diameter (Horvath, Joan. The New Shop Class).
Popular 3D Printer Manufacturers 3D Systems—Since they were founded in 1983, they have been providing 3D products and services, including 3D printers, print materials, part services, and digital design tools. Chuck Hall, the inventor of 3D stereolithography is the cofounder, executive vice president, and chief technology officer (https://investingnews.com/daily/tech-investing/3dprinting-investing/top-3d-printing-companies/).
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ExOne—Since being founded in 2005, they have made and sell 3D printing machines and products (https://investingnews.com/daily/techinvesting/3d-printing-investing/top-3d-printing-companies/). HP (Hewlett-Packard)—They have gained in 3D printing popularity due to their Multi Jet Fusion technology (https://investingnews.com/ daily/tech-investing/3d-printing-investing/top-3d-printing-companies/). Makerbot—With their proprietary Makerbot software, their Replicator printers cost less than $3000. They remain one of the main innovators in the 3D printing industry (Bernier, p. 9). RepRap—Provides affordable additive manufacturing solutions in a form of a kit that you can assemble yourself. It was developed with the goal in mind of creating a rapid prototyping machine capable of replicating or reproducing itself, by generating the pieces needed for the creation of a “clone” (Bernier, p. 10). Ultimaker—This 3D printer is considered iconic among 3D printing firms. It spawns from the RepRap open source project. The Ultimaker developed its trade by selling a wooden 3D printer in the form of a DIY kit (the Ultimaker original) (Bernier, Samuel N. Reinhard, Tatiana and Bertier Luyt. Make: Design for 3D Printing, p. 11).
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR 3D PRINTING 3D printing continues to grow in popularity almost on a daily basis. As the price of this exciting emerging technology continues to drop and new innovations occur, the challenges and opportunities will increase as well. Some are included below.
CHALLENGES FOR 3D PRINTING Costs—Even as the cost for 3D printers continues to drop, they are still out of the reach of some libraries and the added costs for materials and replacements can be prohibitive also. As more people come to the library to print their 3D models, libraries will need to find creative and innovative ways to offset these rising costs. Limited materials—There are many materials that can be used for 3D printing but due to costs and/or availability, libraries and other organizations might not be able to obtain them. Illegal use—There have been people who downloaded and 3D printed illegal firearms. For example, in 2013, Cody Wilson, a Texas law student,
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downloaded and 3D printed a plastic gun and uploaded the blueprints on the Internet. Loss of jobs—There have been concerns that 3D printing would lead to a tremendous loss of jobs in manufacturing areas. However, this developing technology might lead to increases in jobs especially in the engineering, technology, and medical areas. Steep learning curve—3D printing has an initial steep learning curve. However, because of the availability of 3D printers many people from students to librarians and other professionals have gained expertise in this area and can impart this to others. Expertise—In spite of the advances in 3D printing technology, there are still limitations to what can be manufactured and finding the expertise in preparing the 3D modeling files and software. Liability—There will be challenges related to liability for 3D printing such as who is responsible or liable when there is a part malfunction or if there are intellectual property infringements. Print time—The 3D printing process is slow compared to other types of printing. Depending on the robustness, cost, and the intricacy or complexity of the item to be printed (i.e., prosthetic leg, car, tool, home, food, or clothing), the 3D printer might take several hours or days to print. If an object is 8 inches on one side, it can take a day or more to print (Horvath, The New Shop Class). Copyright/intellectual property—As with any printing, there is the issue of giving permission when using materials that you did not create and obtained from elsewhere. 3D printing is not different. “One of the main concerns about 3D printing is that its use makes it technically possible to copy almost any object, with or without the authorization of those who hold the rights to that object. How does current IP law address this?” (http://www.wipo.int/wipo_magazine/en/2017/01/article_0006.html). Libraries will need to make sure that they have policies in place protecting them from legal actions if their patrons are not following all copyright and intellectual property requirements when using the 3D printing resources. For example, librarians discussing with their legal experts on what protocols to follow when an object that has been trademarked or patented is printed for both private use and for sale. Equipment failure—Multiple repetitive use can lead to the printer nozzles jamming and other equipment issues.
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OPPORTUNITIES FOR 3D PRINTING The opportunities for 3D printing are endless and continue to grow. There is an increase in usage for 3D printing in every industry and for personal use. Many of the opportunities are included below. Costs—There are several 3D printers that cost less than $500. As the technology continues to improve, the prices will continue to drop making, them more affordable. Printing of prosthetic limbs, organs, and other medical uses—The making and printing of prosthetic limbs and organs both enhances and saves lives for people all over the world from people in the poorest countries to the wealthiest industrial ones. There is a tremendous shortage of organs for organ transplants throughout the world. Being able to create and print them on 3D printers will save lives. With 3D printed organs, pharmaceutical companies will be able to test their products without harming either humans or animals (https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2017/ 02/3d-prosthetics/517338/). Printing food—There are food shortages in many countries. Being able to print food on a massive scale will also save lives (https://www.theatlantic. com/health/archive/2017/02/3d-prosthetics/517338/). Printing of spare parts for various devices—Being able to print spare parts for your car or vacuum cleaner from your home or library 3D printer would save money in not having to drive to the store or purchase the replacement part online and have it shipped to you. Access to new technology—3D printing technology gives people access to this new technology who cannot afford it. Adults can use this technology and decide to pursue careers in this area that will continue to grow in areas that are currently unheard of. Adults can visit the library to learn about this technology. The librarians are experts at providing information and can impart their 3D printing expertise to patrons. Availability of free 3D modeling templates—There is a plethora of websites to download free 3D modeling templates such as Thingiverse, NASA, MyMINIFactory, and the NIH. Entrepreneurs creating home businesses—Artists, entrepreneurs, and budding entrepreneurs, can use 3D printers to launch their home businesses. People who are talented at creating art, jewelry, and clothing, can use their home 3D printers to print and sell their designs. Careers in STEM and STEAM areas—3D printing lends itself greatly in education at the school, college, and university levels. With 3D
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printing, students in schools have the opportunity to learn and create innovative designs that can lead to studying engineering and other technical areas. They will have the opportunity to obtain financially lucrative careers in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) or STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) fields. Product prototyping—3D printing is ideal for making prototypes cheaper and faster. Small manufacturing companies can use 3D printers for rapid prototyping before investing thousands or millions of dollars in production costs.
APPLICATIONS OF 3D PRINTING 3D printing is the next industrial revolution as the technology continues to drop in price and become even more accessible. It is impacting every industry and is even saving lives. 3D printers can be used for printing prosthetic limbs, toy figures, jewelry, chocolate, homes, and even handguns. 3D printing is being used heavily in the industries included below.
MEDICINE/HEALTHCARE The medical industry is utilizing this technology to 3D print custommade artificial limbs, prosthetic noses and legs, and human organs, such as the heart and liver, all to enhance and save lives. A doctor at King’s College London used a 3D printer to create a life-size copy of a 2-year-old’s heart. The model allowed surgeons to determine that they could successfully close the hole. A 3D cast of an ultrasound scan enabled a blind mother to “see” her unborn baby for the first time (https://www.kcl.ac.uk/newsevents/news/newsrecords/2015/January/ 3D-copy-of-patients-heart-.aspx). The San Diego-based company Organovo Holding, Inc. is using 3D printers to create a human liver out of human cells (http://organovo. com/tissues-services/3d-human-tissues-medical-research-therapeutics/). Scientists, engineers, and enthusiasts have been experimenting with medical 3D printing for many years in a myriad of ways, from creating prototype educational models for students and doctors to experiment on and study to printing parts of a prosthetic hand. Prosthetics can be expensive. However, with 3D printing, the costs are much lower as the parts are less expensive and can be easily customized.
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For example, 19-year-old Peregrine Hawthorn was born without any fingers on his left hand. He was given a 3D printed prosthetic hand (https:// www.3ders.org/articles/20140225-e-nable-connects-makers-to-create3d-printed-prosthetics-for-those-in-need.html). However, in 2013, he learned how to 3D print and build a mechanical set on his own. He is now a part of e-NABLE that is an online community of 3D printer enthusiasts who build and share affordable custom prosthetics for people who need them (https://www.3ders. org/articles/20140225-e-nable-connects-makers-to-create-3d-printedprosthetics-for-those-in-need.html). Philip the duck is another example of how 3D printing is helping give others a new lease on life. Philip lost both of his feet to frost bite. Wisconsin teacher Vicki Rabe-Harrison rescued Philip the duck. However, she was considering putting him down because of his issues with walking. However, another teacher in the school had a 3D printer and was able to print Philip new prosthetic feet (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/phillip-duck-3d-printed-feet-disabledwisconsin-autumn-farm-animal-sanctuary-a6992656.html). Dentists use 3D technology to scan their patient’s mouth and print custom-fit dental replicas. Law enforcement—3D printing is also being used to help law enforcement agencies recreate detailed models of crime scenes, car crashes, footprints and fingerprints, as well as making architectural models for planning raids and for courtroom use. Creating buildings, homes, bridges, cars, and other much needed objects—Using 3D printing’s rapid prototyping ability, engineers are able to use 3D printing to quickly design, test, and print objects for a fraction of the costs, time, labor, and materials that conventional construction would take. Apis Cotr, 3D printing specialists in Russia and San Francisco, 3D printed a house in Russia. They also used a mobile 3D printer to print apartments on-site. The house can last up to 175 years and cost just $10,134 to build (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2017/03/03/ incredibly-cheap-house-3d-printed-just-24-hours/).
RETAIL Retail is one of the industries that is benefitting from 3D printing. It is one of the reasons why the expectations are so high for 3D printing.
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Figure 7.2 3D printed glasses and other items.
Ready-to-wear fashion designer, Danit Peleg, states in her Ted Talk video that she traveled without luggage and was able to use her personal 3D printer in her hotel room to print clothes that she needed for her trip. She discusses how she 3D printed several pieces of clothing and clothing lines from her home personal 3D printer also (Danit Peleg. Forget Shopping: Soon You’ll Download Your New Clothes. Ted Talk. https:// youtu.be/w1oKe8OaPbk) (Fig. 7.2). Asher Levine, known for his designs for Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas, and Bruno Mars, teamed up with 3D printer MakerBot to create printat-home sunglasses (https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/opinion/ 3d-printing-new-york-fashion-week-asher-levine).
AEROSPACE 3D printing is very popular and growing in the aerospace industry. Boeing is using 3D printed titanium parts for their 787 aircrafts. NASA has been using 3D printing for years for such uses as printing replacement parts and testing 3D printing foods. NASA and its partners are sponsoring a $2.5 million competition to build a 3D printed habitat for deep space exploration, including the agency’s journey to Mars. NASA features a plethora of 3D printing resources on their website (https://www.nasa. gov/directorates/spacetech/centennial_challenges/3DPHab/index.html).
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ASRC of Beltsville, Md., has test fired a subscale propellant injector built via 3D printing, paving the way for a version that could support whichever engine United Launch Alliance chooses to replace the Russian-built RD-180 on the Atlas 5 rocket (https://www.space.com/ 38411-asrc-3d-prints-fuel-injector-prototype-for-rd-180-successor.html). The future of space travel requires new technologies. Additive manufacturing or 3D printing is paving the way.
ARCHITECTURE “Forward-thinking designers are using 3D printing to blow architecture wide open,” according to Dezeen’s editor-in-chief, Marcus Fairs (Emilie Chalcraft, 2013, https://www.dezeen.com/2013/05/21/3d-printingarchitecture-print-shift/). 3D printing is being used by architectural firms to quickly and costeffectively print prototypes of their designs rather than having to send them to an agency. They can even make their design prototypes available for their customers to download and print if they have a 3D printer. This is revolutionizing architecture. Clients enjoy receiving 3D printed scale models during presentations, which increases the value of each pitch. Architecture is about realizing a beautiful design, vision, or combining form and function to create something new. Using 3D printing in your processes allows you to quickly create a tangible model (3D Printing for Architects| Leapfrog 3D Printers; https://www.lpfrg.com/en/professionals/architects/). Architectural firms around the globe are using 3D printers, thus transforming the way that buildings are made.
EDUCATION With the price of 3D printers dropping and the market expanding, more schools are able to purchase them and so the number of 3D printers in schools is growing rapidly and will continue to explode. K-12 education lends itself greatly for 3D printing. There is a plethora of opportunities for 3D printing in education. The opportunities are endless as students find more innovative and creative uses for 3D printing in their schools. Students can use 3D printer resources to replicate such muscles as the heart, lungs, and kidneys to examine and dissect to learn more about these muscles. Students can design or download innovative models of
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Figure 7.3 Schoolgirl prints 3D model from plastic on 3D printer.
prototypes of bridges, buildings, cars, jewelry, and other items and print them on a 3D printer (Fig. 7.3). 3D printing technology can benefit children’s learning, particularly in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) areas and even in such fields as music, design, technology, history, geography, and biology. Advances in resources available for teachers and other education professionals are also making 3D printing more widely accessible. Teachers can now download design software and access it via tablets and smart/ mobile phones. There are many tutorials for beginners that are now available for those without basic knowledge of the technology (http://www. eurekamagazine.co.uk/design-engineering-blogs/the-future-of-3d-printing-in-education/158336/).
MANUFACTURING Companies are already replacing traditionally manufactured items with 3D printing production, taking advantage of its superior design capacities and flexible production schedule (https://www.forbes.com/sites/ricksmith/ 2015/06/29/7-ways-3d-printing-is-already-disrupting-global-manufacturing/ 2/#3c2f44d817c0).
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GE is using 3D metal printers to produce its fully redesigned new fuel injection system for jet engines, reducing components from 21 parts to one and incorporating geometries that are simply impossible to create using any other manufacturing method. This is resulting in astonishing increases in efficiency (https://www.forbes.com/sites/ricksmith/2015/06/29/7-ways3d-printing-is-already-disrupting-global-manufacturing/2/#3c2f44d817c0). One of the rewards of the 3D printing revolution is the ability to begin production without the delay and expense of tooling, and to produce customized, geometrically complex products free from traditional manufacturing constraints (http://www.stratasys.com/solutions/additivemanufacturing/production-parts). Some companies, such as Boeing, Sikorsky, Airbus, and Ford, are already using 3D printing in a way that can be considered mass production. In 2018, for example, Airbus plans on producing 30 tons of 3D-printed parts a month (http://www.machinedesign.com/3d-printing/ 3d-printing-dives-mass-production).
3D PRINTING IN LIBRARIES 3D printers are being used in all types of libraries, whether they are academic, medical, public, school, or special libraries. With 3D printers becoming more affordable, it’s not surprising to find libraries providing 3D printing stations for their patrons. For a small fee, uploaded files can be printed and picked up when ready (https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/ news/introduction-to-3d-printing-history-processes-and-market-growth/). Librarians with our zest for knowledge and passion for imparting it to others have always been on the forefront of technology. Many academic, public, and school libraries have become the centers where people can learn about and use 3D printing. There are several libraries that have implemented 3D printing. Some are included below.
TOURO COLLEGE SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES Librarians at the Touro College School of Health Sciences began exploring 3D printing for inclusion in the Occupational and Physical Therapy programs. Many libraries were offering 3D printing as a service or available technology. They decided to go further and introduce a 3D printing course where the library has a primary role. This project truly engaged the
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Figure 7.4 Students and faculty member observe a 3D printer.
campus community and brought a great deal of positive attention to the library. The goals for this project were to educate students and faculty on the potential applications of 3D printing in healthcare and provide hands-on experience while increasing the academic engagement between librarians and faculty. To date, 78 students have been involved in the project. The students’ responsibilities included identifying a patient from their clinical rotations and designing and creating a 3D printed assistive device to improve the patient’s quality of life. The experiential learning that students encounter during the course will transition with them as they start their professional lives. Through conferences, meetings, and workshops, they have presented on this project to approximately 200 librarians and faculty members. 3D printing at Touro continues to evolve and expand. The trial course is being reviewed for formal adoption into the OT curriculum. The library is now positioned as a partner for faculty research projects and technology initiatives on campus. The interdisciplinary relationships formed and the interest generated by the 3D printer will facilitate future partnerships and projects (Figs. 7.4 7.7). (Touro College, Library Bay Shore, NY - Joan Wagner, Laurel Scheinfeld, and Keith Pardini) This project was funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine.
Figure 7.5 3D modeling.
Figure 7.6 3D printed assistive device for physical/occupational therapy.
Figure 7.7 3D printed assistive device for physical therapy/occupational therapy.
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CLINE LIBRARY MAKERLAB, NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY The Cline Library MakerLab opened in August 2016, funded in part by the Arizona State Library through a Library Services and Technology Act grant administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The program offers 20 3D printers, plus 3D design software, 3D scanners, electronic prototyping kits (Raspberry Pi, Arduino, Makey Makey, Little Bits, and more), hand tools, and a variety of low-tech making supplies—and it was the first MakerBot Innovation Center in the Western United States. Unlike many makerspaces in academic libraries, the MakerLab is open to members of the public as well as Northern Arizona University faculty, staff, and students. The service is staffed by library technology staff and highly trained student assistants who provide one-on-one consultations and workshops, as well as customized presentations and tours for classes (university and K-12) and community groups. They also participate in various maker festivals and other community events related to the arts, science, and engineering in order to publicize the service. Since it opened in August 2016, the MakerLab has been heavily used, with 3D printing making up the majority of that use. They processed over 3000 print jobs in our first academic year of operation, with usage nearly doubling between the fall and spring semesters. From the beginning, the MakerLab has had an interdisciplinary focus. They enlisted the help of two faculty advisors to help design the program—one from the School of Art and one from the Mechanical Engineering Department. Their complementary knowledge and skills helped to design a service that would meet a wide variety of needs. While students in engineering and art remain their biggest user groups for 3D printing, they have had students print projects from 12 disciplines ranging from music to education to geology and more. Because they were able to demonstrate such high usage—especially by students as part of the curriculum—they received additional funding from the university in early 2017 to expand. The expanded space opened in August 2017 and features space for presentations, collaborative brainstorming and making, and supplies for zine-making and other low-tech making activities. One of the most exciting aspects of the MakerLab is the opportunity to form new partnerships and provide services to groups who would not otherwise have access to them. In the first year of operation, they have: • Taught workshops at Flagstaff Public Library and Mesa Public Library; • Designed and taught a customized curriculum for low-income high school students in the Upward Bound Math Science Program;
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Created a monthly Women/Trans/Femme Maker Night hosted in the MakerLab; • Presented to a high school robotics team and several groups of middle school students; • Presented to many classes at NAU and Coconino Community College; • Taught workshops for NAU employees at the annual Employee Development Day; • Partnered with NAU Faculty Development to create a workshop for faculty on integrating maker culture into courses and the curriculum. (Janet A. Crum, Head, Library Technology Services, Northern Arizona University)
PHOTOS Original MakerLab space, with 3D printers, tools, and workbenches for finishing and building are illustrated in Figs. 7.8 7.10.
Figure 7.8 The 2017 Expansion, with stainless-steel-topped tables, writeable glass walls, and presentation space for 30 people, and a breakout area with soft seating and a 55v display).
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Figure 7.9 MakerLab expansion.
Figure 7.10 Additional MakerLab expansion.
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY, RALPH W. STEEN LIBRARY The Ralph W. Steen Library has been operating a makerspace since the summer of 2016. Part of that space is 2 Taz Lulzbot 3D printers. These are standard filament-based additive printers with heated beds providing up to 0.050 mm thickness resolution. Currently these printers are available to all faculty, students, and staff at no cost. The users of these printers have varied widely from casual users to very specialized projects. One recent example has been a collaboration with the Center for Regional Heritage Research on 3D printing high-resolution
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Figure 7.11 3D MakerSpace at Ralph W. Steen Library.
scans of prehistoric artifacts. The Center wanted a way for students to be able to experience what objects would feel like when on archeological sites without having many students handle very fragile objects. They are currently working on a variety of objects with the Center as well as the Department of Archeology (Fig. 7.11).
CONCLUSION 3D printing or additive manufacturing is an exciting “game-changing” emerging technology that is used in every industry, including libraries, and will continue to see explosive growth. As the price of 3D printers continues to drop, libraries of all kinds will be able to purchase 3D printers and provide 3D printing services and expertise to their patrons whether it’s on what 3D printers to purchase, where to locate and print 3D models, or how to keep abreast of new 3D printing developments. Patrons will be able to come to the library to 3D print replacement parts for their vehicles or their Hoover vacuum cleaner that the company no longer manufactures or 3D printing a prosthetic for a family member, friend, or pet. The opportunities for 3D printing are endless and libraries will continue to be on the forefront with librarians leading the charge!
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QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION 1. Have you ever used a 3D printer? What were you experiences? 2. Do you own a 3D printer in your library? If not, are you planning to purchase a 3D printer for your library? 3. How will you use the 3D printer in your library/resource center? 4. What budget do you have for 3D printing resources, replacement parts, upgrades, training, marketing, legal fees, and/or will you write grants? 5. Should you charge a fee for your 3D printing resources? If so, how will you determine the amount? 6. Who will provide the 3D printing training and what are the costs? 7. What collaborations can you have with other departments, schools, universities, workforce investment agencies, community, and other organizations to provide 3D printing resources. 8. How will you market your 3D printing services to your patrons? 9. Should there be laws regulating the illegal use of 3D printing? Should people be able to print guns and other weapons using 3D printers? Why or why not? 10. What policies will you have in place to safeguard against illegal use of your library 3D printer resources? Will you meet with your legal department to discuss and draft any policies and procedures to protect your library from any potential legal issues?
CONSIDERATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION There are huge gains in the number of academic, public, school, and special libraries that are implementing 3D printing in their libraries and resource centers. I have included several suggestions below to consider before adding 3D printing services to your library. 1. Get your stakeholders on board—Research your stakeholders and find out how they might benefit from using 3D printing and make sure to address how 3D printing can fill their needs. 2. Who is your audience—Do a needs analysis to determine who they are and what their needs will be. 3. Costs—3D printers can cost less than $500 to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Determine all of your costs including the printer, materials, replacement parts, and others. Do a cost benefit analysis and include all known and projected costs.
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4. Staffing—Have you planned for 3D printing staffing? Who will be the lead “go to” person for 3D printing in your library? Do you have anyone on staff who can fill this role or do you need to consider hiring an additional staff member or contractor to fill this role? 5. Training—Who will provide your 3D printer training? What type of training will you offer staff? 6. Collaborations/partnerships—Contact other libraries, departments, community organizations, schools, community colleges, universities, government officials, and others who can assist you with implementing 3D printing in your library. 7. Market your 3D printer—How will you market your new 3D printer in your library or resource center and who will pay the marketing costs? 8. Do the research and find the resources—There is a plethora of free resources on 3D printing that I have included at the end of this chapter. As the technology continues to grow, there will be even more free or low cost resources available. 9. 3D printing programs and workshops—Plan and implement fun and engaging 3D printing workshops, hands-on activities, and programs. 10. Intellectual property/copyright/legality—One of the major challenges for libraries that have introduced 3D printing in their libraries and resource centers is the issue of intellectual property and copyright. Who owns the model that patrons are attempting to print? Do they have permission from the creator to print their object? Are they following copyright laws? Obtain the necessary legal expertise from your legal departments to ensure that you are in compliance with copyright laws and if there are limits on what patrons can print on the 3D printer. For example, if a patron tries to print an illegal weapon on the 3D printer, do you allow them to print it. What policies do you have in place to prevent this from happening? Who is responsible if the person prints the illegal weapon and commits a crime? These must all be investigated and addressed in the proposal that you will submit to your stakeholders.
PROPOSAL After you have addressed these Considerations for Implementation, write them into a proposal and submit it to your stakeholders, legal department, and others who can support your 3D printing initiatives.
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GLOSSARY 3D printing Three-dimensional printing that turns a raw material into an object. CAD software Computer-aided design (CAD) is the use of computer systems (or workstations) to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. Filament The material that is used in additive manufacturing/3D printing. Gypsum A soft white or gray mineral consisting of hydrated calcium sulfate. Lamination Process in which layers are built up with glue into a desired shape. Polymers Materials made from a large number of complicated molecules, usually found in plastic and rubber. Prosthetic An artificial body part. Prototype Early models of a design, from which other designs are developed. Rapid prototyping Quickly assembling a physical part, piece, or model of a product. Sintering Process where something is made by compressing and melting a fine powder into a solid object. Slicing software Piece of 3D printing software that converts digital 3D models into printing instructions for your 3D printer to create an object. STL format The STL (Surface Tessellation Language or STereoLithography) is the most commonly used file format for 3D printing. They store information about 3D models. They are used by almost all 3D printing software.
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING Free 3D Files There is a plethora of free 3D printing resources that are available for download on the Internet. Some of the resources where you can obtain 3D printed files are included below. Free CAD 3D Modeling Software—A free and open source general-purpose parametric 3D CAD modeler and a building information modeling software with finite-elementmethod support. http://www.freecadweb.org. NASA 3D Printing Resources—A collection of 3D models, textures, and images from inside NASA that are free to download and use. https://nasa3d.arc.nasa.gov. MyMINIFactory—Largest free online marketplace for 3D printable objects. Covers objects from many categories ranging from architecture to accessories. You can upload your own designs also. https://www.myminifactory.com. Thingiverse—Includes thousands of models submitted by users in a plethora of categories. Community for discovering, making, and sharing 3D printable objects. They are operated by MakerBot industries. http://www.thingiverse.com. NIH 3D Print Exchange Program—Provides models in formats that are readily compatible with 3D printers, and offers a unique set of tools to create and share. Can download 3D print designs and upload your own. https://3dprint.nih.gov. GRABCAD—Large collections of professional CAD models that you can download or upload your own CAD designs. http://grabcad.com/. SketchUp 3D Warehouse—Contains millions of 3D models created using SketchUp 3D modeling and design application. http://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/. TurboSquid—Contains free 3D models and free textures to download. http://www.turbosquid.com/.
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SketchFab—Community of over half a million creators contributing over a million 3D models. Contains large platform to publish, share, and discover 3D online and in VR. https://sketchfab.com/. YouMagine—Provides over 12,000 open source 3D designs to download and print. https://www.youmagine.com/.
3D Printing Services i.materialise—An online 3D printing service where you can upload your 3D model and choose from 100 1 different finishes and materials including gold, bronze, silver, copper, steel, rubber, and others. http://i.materialise.com. Sculpteo—3D printing service that can print monochrome and color using such materials as plastic alumide, resin, powder sintering, ceramics, and silver. http://www.sculpteo.com. Shapeways—Provides large collection of 3D printed objects. Allows you to sell your own designs also. http://www.shapeways.com. 3D Hubs—Provides network of 3D printer owners. Customer can upload their 3D designs to their website and 3D printer companies will offer bids to print their designs. http://www.3dhubs.com.
Publications, Blogs, Videos TED (Technology Entertainment Design) Talks—A collection of TED talks and more on the topic of 3D printing. https://www.ted.com/topics/3d 1 printing. MIT Technology Review—Expertly written articles on 3D printing and other technologies. https://www.technologyreview.com/s/604088/the-3-d-printer-that-couldfinally-change-manufacturing/. Consumer Reports—Reviews 3D printers and accessories. http://www.consumerreports. com. https://www.consumerreports.org/search/?query53d%20printing. Wired Magazine—Features latest articles on 3D printing resources and information. https://www.wired.com/search/?q53d 1 printing. The Edutech Wiki—A 3D printing guide for educators. http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/ en/3D_printing. Instructables Introduction to 3D printing—Contains a simple introduction to 3D printing with many photographs. http://www.instructables.com/id/3D-printing-I. Makerbot—Printers, materials, tools, blogs, and community forums about 3D fabrication. http://makerbot.com/. Fab Central—MIT Center for Bits and Atoms (CBA) clearinghouse for global projects, tools, events, etc. using 3D fabrication. http://fab.ca.mit.edu. TechCrunch—Latest information on technology. https://techcrunch.com. 3D Printing News—News articles about global 3D fabrication in industry, medicine, art, and more. http://on3dpprinting.com. Wikipedia Article on 3D Printing—Extensive introduction to 3D printing https://en. wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_printing. 3D Printer World—Showcases commercial, professional, and personal 3D printers, software, solutions, service bureau offerings, imaging technology and materials used in 3D printing. http://3dprinterworld.com. PC Magazine—The Best 3D Printers of 2018. https://www.pcmag.com/article2/ 0,2817,2470038,00.asp.
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Books Bernier, S.N., Reinhard, T., Luyt, B., 2015. Make: Design for 3D Printing. Maker Media, Inc., San Francisco, CA. Horvath, J., Cameron, R., 2015. The New Shop Class: Getting Started in 3D Printing, Arduino, and Wearable Tech. Springer Science 1 Business Media, New York. Kelly, 3D Printing: Build Your Own 3D Printer and Print Your Own 3D Objects/Edition 1. Martinez, S.L., Stager, G., 2013. Invent to Learn: Making, Tinkering, and Engineering in the Classroom. Constructing Modern Knowledge Press, Torrance, CA (www.inventtolearn.com).
BIBLIOGRAPHY 3D Copy of Patient’s Heart. Kings College London. January 27, 2015. 3D Human Liver Tissue Model. 3D Printing Basics. http://www.geeetech.com/wiki/index.php/3D_Printing_Basics. 3D Printing and IP Law. WIPO|Magazine. February 2017. http://www.wipo.int/ wipo_magazine/en/2017/01/article_0006.html. 3D Printing for Architects| Leapfrog 3D Printers. Benefits of 3D Printing for Architects. Leapfrog. https://www.lpfrg.com/en/professionals/architects/). Aspa J. 3D Printing|Investing. 10 Top 3D Printing Companies. February 12, 2018. https://investingnews.com/daily/tech-investing/3d-printing-investing/top-3d-printing-companies/. Auslander, R., 2013. Op-Ed|Brands must offer 3D printable designs or face DIY counterfeiters. Business of Fashion https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/opinion/ 3d-printing-new-york-fashion-week-asher-levine. Bernier, S.N., Reinhard, T., Luyt, B., 2015. Make: Design for 3D Printing. Maker Media, Inc., San Francisco, CA, p. 9. Bernier, S.N., Reinhard, T., Luyt, B., 2015. Make: Design for 3D Printing. Maker Media, Inc., San Francisco, CA, p. 10. Belton, D. Philip the Disabled Duck Gets a New Lease of Life Thanks to 3D Printed Feet. Independent. April 26, 2016. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/ americas/phillip-duck-3d-printed-feet-disabled-wisconsin-autumn-farm-animal-sanctuary-a6992656.html. Birrell, I., 2017. The promise of 3-D printing body parts. The Atlantic https://www. theatlantic.com/health/archive/2017/02/3d-prosthetics/517338/). Briggs, S. The Future of 3D Printing in Education. Eureka. August 8, 2017. http://www. eurekamagazine.co.uk/design-engineering-blogs/the-future-of-3d-printing-in-education/158336/. Chalcraft, E., 2013. How 3D Printing will change architecture and construction. Dezeen https://www.dezeen.com/2013/05/21/3d-printing-architecture-print-shift/). Christiano, M. (April 16, 2017). Introduction to 3D Printing: History, Processes, and Market Growths. https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/news/introduction-to-3d-printing-history-processes-and-market-growth/. E-NABLE Connects Makers to Create 3D Printed Prosthetics for Those in Need. February 24, 2014. https://www.3ders.org/articles/20140225-e-nable-connectsmakers-to-create-3d-printed-prosthetics-for-those-in-need.html. Foremski, T., 2012. Chris Anderson: Why I left wired 3D printing will be bigger than the web. Zdnet. Available from: http://www.zdnet.com/article/chris-anderson-whyi-left-wired-3d-printing-will-be-bigger-than-the-web/. Henry, C. ASRC 3D Prints Fuel Injector Prototype for RD-180 Successor. SpaceNews. October 15, 2017. https://www.space.com/38411-asrc-3d-prints-fuel-injector-prototype-for-rd-180-successor.html.
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Horvath, J., Cameron, R., 2015. The New Shop Class: Getting Started in 3D Printing, Arduino, and Wearable Tech. Springer Science 1 Business Media, New York, p. 34. Horvath, J., Cameron, R., 2015. The New Shop Class: Getting Started in 3D Printing, Arduino, and Wearable Tech. Springer Science 1 Business Media, New York, p. 35. Horvath, J., Cameron, R., 2015. The New Shop Class: Getting Started in 3D Printing, Arduino, and Wearable Tech. Springer Science 1 Business Media, New York, p. 36. https://www.kcl.ac.uk/newsevents/news/newsrecords/2015/January/3D-copy-ofpatients-heart-.aspx. http://organovo.com/tissues-services/exvive3d-human-tissue-models-services-research/ exvive3d-liver-tissue-performance/. Kerns, J., 2017. 3D Printing dives mass production. Machine Des. Available from: http:// www.machinedesign.com/3d-printing/3d-printing-dives-mass-production. Molloy, M., 2017. This incredibly cheap house was 3D printed in just 24 hours. The Telegraph. Available from: https://www.google.com/amp/www.telegraph.co.uk/ technology/2017/03/03/incredibly-cheap-house-3d-printed-just-24-hours/amp/. NASA’s STMD Centennial Challenge. 3D Printed Challenge. https://www.nasa.gov/ directorates/spacetech/centennial_challenges/3DPHab/index.html. Peleg D., Danit. Forget Shopping: Soon You’ll Download Your New Clothes. Ted Talk. https://youtu.be/w1oKe8OaPbk. Smith, R., 2015. 7 Ways 3D Printing is already disrupting global manufacturing. Forbes https://www.forbes.com/sites/ricksmith/2015/06/29/7-ways-3d-printing-is-alreadydisrupting-global-manufacturing/2/#3c2f44d817c0). Strategies, Solutions, Additive Manufacturing, Production Parts. Stratasys.com. http://www.stratasys.com/solutions/additive-manufacturing/production-parts.
CHAPTER 8
Wearable Technologies From A to Z INTRODUCTION From smartwatches that monitor your heart rate, to robotic suits that give you more strength to walk and carry heavy loads, to temporary tattoos that can be programmed to attach to your devices, monitor your health, and make payments; wearable technologies are some of the hottest, fastest-growing, popular, emerging technologies on the market today. People of all ages, income levels, technical acumen, and exercise levels are purchasing wearable technologies at a phenomenal rate and the numbers are growing (Fig. 8.1).
WHAT IS WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY? According to Webopedia, “Wearable technology (also called wearable gadgets) is a category of technology devices that can be worn by a consumer and often include tracking information related to health and fitness.
Figure 8.1 Young female athlete using fitness app on her smart watch to monitor workout. Emerging Library Technologies DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102253-5.00008-3
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Other wearable technologies include devices that have small motion sensors to take photos and sync with your mobile devices” (https://www. webopedia.com/TERM/W/wearable_computing.html). It is a term that refers to computer-powered devices or equipment that can be worn by a user, including clothing, watches, glasses, shoes, and similar items. Wearable computing devices can range from providing very specific, limited features like heart rate monitoring and pedometer capabilities to advanced “smart” functions and features similar to those a smartphone or smartwatch offers (https://www.webopedia.com/TERM/ W/wearable_computing.html).
BRIEF HISTORY OF WEARABLE TECHNOLOGIES The first wearable technology can be traced all the way back to the 13th century when eyeglasses were invented. The earliest portable and wearable clocks, Nuremberg eggs, were invented in the 16th century. They were created to be worn around the neck. They became a popular status symbol in Europe until pocket watches and wristwatches were invented. In 1898, electrical engineer Miller Reese Hutchison invented the hearing aid called the Akouphone (Gitlin, 2018). Edward Thorp, a mathematics professor in the 1960s, wrote in his book “Beat the Dealer,” that he built a computer small enough to fit into a shoe in order to cheat at roulette. In 1975, the first calculator wristwatch was released. The Sony Walkman arrived in 1975. Digital hearing aids were released in the 1980s. Between 2006 and 2013, wearable technology devices such as Nike 1 , Fitbit, and Google Glass were released. Several media experts named 2014, as “The Year of Wearable Technology” and during that same year, activity trackers became popular and the Apple Watch was first introduced. Today, the industry for wearable technology device continues to expand with devices that track seizures or sunlight exposure (https://online.grace.edu/ news/business/the-past-present-future-of-wearable-technology/).
MARKET FOR WEARABLE TECHNOLOGIES The wearables market is set to triple in size in the next 5 years and become worth over $25 billion, according to industry analyst firm, CCS Insight. Its new global forecast for wearable devices—which includes
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smartwatches, fitness trackers, augmented and virtual reality headsets, and wearable cameras—indicates the market is set to grow from 84 million units in 2015 to 245 million units in 2019 (https://www.ccsinsight.com/ press/company-news/2332-wearables-market-to-be-worth-25-billion-by2019-reveals-ccs-insight). Smartphones will remain dominant in the consumer market, with projected sales to top 1.6 billion units in 2020 (https://online.grace.edu/ news/business/the-past-present-future-of-wearable-technology/).
TYPES OF WEARABLE TECHNOLOGIES There are several types of wearable technologies that include smart watches, eyewear, or technology that is incorporated into clothing such as t-shirts, hats, rings, caps, robotic suits, etc. They allow users to track their basic health including heart rate, number of calories burned, how many miles have been tracked, and other health-related data. Some of the different types of wearable technologies are included below. Implantables—Devices that users carry with them everywhere they go as they are implanted under the skin through surgeries. They can be inserted in various forms such as tattoos, pacemakers, and defibrillators (6 Forms of Wearable Technology You Must Know Right Now, 42 Gears Team, July 22, 2015; https://www.42gears.com/blog/6-wearable-technologies-you-must-know-right-now/). Fitness trackers—Fitness trackers are devices that are normally worn on the wrists. They keep track of the number of steps users take when they put it on. Advanced versions of these devices are able to monitor heart rate and give accurate data of the calories burned. Head-mounted displays (HMDs)/virtual reality—Devices that deliver information straight into your eyes such as the Oculus Rift will take you to virtual worlds. Smart jewelry—Several companies are bringing the idea of a smartwatch to jewelry to attract women in the form of smart jewelry. Smart jewelry informs users of emails, calls, or texts when they are unable to access their phones (https://www.42gears.com/blog/6-wearable-technologies-you-must-know-right-now/). Some of the market and research leaders include: Chaotic Moon’s Tech Tats (Fitness Tracking Temp Tattoo); Microsoft Research and MIT’s Media Lab—Tattio (Metallic, NFC Temp Tattoo);
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and University of California San Diego (Alcohol Monitoring Temp Tattoo). Smart clothing—Sensors that can be embedded into clothing, shoes, rings, and other objects. Several large fashion houses are designing smart clothing that monitors heart rate, breathing, and levels of stress. Some of the smart jewelry wearables can inform users about emails, text, and calls when they do not have their phones available (Google and Levi—Project Jacquard). Smartwatches—Smartwatches are some of the most common wearable devices. They can track the number of steps taken, number of calories burned, and heart rate. When connected to mobile devices, they can notify users about social media messages, emails, and calls. Some of the market leaders include: Apple, Samsung, Asus, Motorola, and FitBit.
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WEARABLE TECHNOLOGIES The technology for wearable technologies continues to develop. These devices are generally worn on a user’s body and are sometimes accessed through a user’s smartphone. As they continue to gain in popularity, there are challenges and opportunities along with this growth. Some of these are included below.
CHALLENGES FOR WEARABLE TECHNOLOGIES Loss of jobs—There are potential concerns that wearable technology might lead to job losses in the future. However, this developing technology might lead to increases in jobs especially in the engineering, technology, and medical areas. Steep learning curve—Wearable technologies have an initial steep learning curve. However, because of the availability of wearables, many people from students to librarians and other professionals have gained expertise in this area and can impart this to others. Price—Even though the price for wearable technologies continues to drop from under $100 to several thousands of dollars, this may still seem expensive to some consumers. Battery life—One of the most common complaints for wearable technologies is that the battery life for these devices is too short. Most consumers who own smartphones and other wearable technology have been
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frustrated by forgetting to charge the device and starting to use it just to find that the battery has died. Security and privacy—Security and privacy are both issues for wearable devices as the technology develops, so are the opportunities to hack the wearable devices. Sensors in the devices can also provide location details where consumers can be tracked and potentially placed in dangerous or harmful situations. Ease of use/learning curve—This can be an opportunity and a challenge as some wearables are very easy to use and others are more difficult with a steep learning curve that users might find frustrating and won’t use the full functionality of the device.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR WEARABLE TECHNOLOGIES Cost—As the technology continues to develop, the costs are dropping and might become more affordable to consumers. Inclusivity and ease of use—Devices are used by people of all ages, races, income, and technology levels with little or no experience with the technology. Popularity—Very popular and continues to grow. Can lead to students’ interest in STEM/STEAM careers and job retraining/new careers opportunities for adults. Improved health—Can lead to better health as more people are exercising. Devices can track heart rate, number of steps, and other healthrelated data. Some wearables can notify healthcare professionals of health emergencies. Staying connected—Wearables can alert you of messages, incoming calls, emails, and much more without having to constantly be checking your phone. The possibilities for increased convenience and connectivity with wearables are endless. Accuracy of data—Wearable technologies can track your health and exercise data, and some can even track if a person is about to experience a heart attack or fall and can immediately contact the appropriate emergency health professionals. Policies—Libraries will need to make sure that they have policies in place protecting them from legal actions if their patrons are using wearable technologies for illegal use. Access to new technology—Wearable technologies give people access to this new technology who cannot afford it. Adults can use this technology
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and decide to pursue careers in this area that will continue to grow in areas that are currently unheard of. Adults can visit the library to learn about this technology. Entrepreneurs creating home businesses—Artists, entrepreneurs, and budding entrepreneurs, can use 3D printers to launch their home wearable technology businesses. People who are talented at creating art, jewelry, and clothing, can use their home 3D printers to print and sell their designs. Careers in STEM and STEAM areas—Wearable technologies lend themselves greatly in education at the school, college, and university levels. With advancements in wearable technologies, students in schools have the opportunity to learn, create, market, and potentially sell innovative wearable technologies that can lead to studying engineering and other technical areas. They will have the opportunity to obtain financially lucrative careers in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) or STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) fields.
IMPLICATIONS FOR WEARABLE TECHNOLOGIES IN LIBRARIES Wearable technologies are one of the next industrial revolution technologies as the technology continues to drop in price and become even more accessible to people at every income level. Wearable technologies such as fitness trackers, smartwatches, and other devices are improving and saving lives. Libraries are in a unique position to provide resources and expertise on selecting, purchasing, and using these life-changing devices through training, workshops, and programming. Patrons who have been displaced by technology or want to learn more about the technology, or want to start their own businesses will be able to come to the library and learn about these devices and start their own wearable technology businesses. Libraries will be able to host handson workshops for people who are interested in learning about wearable technologies and starting their own business where they can design and sell wearable devices, smart clothing, smart jewelry, and other items that can be printed from a 3D printer. Libraries will be able to help patrons research the cost of the 3D printer. Many excellent 3D printers cost less than $500.
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Librarians will be able to assist patrons with researching, creating, and downloading smart clothing, smart jewelry, and other 3D models to print. They will be able to provide expertise on where to obtain funding to start a wearable technology business so that patrons have all of the tools that they will need to design, purchase, market, and sell their wearable technology-related items that they will create. Librarians will be able to bring in business experts to assist patrons with marketing and selling their items as well. Libraries will be able to partner with organizations to provide the expertise needed for patrons to be successful in their entrepreneurial endeavors. Students will have the opportunity to gain expertise in these areas that might eventually lead to financially lucrative careers in the STEM and STEAM areas.
APPLICATIONS OF WEARABLE TECHNOLOGIES UNIVERSAL ORLANDO RESORT WATER PARK Universal Orlando Resort offers a Tapu Tapu wristband that can pay for food, open lockers, trigger special effects, set spending limits on the kids and most, important, eliminate waiting in lines by sending alerts when it’s your turn for a ride (How wearable technology can let you go cashless in the pool, Mike Schneider, May 23, 2017, Globa & Mail, From Opposing View Points in Context).
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH INNOVATION CHALLENGE WEARABLE HEALTH DEVICES—CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE INSTITUTE University of Pittsburgh sponsors projects that feature wearable healthcare devices that received a total of $565,000 in awards at the final event in the Pitt Innovation Challenge. The challenge, in its fourth year, was sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute. Contestants addressed the question, “How can we use wearable technology to address an important health problem?” “Wearable technology capabilities are advancing rapidly, and this year’s PInCh final showcased how this technology can make a difference in health care,” said institute director Dr. Steven Reis in a news release.
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO HEALTHCARE WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY A new project out of the University of California San Diego shows how wearable technology could more easily integrate with the way people live—and that high-tech doesn’t have to come with a high cost.
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Researchers created a prototype glove fitted with sensors that follow the motion of someone’s hands, which they tested by using American Sign Language (ASL). And they built it for less than $100 US. The researchers suggest the glove’s technology could be applied to a number of other fields, including consumer electronics, virtual and augmented reality, telesurgery, and technical training (The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, July 13, 2017, From Opposing Viewpoints in Context).
RYERSON UNIVERSITY LIBRARY & ARCHIVES DIGITAL MEDIA EXPERIENCE LAB The Ryerson University Digital Media Experience Lab located in Toronto, Ontario, lends out a plethora of emerging technologies including wearable technologies such as the Myo Gesture Control Armband by Thalmic Labs. This touch-free wearable technology allows you to take control of your phone, computer, and more (https://www.questia.com/magazine/1P34321989879/meeting-the-needs-of-post-millennials-lending-hot).
CONCLUSION In conclusion, wearable technologies will continue to grow at an explosive rate. They will be even more aligned with our personal needs and wants whether it’s tech tattoos that can send a message alerting our doctors of a health emergency or allow us to unlock doors, pay for groceries, track our pets, or communicate with our friends and families; or smart watches that track our heart rate, number of steps taken, and calories burned; or rings, clothing, or shoes that can charge our devices and other technology feats. Jen Quinlan succinctly writes in Wired Magazine: Imagine approaching your home’s door with groceries in hand, and the heartbeat signature via your wearable signals the door’s smartlock to unlock. While crossing your living room, a sensor on your wrist wearable notices your core body temperature is above average and automatically interacts with Nest thermostat to trigger the air conditioning. Your wearable also includes a sensor to detect hydration levels, and it triggers your smart refrigerator to automatically pour a glass of water for you as you enter the kitchen to unload your groceries. (https://www.wired.com/insights/2015/02/the-future-of-wearable-tech/)
Libraries will continue to be the virtual and bricks and mortar places that continue to bridge the digital divide where people of all ages, races, income, and technology levels can visit to learn more about these exciting and everchanging wearable technologies in a fun, safe, and nurturing environment.
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The role of librarians will continue to expand as wearable technologies become more readily available to patrons everywhere and at all levels in our society. Librarians will provide information and expertise on wearable technologies through research, workshops, seminars, partnerships, collaborations, and hands-on activities to encourage patrons to test the technology before purchasing them; students to pursue STEM and STEAM careers; and adults to pursue job opportunities. The future is endless for wearable technologies and libraries and librarians will be leading the information sharing charge!
QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION 1. What experiences have you had with wearable technologies? 2. Do you own any wearable devices? If so, which one(s)? If not, are you planning to purchase any? 3. What resources can libraries provide on learning about wearable technologies? 4. Are you using any wearable technologies in your library? If so, which ones and why? 5. What are the some of the challenges and opportunities for wearable technologies? 6. What are some ways that wearable technologies can be used in libraries? 7. How can libraries and librarians get involved in providing resources to their patrons on wearable technologies? 8. What collaborations can be formed to further advance wearable technologies in libraries (i.e., job retraining, students pursuing STEM/STEAM career)? 9. What do you see as the future of wearable technologies? 10. How can librarians assist with preparing students who are interested in wearable technologies?
CONSIDERATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION The number of academic, public, and school libraries implementing wearable technologies is increasing. Several suggestions to consider before implementing wearable technologies in your library are included below. 1. Obtain stakeholder buy in—Build your case for why you need and how you will utilize wearable technologies in your academic, public,
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or school library and prepare it for your stakeholder whether it is administration, principals, upper management, or board of directors. Know your audience—Do a needs analysis to determine who will benefit from learning about and using wearables access. Who is your audience? Are they children, teens, adults, librarians, researchers, professors, information professionals, or administrators and how are they or might they use wearable technology? Costs—Find the money. Wearable technologies can cost less than one hundred and up to thousands of dollars. There are other costs to consider as well. Do a cost benefit analysis and determine what your overall costs will be. Write grants and partner with other libraries, schools, companies, and other organizations. Find creative ways to find the money to help defray the costs of implementing wearables in your library. Personnel—Who on your staff might be the lead “go to” person for wearables in your library? Do you have anyone on staff who can fill this role or do you need to consider hiring an additional staff member to fill this role? This person might be sent for training on wearables and become the expert. What will this cost? What additional options do you have to help defray the cost? Training—Will you have experts from several wearable companies provide your training? What type of training will you offer staff? Will you utilize the train the trainer model where the lead “go to” wearables expert in your library trains the rest of the staff? How much will this cost? What can you obtain for free or at a significantly reduced cost? Build strategic partnerships—Build strategic partnerships with other libraries, departments, librarians, community organizations, schools, community colleges, universities, government officials, and others who can assist you with implementing wearables in your library through providing funding, equipment, expertise, marketing, etc. Marketing—How will you market your new wearables in your libraries? Will you just use social media or will you use additional printbased creative advertising also? How much will this cost? Can you get free advertising? Do the research—As librarians, we are experts at performing research and sharing it with others. Research what resources you currently have available on wearables at your disposal, such as employees who
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already own them and have the expertise, to wearable groups, wearable enthusiasts, and others who can share their expertise for free? Are there departments, libraries, other organizations that have already implemented wearables in their libraries and can provide whom you can contact for best practices? Are there materials online for wearables that you can obtain? 9. Offer wearable technology programs and workshops—What programming on wearable technologies will you offer? Will you offer workshops, handson, wearable technology vendors who will showcase their products, 3D printing of wearable technologies, wearable technology curriculum, legal expertise, and other relevant wearable technology topics. What are the costs? Look for volunteers to reduce the costs. Investigate ways to find sponsors to pay for all or most of your programming. 10. Wearable technology privacy, safety, and security—Some of the major challenges for libraries that are implementing wearable technology will be privacy, security, and safety. Libraries will need to research and collaborate with their legal departments on how wearable technology can be introduced and implemented in their libraries and put in place measures to address safety and security issues such as what data will be collected and how it might be used; what happens if there is a data breach; what happens if patrons are harmed by equipment malfunctions or their devices are hacked and criminals use their location to spy on and harm them; and what if someone uses the technology for criminal means? These issues and more will need to be addressed and plans put in place to protect library patrons.
PROPOSAL After you have addressed these Considerations for Implementation, write them into a proposal and submit it to your stakeholders, legal department, and anyone else who can support and fund this proposal to implement wearable technologies in your library.
GLOSSARY Accessory An item worn with clothing, such as shoes, a belt, or a ring. Apple Watch A smartwatch that operates as a small wearable computing device worn on a user’s wrist. Code Instructions for computers to follow that are written in a programming language.
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Fitbit A wearable computing device that is a fitness band worn on a person’s wrist and is designed to track physical activity. Fitbit devices are designed to track important health and activity markers, including heart rate, quality of sleep, and the number of steps walked. It is similar to the Apple Watch. Galaxy Gear A wearable computing smartwatch device developed by Samsung that functions similar to a smartphone. Global positioning system (GPS) A space-based navigation system used to pinpoint locations on Earth. Odometers Devices that measure distances that are traveled. Sensors Instruments that can detect and measure changes and transmit the information to a controlling device. Smartwatch A wearable computing device that is worn on a user’s wrist that offers functionality and capabilities similar to those of a smartphone. Smartwatches are designed to, either on their own or when paired with a smartphone, provide features like connecting to the Internet, running mobile apps, making calls, messaging via text or video, checking caller ID, accessing stock and weather updates, providing fitness monitoring capabilities, offering GPS coordinates and location directions, and more. Stylus A pen-shaped tool that is used to input commands or drawings on a display screen. Virtual reality A realistic simulation of a three-dimensional environment that is controlled by body movements. Wearable computing Computer-powered devices or equipment that can be worn by a user including clothing, watches, glasses, shoes, and similar items.
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING Bloomberg Technology https://www.bloomberg.com/technology. Huffington Post Technology https://www.huffingtonpost.com/section/technology. New York Times https://www.nytimes.com. Ted Talks on Wearable Technology https://www.ted.com/search?q 5 wearable. Mashable Technology https://mashable.com/category/wearable-tech/. Wired Magazine https://www.wired.com/tag/wearables/. TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com. MIT Technology Review https://www.technologyreview.com/search/?s5wearable% 20technology. The Economist Technology https://www.economist.com/topics/technology. CNET: Best Wearable Tech of 2018 https://www.cnet.com/topics/wearable-tech/bestwearable-tech/. Showcases some of the best wearable technology on the market today.
BIBLIOGRAPHY 6 Forms of Wearable Technology You Must Know Right Now, 42 Gears Team, July 22, 2015. https://www.42gears.com/blog/6-wearable-technologies-you-must-know-rightnow/. Burne, C. Tech in your clothes and under your skin. Teaching Science: The Journal of the Australian Science Teachers Association. Mar2017 Supplement Ultimate Careers, p. 26 30. 5p.
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“Fitbits in schools the wrong step, study says.” Sydney Morning Herald [Sydney, Australia], 5 Oct. 2017, p. 10. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. http://link.galegroup.com/apps/ doc/A507958817/OVIC?u 5 ein_remote&xid 5 0a0caee6 [accessed 29.12.17]. From Opposing Viewpoints in Context. http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/NewsDetailsPage/ NewsDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting5false&displayGroupName5News&currPage5 &scanId5&query5&docIndex5&source 5 &prodId5OVIC&search_within_results5 &p5OVIC&mode5view&catId 5 &u5ein_remote&limiter 5 &display-query 5 &display Groups5&contentModules5&action 5 e&sortBy 5 &documentId 5 GALE%7CA5171223 68&windowstate5normal&activityType5BasicSearch&failOverType5&commentary5. Gitlin, M., 2018. Wearable Electronics. Cherry Lake Publishing, Ann Arbor, MI. Available from: https://online.grace.edu/news/business/the-past-present-future-ofwearable-technology/. “How wearable technology can let you go cashless in the pool.” Globe & Mail [Toronto, Canada], 23 May 2017, p. L4. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. http://link. galegroup.com/apps/doc/A492537089/OVIC?u5ein_remote&xid5fe81449f [accessed 29.12.17]. https://www.ccsinsight.com/press/company-news/2332-wearables-market-to-be-worth25-billion-by-2019-reveals-ccs-insight. https://online.grace.edu/news/business/the-past-present-future-of-wearable-technology/. Takeda and Cognition Kit Present Results from Digital Wearable Technology Study in patients with Major Depressive Disorder MDD, Mental Health Weekly Digest, December 4, 2017. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Wearable Tech by Max Castleman URL: https:// blog.neongoldfish.com/social-media/the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-wearabletech-3. Wang, W., Kimberly, K., Wang, F., 2017. Meeting the needs of post-millennials: lending hot devices enables innovative library services. Computers in Libraries 37 (3), 4 9. 6p. Quinlan, J. Wired Magazine. (February 2015). https://www.wired.com/insights/2015/ 02/the-future-of-wearable-tech/. Webopedia, https://www.webopedia.com/TERM/W/wearable_computing.html.
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CHAPTER 9
How to Get Stakeholder Buy In for Implementing Emerging Technologies in Your Library
Figure 9.1 Woman wearing virtual reality glasses
Stakeholders (directors, managers, administrators, and any decision makers) are the key to implementing emerging technologies in your library. Getting them on board to support your emerging technology initiatives is critical to your success. I have included tips below to get them on board. I have also included a checklist to follow before meeting with your stakeholders to discuss implementing emerging technologies in your library (Fig. 9.1). 1. Who are your stakeholders and how can you engage them early on? Research who your stakeholders are. Stakeholders come in all shapes, sizes, and areas of expertise. Your role is to find out who they are, what their needs are, what their areas of expertise are, and how they can support your emerging technology projects. The most critical piece to getting your stakeholders on board to support your technology initiatives is addressing the question: “What’s in it for them?” This will get their attention every time. Emerging Library Technologies DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102253-5.00010-1
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You will need to find creative ways to engage your stakeholders early on. This means once you have determined their area of interest and expertise, you capitalize on them. This might mean inviting them to different workshops and seminars that you are hosting or even inviting them to present their area of expertise in your library. Public library example For example, you might be employed in a public library and you learn that a board member is the director of the workforce investment board. You might invite them to participate on a panel discussion that you are having on autonomous vehicles. They can discuss how truck drivers will need to be retrained in other areas as trucking companies begin implementing autonomous vehicles and what training options will be available to them. Academic library example You would like to purchase a 3D printer in your library. You discover through your research that your dean was the director of a medical library and has an MBA. You host a meeting with your dean, medical librarian, medical school, dental school, nursing school, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and other health-related faculty and administrators to discuss jointly purchasing a 3D printer and/or writing a grant to purchase the printer, and housing it in your library with academic and other departments being able to use it for a fee. You must do your homework ahead of time. You will need to research grants, 3D printer costs, training, marketing, personnel costs, risks vs. returns, and combine this into a cost benefit analysis so that you can provide this information before the meeting. You will need to discuss what the potential return on investment (ROI) will be. School library example You would like to purchase a drone for your school library. You need to get your principal and/or superintendent on board. Through your research you determine that your superintendent is an amateur pilot and your principal is a former math teacher. This is VERY good news. You have a great chance of getting these stakeholders on board if you talk to their interests and background. Your assignment is to research drones and find that a good quadcopter drone with a camera attached can cost less than $200. You want to address how drones have been proven to engage, motivate, and inspire students. Students find them exciting and fun and that’s what education should be. Discuss how administrators, managers,
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technology, marketing, and public relations staff can use the drone to take spectacular photos that can be used in school marketing materials, the school website, and any school promotional materials. You can also address how drones lend themselves to several school departments including social studies, physical education, science, math, technology, and others. The research supports that drones help students who have autism and other exceptionalities where they embrace the technology and have been shown to communicate the technology to others including students in mainstream classes. Drones also engage students where they pursue education and careers in the STEM and STEAM areas. You should utilize all of this research to justify introducing drones into your schools. 2. Find the money—How will you fund your initiatives? What is your budget? What resources will you need? Research grants and other opportunities and partnerships to pay for the emerging technologies. If you can find outside money to pay for the technology, you have an even greater chance of getting your stakeholders on board to implement emerging technologies in your library. Determine what all your costs will be. Perform a cost benefit analysis and present this information to your stakeholders. 3. What are the risks? How will you manage the risks? Know what your potential risks are and address them. Some of your potential risks might be budget cost over runs; not meeting key milestones for implementing the technology in your library; staffing issues such as a key person going on maternity leave or resigning from their positions; any kind of legal issues that might arise, such as a staff member or patron injured by the technology such as a drone, robot, or 3D printer; or equipment failure and not having money set aside for replacement parts; not having enough staff members trained on the technology; or not having policies in place if a person wants to use the technology resources illegally? These are all risks that could impact the implementation of the technology in your library and must be addressed in your proposal to the stakeholders. 4. What is the timeline for implementing these technologies? When do you want or need to implement these technologies? Have you planned for issues that could delay implementing these technologies, such as funds not being made available? You need to have a detailed timeline on when you want to implement these technologies from your first kick off meeting with your team who will support this initiative, to
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when you will meet with your stakeholder(s) to present your proposal for implementing your emerging technology, to getting their sign off on implementing the technology, to implementing, marketing, and training users on the technology. You will need to include meetings, key milestones, training, marketing, budgets, implementation, and anything else that can impact your timeline. What partnerships should you establish? Depending on your type of library you should establish partnerships with schools, departments, other libraries, universities, colleges, community colleges, companies, vendors, workforce investment boards, community organizations, faith organizations, and other organizations and individuals who can collaborate with you on successfully implementing emerging technologies. For example, if you are a school library, you should partner with your public library, community college library, and faith/community organizations in your school district. You want to partner with those places where the students are likely to go when they leave your school. What training will you need? Who will perform the training? What training model will you use? Will you use the train the trainer model? Will you have one person or a team who will provide the training and develop and update the training resources which will also entail adding the training materials to your website and keeping them updated. You will need to determine what your training costs will be and who will pay them. What marketing will you need? How will you market your programs? Will you market your technology initiatives using social media and print media? You will need to meet with your marketing and publications experts to plan how you will market your emerging technology initiatives along with your costs and who will pay them. What staffing will you need to support these technology initiatives? Will you need to hire additional personnel to support these initiatives or will you be able to utilize current staff? For example, your emerging technology librarian goes on maternity leave or resigns from their position before the technology is implemented. What will you do? It can take months to hire a new staff member. You don’t have this kind of time. Will you move someone into this role or will you hire a temporary contractor? Keep in mind that even though they have the technology expertise, they will still need to learn your policies, procedures, and way of doing things. They will need “ramp up”
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time where they will learn the “lay of the land.” You will need to determine your costs for all of these potential personnel adjustments and who will pay them. 9. What are your potential legal issues? You will need to meet with your legal department or legal experts about any potential legal issues that might occur for the technology that you want to implement. What if one of your drones injures a patron or staff member? What if a patron wants to use your 3D printer to print an illegal weapon or if they want to print someone else’s model and not give them credit? You will need to address all of these “potential landmines” and any other legal issues that might arise for any children’s programming /workshops that you are offering. For example, you are having a robot petting zoo in your library and you want to take pictures of the children and post them on your library website. Have you conferred with your legal department to ensure that you have the proper form for parents to sign allowing their child’s picture to be used on the library website and in other marketing materials? Make sure to discuss any potential legal issues that might arise with your legal experts/department and include this in your proposal for your stakeholders. 10. Who is your audience and how can you engage them? This is the most important part of your proposal. Without our patrons, there is no library. You will need to determine who your audience is and how you can engage them. Are they K-12 students, adults who will be displaced by these technologies, or technology novices who want to learn more about these technologies. K-12 students If your library is a public library and your audience is K-12 students, you must establish partnerships with all schools in your area. You want to meet with the school administrators and teachers to discuss your technology and other initiatives that can support their school. For example, inviting students, teachers, and administrators to attend programs at your local public library on programming robots, printing their own designs on the 3D printer, or creating their own music videos. It is important to establish partnerships with academic and community college libraries also. Students can learn about different careers in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) areas.
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They can learn more about the careers and what classes and degrees are available to them. Students can be invited to attend various workshops on robotics, artificial intelligence, virtual reality/augmented reality, 3D printing, driverless vehicles, drones, and other emerging technologies to learn how they can prepare for careers in these dynamic technology areas. Identifying the audience and determining their needs is tantamount to the success of the library and any technology initiatives that you might want to implement. This is important because, as librarians, our job is to help our patrons so that they can have a better, more rewarding, financially lucrative, and productive life. Exposing low-income and minority students to technology in the library that they might not have at their homes is quite an equalizer. This opens up a whole new world for them where they might decide to become a software engineer or the next Lonnie Johnson, an engineer and inventor, who invented the Super Soaker water gun that has earned nearly $1 billion in sales. Displaced workers—truckers and autonomous vehicles These emerging technologies will create job growth and massive job losses for those who do not have the technical skill set that these technologies will require. Libraries are places where people of all races, incomes, and education levels can go to obtain information and in some cases I have found, comfort from a warm, friendly, compassionate librarian who cares for them and wants them to succeed. Librarians will need to establish partnerships with schools, community colleges, universities, community organizations, faith/religious organizations, workforce agencies, social services, and any job-retraining organizations. One of the fastest areas that will be rendered obsolete and have tremendous job losses is the trucking industry. Driverless trucks and vehicles will replace human drivers in the very near future. People who earned upwards of $100,000 per year as truck drivers will find their jobs lost due to technology. Many of these people have homes, mortgages, and families and were accustomed to a certain standard of living. In the future, all of this will be gone. Most of these wage earners will not be able to pursue careers in these emerging technology fields as they lack the technical education and skill sets. They will need to be retrained for other occupations. This is
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where librarians will be able to assist. Librarians can establish partnerships with other agencies to assist these people so that they can obtain the needed resources for their families so that they will be able to provide for their families in a manner similar to when they were employed by the trucking agencies and earning lucrative salaries.
EMERGING TECHNOLOGY STAKEHOLDER BUY IN CHECK LIST I have included a checklist below that you should follow when you are considering getting your stakeholders on board to implement new emerging technologies in your library. If you address all of these, you have a very good chance of getting your stakeholders on board to support your initiatives. 1. What technologies do you want to implement? 2. Why do you want to implement these technologies? 3. Who are your stakeholders and what are their backgrounds? 4. Why should your stakeholders support your technology initiatives? 5. What is your budget for your technology initiatives? 6. What training is needed to support these initiatives? 7. Who will provide the training and what are the costs? 8. How will you market these technology initiatives? 9. What are the marketing costs? 10. Did you perform a cost benefit analysis for these technology initiatives? 11. Are there legal fees? If so, what are they? 12. What are the risks? 13. What are the returns on the investment (ROI)? 14. What strategic partnerships can you establish? 15. What is your timeline for implementing these technology initiatives?
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CHAPTER 10
Keeping Abreast of Emerging Technologies
Figure 10.1 Artificial intelligence, big data, robotics, and other technologies are represented in this image.
Whether it is new developments in driverless cars, wearable technologies, or virtual/augmented reality, or more libraries providing drones to the public, there is a plethora of emerging technology information that can be challenging to keep up with. What should you do to keep abreast of these emerging technologies without feeling overwhelmed? You need to pause and breathe. . . Once you have caught your breath, begin to skim the information rather than attempting to read the entire document. Skimming the material can save time, energy, and lead to less frustration. I have found that following experts and professionals who you admire and respect on social media is a great way to keep abreast of emerging technologies. It helps to comment on articles that you found helpful online as well. I love my online and printed subscriptions to MIT Technology Review and Wired magazines. They are great publications that are on the Emerging Library Technologies DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102253-5.00009-5
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forefront of emerging technologies. I receive CNET updates in my email and so I look at the titles and decide if there are any articles that interest me and if so, I skim, or read them in their entirety. TechCrunch, the Verge, Mashable Technology, and Gizmodo are some of the online websites that I enjoy reading immensely. I have included a list below of some of my favorite technology resources as a starting point for you as you begin to peruse and compile your own to keep you informed of emerging technologies. As you research some of these exciting and engaging emerging technologies, you will find that you prefer some more than others. However, have fun and enjoy the ride. As you come across resources that you like, feel free to tweet me: @ida_joiner.
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MIT Tech Review—Provides expertly written articles on breakthrough technologies and advancements. https://www.technologyreview.com Wired—Focuses on how emerging technologies affect culture, the economy, and politics. https://www.wired.com Futurism—Great technology resource that features how science and technology will shape our future. https://futurism.com Business Insider—Great resource not purely technical but a great place to obtain business, financial, and other types of information overall. http://www.businessinsider.com Gizmodo— Covers a plethora of great futuristic technology topics. https://gizmodo.com TechCrunch—Great resource for learning about startup technologies and the future. https://techcrunch.com Mashable Technology—Technology news and articles from the global Mashable news media giant. https://mashable.com/category/tech/ CNET—Provides tech product reviews, news, articles, blogs, podcasts, prices, videos, forums, how-to on technology, and consumer electronics globally. https://www.cnet.com The Guardian Technology—Features technology news from The Guardian news giant. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/all The Economist Technology—Technology news and articles from The Economist news. https://www.economist.com/topics/technology Bloomberg Technology—Technology section featuring news and articles from Bloomberg news. https://www.bloomberg.com/technology
Keeping Abreast of Emerging Technologies
•
179
The Verge—Features articles on some of the latest tech news about the world’s best (and sometimes worst) hardware, apps, and much more. https://www.theverge.com/tech
PODCASTS Information on any topic that you can listen to while driving, cleaning, cooking, or other things • Top Technology Podcasts—www.themuse.com • Ted Talks—https://www.ted.com/read/ted-podcasts • Futuropolis (popular science)—https://www.popsci.com/authors/ futuropolis • Stuff from the future (How Stuff Works)—https://shows.howstuffworks.com/stuff-from-the-future-podcast.htm Social Media—follow the experts, topics, companies, technologies through social media. • Twitter—https://twitter.com • Facebook—https://www.facebook.com • LinkedIn—https://www.linkedin.com
BOOKS • • • • • •
Browse the technology and engineering sections of bookstores to locate new technology books. Search Amazon for your favorite technology topics. Search publisher websites for new books in technologies that you are interested (MIT Press, Elsevier, Libraries Unlimited, O’Reilly). Visit your local public library and search the collection either in person or online. Download ebooks. Download free samples of ebooks from online stores and publishers.
TREND REPORTS Trend reports are great for following technology trends. If you can’t afford to purchase some of the expensive ones, you can download the summaries. • ALA Center for the Future of Libraries. Trends. (http://www.ala.org/ tools/future/trends) • LITA Top Tech Trends (www.ala.org/lita/about//committees/lit-ttt)
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Emerging Library Technologies
NMC New Media Consortium—Horizon Report (www.nmc.org) Pew Research Center: Internet, Science and Tech (www.pewinternet. org) Gartner’s Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies (www.gartner.com/ technology/research/methodologies/hypcycle.jsp)
ATTEND CONFERENCES • • •
American Library Association (ALA) (http://www.ala.org) Library and Information Technology Association (LITA) (http:// www.ala.org/lita/) Consumer Electronics Show (CES, the “World’s Biggest Tech Show”) (https://www.ces.tech)
CONSORTIUMS AND GROUPS • • •
Meetup groups (meetup.com—enter your zip code to find events). Attend local events. Attend events at colleges and universities.
CONCLUSION All of these resources are available to keep you abreast of emerging technologies so that you can learn, inform, and assist others who want information on emerging technologies. As the technology continues to grow at a rapid pace, just remember to stop, breathe, and skim. I hope that you enjoyed reading this book as much as I did writing it. Feel free to email me at [email protected] to let me know what suggestions you have for improving this book and to tell me how your emerging library technology projects are coming along.
INDEX Note: Page numbers followed by “f ” refer to figures.
A Academic librarians, 85 86 Adaptive cruise control, 9, 71 Additive manufacturing, 130, 148 Additive process, 130 131 Aerospace industry, 3D printing in, 139 140 Agriculture big data in, 101 drones in, 54 55 AirBnBs, 81 Airline industry, driverless vehicles in, 81 Akouphone, 156 Allstate, 6 7 Alphabet, 75 Amazon, 55, 98 American Sign Language (ASL), 162 Androids, 24 25 Antilock brake systems (ABS), 70 71 Apple, 78 Apple Watch, 156 Arapahoe Colorado Libraries, 59 Architectural firms, 3D printing in, 140 Artificial emotional intelligence, 8 Artificial Intelligence (AI), 1 3, 1f, 28, 72 artificial emotional intelligence, 8 challenges and opportunities for, 10 inaccurate data, 11 massive unemployment, 11 safety and security, 10 unethical use of data, 11 considerations for implementation, 17 19 deep learning, 5 6 history of, 3 4 industries impacted by, 9 10 internships/mentorships, 15 job retraining, 15 16 in libraries, 14 machine learning, 6 8 machine translation technology (MT), 8
market for, 4 in medicine, 13 in music, 13 14 opportunities for, 11 12 role of libraries, 14 15 speech recognition technology, 8 AskNAO, 33 Audi, 77 Augmented reality (AR), 111 112 brief history of, 114 Austrian balloons, 47 Auto repair/auto parts/auto dealerships/oil change/car washes/driver schools, 79 Automatic game playing, 6 Automatic machine translation, 5 Autonomous car. See Driverless vehicles
B Baidu, 78 Banking industry, big data in, 101 Berkeley Institute for Data Sciences (BIDS), 102 Big data, 95 96 applications of, 97 98 challenges, 98 100 data privacy and security, 99 data quality, 100 errors in analysis and prediction, 99 pressing challenges, 100 relevancy and redundancy, 99 robust processing power, 99 speed of data transfer rate, 99 volume and transfer speed, 99 considerations for implementation, 106 107 Harvard University Library Analytics Toolkit, 103 history of, 97 implications for libraries, 101 102
181
182
Index
Big data (Continued) industries impacted by, 101 library examples, 102 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) libraries, 104 New York University’s Elmer Holmes Bobst Library, 103 opportunities for, 100 forecasting, 100 identifying student risk, 100 increase of competitive advantage, 100 new products and services, 100 size, 96 University of California Berkeley libraries, 102 103 University of Michigan Library, 104 105 BMW, 77
C California Policy Lab, 103 CancerLinQ, 98 Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, 35 36 Character text generation, 6 Chicago Public Library, 34 35 China, 27 Cline Library MakerLab, Northern Arizona University, 145 146 Colgate University Library, 61 Collaborative filtering algorithms, 10 Compound annual growth rate (CAGR), 4 Computer games, 6 Computer-aided design (CAD), 130, 132 Computer-powered devices, 156 Cortana, 7 Cutting-edge technologies, 3
D Da Vinci robots, 31 Da Vinci’s design, 72 Daimler-Mercedes Benz, 76 Dartmouth Conference of 1956, 3 4 Data-driven decision making, 105 Deep Blue Data, 104 Deep learning, 5 6 Deep reinforcement learning, 6
DeepMind, 6, 10 DH.82B Queen Bee, 47 Dickmanns’ design, 72 73 Digital artificial intelligence interface 3D rendering, 4f Digital hearing aids, 156 Digital light projection printers, 132 Digital Media Commons, 60 Doctor-controlled robots, 30 Drive Pilot system, 76 Driverless trucks, 173 175 Driverless vehicles, 69 94 accessibility, 84 Apple, 78 Audi, 77 Baidu, 78 BMW, 77 brief history of, 72 73 challenges, 82 83 job losses, 82 83 pricing, 82 safety, 82 challenges and opportunities for, 82 considerations for implementation, 88 90 Daimler-Mercedes Benz, 76 environmental, 84 Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), 76 77 Ford, 77 78 General Motors (GM), 78 industries impacted by, 79 82 internships/mentorships, 85 job retraining, 85 86 NVIDIA, 78 opportunities, 83 84 Porsche/Huawei, 76 role of libraries, 84 safety, 83 84 self-driving car major players, 74 self-driving car market, 73 74 Tesla, 75 76 Uber, 75 Volkswagon, 76 Volvo, 77 Waymo, 75 weather conditions, 83
Index
Drones, 45 46 applications of, 53 54 Arapahoe Colorado Libraries, 59 brief history of, 47 challenges and opportunities for, 51 adult retraining, 53 collaborations, 52 53 costs, 51 delivery, 53 rules and regulations, 51 52 safety, 52 steep learning curve, 52 training of students for STEM/ STEAM careers, 53 Colgate University Library, 61 considerations for implementation, 64 66 in entertainment, 54 features in common, 51 fixed wing drones, 51 Georgia Highlands College (GHC) Library, 60 hexacopter, 49 50 IDAHO schools and libraries, 61 62 Joint Library of Broward College & Florida Atlantic University, 59 60 in libraries, 58 Mandel Public Library in West Palm Beach Florida, 59 octocopters, 50 51 Ohio Wesleyan University, 61 quadcopters, 48 49 tricopters, 48 types, 47 multirotor drones, 48 single rotor drones, 48 University of South Florida (USF) Library, 60
E Education industry big data in, 101 drones in, 56 57 robots in, 31 33 3D printers in, 140 141 Eldercare, 82 Electronic stability control (ESC), 70 71
183
Emerging library technologies, 169 176 Emotion AI, 8 e-NABLE, 138 Engineering, drones in, 56 EnList (Entrepreneurial Leadership), 57 Entertainment artificial intelligence in, 10 drones in, 54 ExOne, 134
F Facebook, 7, 98 FFF (fused filament fabrication), 133 Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), 76 77 Filament-based 3D printers, 133 Fitness trackers, 157 Fixed wing drones, 51 Flying robot, 46 Ford, 77 78
G GE, 142 General Motors (GM), 78 “Futurama”, 72 Georgetown University Gelardin Library, 122 Georgia Highlands College (GHC) Library, 60 Gizmodo, 178 Google, 3, 115 Google Maps, 7 Google Search, 7 Google self-driving project, 75 Google Translate, 8 GPS sensing knowledge, 71
H Harvard University Library Analytics Toolkit, 103 Hawthorn, 138 Head-mounted display (HMD), 113 Head-mounted displays (HMDs)/virtual reality, 157 Headsight, 114 Health and social service care, 7 Healthcare
184
Index
Healthcare (Continued) big data in, 101 driverless vehicles in, 82 robots in, 30 31 3D printing for, 137 138 Hearing aid, 156 Hewitt-Sperry Automatic Airplane, 47 Hexacopter, 49 50 Home-based robotics, 9 HP (Hewlett-Packard), 134 HTC, 116 Huawei, 76 Humanoid robots, 24 Humanoids, 32 Hybrid 3D printers, 133
I
Joint Library of Broward College & Florida Atlantic University, 59 60
K K-12 STEM education grant, 57 K-12 students, 173 175
L Law enforcement, 55, 81, 138 Law enforcement agencies, 98 Legal issues, 125, 173 Lego Mindstorms, 33 LEGO robots, 34 Library Analytics Toolkit, 103 Library Digital Heritage and Humanities Collections (DHHC), 60 Library Retrieval System (LRS), 37 Linrrican Wonder, 72 Lyst, 8
IDAHO schools and libraries, 61 62 Image caption generation, 6 Implantables, 157 Industrial robots, 26 Industries impacted by Artificial Intelligence, 9 10 education, 9 10 employment/job retraining/workforce development, 9 entertainment, 10 healthcare, 9 home-based robotics, 9 impoverished/low-resource communities, 10 public safety/law enforcement/security, 9 transportation, 9 Industries impacted by big data, 101 Industries impacted by driverless cars, 79 82 Insurance, 6 7, 79 Intelligence, defined, 1 2 Intelligent robots, 25 International Data Corporation (IDC), 4 Internships/mentorships, 15, 85 iRobot, 31
Machine learning, 6 8, 12 Machine translation technology (MT), 8 “Made in China 2025”, 27 Makerbot, 134 MakerLab, 145 146, 147f MakerSpace, 148f Mandel Public Library in West Palm Beach Florida, 59 Marketing, 172 Mashable Technology, 178 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) libraries, 104 Medical industry artificial intelligence in, 13, 13f drones in, 56 3D printing for, 130, 137 138 Military, robots in, 31 Motion tracking HMD, 114 Multicopters, 48 Multirotor drones, 48 Music, artificial intelligence in, 13 14, 14f MyMINIFactory, 136
J
N
Job retraining, 15 16, 85 86
NASA, 136
M
Index
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 70 Natural intelligence (NI), 2 Netflix, 7 8 New York University (NYU) Elmer Holmes Bobst Library, 103 Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), 57 NIH, 136 9/11 terrorist attacks, 47 North Carolina State University (NCSU) Libraries, 121 Nuremberg eggs, 156 NVIDIA, 78
O Object classification in photographs, 5 Object detection, 6 Octocopters, 50 51 Oculus, 116 Oculus’s Rift, 162 Ohio Wesleyan University, 61 Organovo Holding, Inc., 137
P Palm Beach Drones in West Palm Beach Florida, 59 Panoramic paintings from the nineteenth century, 113 Parking lots, 81 Partnerships, establishing, 172 PayPal, 7 Peters Township Public Library, 35 Photography, drones for, 55 Photos, 146 Podcasts, 179 Porsche/Huawei, 76 Powder-based 3D printers, 132 Progressive, 6 7 Prosthetics, 137 138 Public safety/law enforcement/security, 9 Public/on-demand transportation, 80 Pygmalion’s Spectacle, 113
Q Quadcopters, 48 49
185
R Radical Robots program series, 34 Ralph W. Steen Library, 147 148 Rand Corporation, 83 84 Rapid prototyping (RP) technologies, 131 Real estate sites, drones in, 55 Remote instruction, teaching through, 33 RepRap, 134 Research Data Services, 104 105 Resin-based 3D printers, 132 Risk management, 171 Robot, defined, 24 25 Robot Noah, 23 Robot Raceway, 35 Robotics, 6, 23 44 brief history of, 26 Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, 35 36 challenges, 27 autonomy for medical robotics, 29 brain computer interfaces, 28 29 costs, 28 decision-making, 28 job losses, 27 lack empathy and ethics, 28 safety, 28 steep learning curve, 28 training, 28 Chicago Public Library, 34 35 considerations for implementing, 39 40 in education, 31 33 in healthcare, 30 31 in libraries, 34 market for, 26 27 opportunities for, 27 30 assisting the elderly robots, 29 greater return on investment (ROI), 29 interacting with others, 29 job gains, 30 job retraining, 29 mundane, boring, repetitive tasks, 30 safety and security, 29 STEM/STEAM opportunities, 29 Peters Township Public Library, 35 Seattle Public Library (SPL), 36 University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) Library, 37
186
Index
Robotics (Continued) University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) FabLab, 37 University of Texas at Arlington Library, 36 37 Westport Connecticut Library, 35 Wilson (CT) Public Library, 36 Robots in delivery, 31 Robots in military, 31 Ruston Proctor Aerial, 47 Ryerson University Library & Archives Digital Media Experience Lab, 162
S Samsung, 116 San Jose Library, 122 Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), 33, 62 63, 141 STEM careers, 85 teaching and learning, 57 Science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) careers, 15, 62 63, 85 Seattle Public Library (SPL), 36 Self-driving cars, 6, 69f, 72 major players, 74 market, 73 74 Sensorama, 113 Single rotor drones, 48 SIRI, 3, 7 Slicing software, 131 Smart clothing, 158 Smart jewelry, 157 Smart robots, 25 Smartphones, 76, 157 Smartwatches, 7, 155, 158 Sony, 115 116 Sony PlayStations, 119 120 Speech recognition technology, 8 Spotify, 8 Staffing, 124, 150, 172 173 Stakeholder buy in check list, 175 Stakeholders, 169 175 audience K-12 students, 173 175 truckers and autonomous vehicles, 173 175
budget, 171 engaging, 169 171 establishing partnerships, 172 marketing, 172 potential legal issues, 173 risk management, 171 staffing, 172 173 timeline for implementing technologies, 171 172 training, 172 State Farm, 6 7 STEM/STEAM careers training of students for, 117 Stephen F. Austin State University, Ralph W. Steen Library, 147 148 STL (Surface Tessellation Language or STereoLithography), 130 Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry techniques, 60 Students with autism, teaching, 32 Surgical robots, 9, 31 “Sword of Damocles”, 114 System-wide robotics programming, 34
T Tatiana, 23 2 Taz Lulzbot 3D printers, 147 Technology initiatives, 172 173 Technopedia, 112 Telepresence, 32 Tesla, 75 76 Thingiverse, 136 3D consumer printer, 133 134 popular 3D printer manufacturers, 133 134 3D MakerSpace at Ralph W. Steen Library, 148f 3D printing, 129 154 applications of, 137 brief history of, 131 132 challenges for, 134 135 copyright/intellectual property, 135 costs, 134 equipment failure, 135 expertise, 135 illegal use, 134 135 liability, 135
Index
limited materials, 134 loss of jobs, 135 print time, 130 steep learning curve, 135 Cline Library MakerLab, Northern Arizona University, 145 146 considerations for implementation, 149 150 in libraries, 142 market, 132 medicine/healthcare, 137 138 opportunities for, 136 137 access to new technology, 136 availability of free 3D modeling templates, 136 careers in STEM and STEAM areas, 136 137 costs, 136 entrepreneurs creating home businesses, 136 printing food, 136 printing of prosthetic limbs, organs, and other medical uses, 136 printing of spare parts for various devices, 136 product prototyping, 137 photos, 146 retail, 138 139 aerospace, 139 140 architecture, 140 education, 140 141 manufacturing, 141 142 Stephen F. Austin State University, Ralph W. Steen Library, 147 148 3D consumer printer, 133 134 popular 3D printer manufacturers, 133 134 Touro College School of Health Sciences, 142 144 types, 132 133 filament-based 3D printers, 133 hybrid 3D printers, 133 powder-based 3D printers, 132 resin-based 3D printers, 132 working of, 130 131 3D Systems, 133 Three Laws of Robotics, 26
187
“3Vs” of data management, 96 Touro College School of Health Sciences, 142 144 Training, providing, 172 Transportation industry, big data in, 101 Tricopters, 48 Truckers and autonomous vehicles, 173 175
U Uber, 6 7, 75, 80 UberEats, 80 UC Berkeley D-Lab, 102 Ultimaker, 134 Ultimate Display, 114 Unemployment, artificial intelligence and, 11 Unimation, 26 United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), 73 Universal Orlando Resort Water Park, 161 University of California Berkeley libraries, 102 103 University of California San Diego Healthcare wearable technology applications, 161 162 University of Michigan Library, 104 105 University of Oklahoma Libraries, 121 University of South Florida (USF) Library, 60 University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) Library, 37 University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) FabLab, 37 University of Texas at Arlington Library, 36 37 Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). See Drones Unmanned ground vehicle. See Driverless vehicles
V VaMoRs, 72 73 The Verge, 178 Vex Robotics, 33 Vietnam War, 47
188
Index
View-Master stereoscope, 113 Virtual orchestras, 13 Virtual reality (VR), 111 brief history of, 113 114 first VR head-mounted display (1960), 113 Headsight (1961), 114 Morton Helig’s Sensorama (1950s), 113 panoramic paintings from the nineteenth century, 113 science fiction story predicted VR (1930s), 113 stereoscopic photos and viewers (1838), 113 Ultimate Display by Ivan Sutherland (1965), 114 in libraries, 120 122 Georgetown University Gelardin Library, 122 North Carolina State University (NCSU), 121 San Jose Library, 122 University of Oklahoma Libraries, 121 Virtual reality/augmented reality (VR/ AR) applications of, 118 120 in customer service, 120 in education, 119 120 in entertainment, 120 in medicine and healthcare, 118 119 challenges for, 116 117 costs, 116 health issues, 116 117 steep learning curve, 117 considerations for implementation, 124 125 major players for, 115 116 Google, 115 HTC, 116 Oculus, 116 Samsung, 116 Sony, 115 116 market for, 115 opportunities for, 117 118 adult retraining, 117 118 collaborations, 117 costs, 117
fun to use, 117 training of students for STEM/ STEAM careers, 117 Virtual tourism, 113 Voice recognition technology. See Speech recognition technology Volker Sick, 105 Volkswagon, 76 Volvo, 77
W Waymo, 75 Wearable gadgets. See Wearable technologies Wearable technologies, 155 156 brief history of, 156 challenges for, 158 159 access to new technology, 159 160 battery life, 158 159 careers in STEM and STEAM areas, 160 ease of use/learning curve, 159 entrepreneurs creating home businesses, 160 loss of jobs, 158 policies, 159 price, 158 security and privacy, 159 steep learning curve, 158 considerations for implementation, 163 165 implications for, in libraries, 160 161 in libraries, 161 162 Ryerson University Library & Archives Digital Media Experience Lab, 162 Universal Orlando Resort Water Park, 161 University of California San Diego Healthcare wearable technology applications, 161 162 market for, 156 157 opportunities, 159 160 types of, 157 158 Westport Connecticut Library, 35 Wildlife and animals protection, by drones, 56 Wilson (CT) Public Library, 36