Annotated Bibliography of Steve Mann’s Articles
Mann, Steve Manders, Corey Belmellat, Billal Kansal, Mohit and Chen, Daniel. “Steps towards “undigital’ intelligent image processing: Real-valued image coding of photoquantimetric pictures into the JLM file format for Compression of Portable Lightspace Maps.”
This article examines file formats employed in image compression by offering a solution to address the need for real coding and file formats. The author recognizes the recent advancement in the intelligent signal processing which have enabled capture of high dynamic images. These images are as an array of real numbers instead of the current convention of integers. Further, the author argues that the real value data should be presented in a linear photo quantity in order to limit instances of image misinterpretation, which occurs when a display’s dynamic range non-linear expander and a camera’s non-linear dynamic range compressor do not match. The author settles by presenting two novels of images that are Portable Lightspace Map (PLM) and JPEG Lightspace Map (JLM) that is a compressed version of the former. The article concludes that the creation of the JLM, Lightspace file sizes can be adopted for everyday use by the computing community because of its manageability.
Mann, Steve. “Smart Clothing”: Wearable Multimedia Computing and “Personal Imaging” to Restore the Technological Balance Between People and Their Environments.
The article argues that current personal computers have failed to become part of our daily lives. As a result, the author attempts to investigate other developments that would enable computers to be much closer to the user. Further, the articles investigate whether the present day technology can enable multimedia computing into our daily lives. In a bid to find a solution to the present problems in the media computing, the author proposes the use a personal wearable multimedia computer, with a head mounted camera. This gadget would bring computers much closer to the service of man. The integration of the computer use into human daily would extend beyond the current trends in which computers are as close as desks or laps. The author concludes “Smart Clothing” would improve the practical utility of personal computers. This advancement is possible; nevertheless the author suggest that much research is would be useful in actualizing this theory.
Mann, Steve and Picard, W. Rosalind. “On being “Undigital” with digital cameras: Extending Dynamic Range by Combining Differently Exposed Pictures.” M.I.T Media Laboratory Perceptual Computing Section Technical Report No.TR-323. 1995.
Mann, Steve Nolan, Jason and Wellman, Barry. Sousveillance: Inventing and Using Wearable Computing Devices for Data Collection in Surveillance Environments. Surveillance & Society 1(3): 331-355.
Mann, Steve. Wearable Computer: A First Step Toward Personal Imaging. MIT Media Lab, 2007
The article explores the developments in the computing industry that have enabled the wearing of systems that are nearly invisible thereby enabling free interaction. The wearable devices enable free interaction as well as relying of information from wherever one is. The experiments conducting about the wearable devices seem to suggest that the device is much like a portable brain. However, the study intends to identify challenges associated with the development of wearable devices as well as the viability in delivering the intended purpose. The author seems to relate his interest in visual art, and integration of concepts of visual art would affect the features of the wearable computer. The author asserts that the features of the wearable computers are related to elements of visual art. In conclusion, the author settles that the development of wearable computers has borrowed several principles of visual art.
Summary
In article one, the argument presented by the author settles that a lot of technological advancement seems to be taking shape in the computing industry. Such developments have enabled the creation of new images or pictures. The movement from the analogue to the digital era has influenced the development of a mechanism of viewing both analogue images in a single picture. The real value data should be presented in linear photo-quantity in order limit the misinterpretation of pictures and images. The research in this area is critical in developing a mechanism of treating surveillance data.
In the second article, the central argument presented is that the personal computers have failed to address the concerns of man. The proposal, to create smart wearing, aims at addressing the need for portable computers that are similar to cellular phones. The experiments conducted in relation to this proposal explored both ethical and social concerns as well as technological aspects that would affect this development. However, this development would elicit increased utility of computers. Research and development in this area seems to such that the proposal is viable. While such gains would be useful, actualizing this technology would elicit borrowing ideas from visual art.
In the third article, the principle argument is that combination of multiple digital images of different exposure is possible. In the digital era, the use of digital camera sets a new precedent in the photo production. Arguably, the development has created the need to combine different exposed pictures to produce a single picture for practical use. The technology applied in digital cameras enables the combination of pictures of varied dynamic range without necessarily involving human intervention.
In the fourth article, the author points of the challenges associated with collection surveillance data especially when the worker knows that the gadgets are monitoring them. This challenge calls for the development of inverse surveillance in order to counter the organizational surveillance. The article concludes that incorporation of this technology in the computers is possible. Moreover, it would provide a remedy to the present challenges faced in organizations.
Finally, the technological advancement coupled with sophisticated human needs necessitates the development of the wearable computers. The wearable computers are like cellular phones. Critics contend the wearable computers borrow a number of features in the visual arts (Mann 2007, 25. These features would improve the utility of the computers. Nevertheless, embracing the wearable computers would elicit ethical and social concerns.
Further research is critical in advancing the present proposals. While the society embrace technological advancement, studies on better ways to improve the existing technologies are critical. Additionally, viability of the proposed research largely depends on control factors that influence the outcome of the research. Although the proposals are sound, validations of these ideas are instrumental in the implementation process.
References
Mann, Steve Manders, Corey Belmellat, Billal Kansal, Mohit and Chen, Daniel. “Steps towards “undigital’ intelligent image processing: Real-valued image coding of photoquantimetric pictures into the JLM file format for Compression of Portable Lightspace Maps.”
Mann, Steve. “Smart Clothing”: Wearable Multimedia Computing and “Personal Imaging” to Restore the Technological Balance Between People and Their Environments.
Mann, Steve and Picard, W. Rosalind. “On being “Undigital” with digital cameras: Extending Dynamic Range by Combining Differently Exposed Pictures.” M.I.T Media Laboratory Perceptual Computing Section Technical Report No.TR-323. 1995.
Mann, Steve, Nolan, Jason and Wellman, Barry. Sousveillance: Inventing and Using Wearable
Computing Devices for Data Collection in Surveillance Environments. Surveillance & Society, 1(3): 331-355.
Mann, Steve. Wearable Computer: A First Step Toward Personal Imaging. MIT Media Lab, 2007.
