Man vs. Machine Technology continues to advance at a rapid pace. It may sound quaint today, but not so long ago, computers battled humans for supremacy at the game of chess. The challenge of building a computer program capable of defeating the best of human-kind at chess was one of the original grand challenges of the fledgling field of artificial intelligence. On one side were dedicated scientists and hobbyists who invested decades of effort developing the software and hardware technology; on the other side were incredibly talented humans with only their determination and preparation to withstand the onslaught of technology. The man versus machine battle in chess is a landmark in the history of technology. There are numerous books that document the technical aspects of this epic story. The human side is not often told. Few chess players are inclined to write about their man-machine encounters, other than annotating the games played. This book brings the two sides together. It tells the stories of many of the key scientists and chess players that participated in a 50-year research project to advance the understanding of computing technology. “Grandmaster Karsten Müller and Professor Jonathan Schaeffer have managed to describe the fascinating history of the unequal fight of man against machine in an entertaining and instructive way. It evoked pleasant and not so pleasant memories of my own fights against the monsters. I hope that their work gives you as much pleasure as it has given me.” – From the Foreword by Vladimir Kramnik, 14th World Chess Champion
Fifteen original tales envision ever-more sophisticated technology-and the repercussions on humankind... As our world and daily lives become more and more involved with and dependent on complex technology, concern over what the future holds increases. If computers develop genuine Artificial Intelligence will they still willingly serve humankind? If the machines rebel, can we shut them down? And what kind of world would we be left with if we did? These are just a few of the questions explored in fifteen brand-new stories by some of science fiction's most visionary minds-inventive and cautionary tales about some of the futures we may be building for ourselves right now.
Practical, up-to-date coverage for a new generation of engineering and management professionals. Lawrence S. Aft s Productivity, Measurement, and Improvement has long served as a seminal reference for students and professionals in industrial engineering, quality management, and other related fields. Now Work Measurement and Methods Improvement brings his work right up to date with the demands of today s rapidly changing marketplace, where work measurement and methods improvement have a vital role to play in improving quality and enhancing productivity in a wide range of industries. Accessible and easy to follow, this book presents solid, practical coverage of the key principles and practices of work measurement. It explains the purpose, use, advantages, and limitations of tools and methods for: * Work analysis including graphical productivity analysis and work methods improvement * Product measurement from time study and standard data systems to work sampling and labor reporting issues * Product improvement ergonomics, incentive systems, continuous improvement, process improvement, and more With straightforward examples, chapter-end summaries, review questions, and practice exercises that emphasize the application of fundamental concepts, Work Measurement and Methods Improvement is an essential reference for current and future professionals who must do the work and manage the process to achieve better quality, higher productivity, and powerhouse performance for their organization.
Bridge Today Digest recently celebrated its first anniversary (and 100th issue) as an Internet-based 'bridgezine'. It is renowned for its practical advice, its wonderful bridge stories, and the wry humour and personal touch of its editors. For this collection, they have selected the very best pieces from their first year, and come up with a compendium that every bridge player can read, enjoy, and learn from. It includes short pieces from world-renowned writers, questions and comments from readers (and the editors' responses to them ), and a wealth of fascinating hands, anecdotes and advice from the editors.
Concepts in Computing provides a clear, concise introduction to the fundamentals of computer science. The author generates excitement, curiosity, and enthusiasm in students and leaves them with a desire to learn more about the fascinating world of computing. The text identifies the important relationship between computing and the disciplines of engineering and mathematics. It focuses on the three important areas of Software/Programming/Design, Computer Systems/Architecture, and Theoretical Foundations. It is clear that students learn faster, and retain and integrate knowledge more efficiently, if they see how each subject area connects with, and is interdependent upon others. Concepts in Computing sets a solid foundation for introductory students and is a useful companion to those entering introductory programming courses.
A guide to creating "ever-cool" entertainment. An asset to entertainment executives or anyone aiming to create the next big hit, this book offers guidelines for developing concepts and marketing blockbusters. Whether it is a best-selling novel, a video game, or a high-tech toy, blockbusters play a big part in American society. Despite the prominence of these breakthrough hits, most entertainment ventures do not survive in today's competitive market. This guide identifies the key principles that will ensure lasting success.
Late in 2017, the global significance of the conversation about artificial intelligence (AI) changed forever. China put the world on alert when it released a plan to dominate all aspects of AI across the planet. Only weeks later, Vladimir Putin raised a Russian red flag in response by declaring AI the future for all humankind, and proclaiming that, "Whoever becomes the leader in this sphere will become the ruler of the world." The race was on. Consistent with their unique national agendas, countries throughout the world began plotting their paths and hurrying their pace. Now, not long after, the race has become a sprint. Despite everything at stake, to most of us AI remains shrouded by a cloud of mystery and misunderstanding. Hidden behind complicated and technical jargon and confused by fantastical depictions of science fiction, the modern realities of AI and its profound implications are hard to decipher, but crucial to recognize. In T-Minus AI: Humanity's Countdown to Artificial Intelligence and the New Pursuit of Global Power, author Michael Kanaan explains AI from a human-oriented perspective we can all finally understand. A recognized national expert and the U.S. Air Force's first Chairperson for Artificial Intelligence, Kanaan weaves a compelling new view on our history of innovation and technology to masterfully explain what each of us should know about modern computing, AI, and machine learning. Kanaan also dives into the global implications of AI by illuminating the cultural and national vulnerabilities already exposed and the pressing issues now squarely on the table. AI has already become China's all-purpose tool to impose its authoritarian influence around the world. Russia, playing catch up, is weaponizing AI through its military systems and now infamous, aggressive efforts to disrupt democracy by whatever disinformation means possible. America and like-minded nations are awakening to these new realities—and the paths they're electing to follow echo loudly the political foundations and, in most cases, the moral imperatives upon which they were formed. As we march toward a future far different than ever imagined, T-Minus AI is fascinating and crucially well-timed. It leaves the fiction behind, paints the alarming implications of AI for what they actually are, and calls for unified action to protect fundamental human rights and dignities for all.
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The objectives of Human Reliability are to build reliability into the job, into the machine, and into the environment, and to let man perform naturally. In this book the author shows how these objectives can be achieved by concentrating on human reliability issues during the design stage. This is done by illustrating the relationships between various design features and some aspect of human performance, e.g. human errors. The book is designed as a practical guide to the daily performance of tasks in Human Reliability as well as a general reference and tutorial introduction to the field. It is therefore both practical and theoretical: the first four chapters focus on principles and ramifications relevant to human error prevention; the latter four are primarily concerned with human reliability analysis and prediction methodology. Throughout the book there are extensive references, numerous ready-to-use recommendations, formulas and mathematical models, and computer programs for human reliability work for analyzing, predicting and preventing human errors in a variety of situations. Though some of the material requires undergraduate training in engineering, the more difficult mathematical expositions can be omitted without loss of continuity, but are available for the reader who needs a more complete understanding of the relevant theory.
The bold and boundlessly original debut novel from the Oscar®-winning screenwriter of Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Synecdoche, New York. LONGLISTED FOR THE CENTER FOR FICTION FIRST NOVEL PRIZE • “A dyspeptic satire that owes much to Kurt Vonnegut and Thomas Pynchon . . . propelled by Kaufman’s deep imagination, considerable writing ability and bull’s-eye wit."—The Washington Post “An astonishing creation . . . riotously funny . . . an exceptionally good [book].”—The New York Times Book Review • “Kaufman is a master of language . . . a sight to behold.”—NPR NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR AND MEN’S HEALTH B. Rosenberger Rosenberg, neurotic and underappreciated film critic (failed academic, filmmaker, paramour, shoe salesman who sleeps in a sock drawer), stumbles upon a hitherto unseen film made by an enigmatic outsider—a film he’s convinced will change his career trajectory and rock the world of cinema to its core. His hands on what is possibly the greatest movie ever made—a three-month-long stop-motion masterpiece that took its reclusive auteur ninety years to complete—B. knows that it is his mission to show it to the rest of humanity. The only problem: The film is destroyed, leaving him the sole witness to its inadvertently ephemeral genius. All that’s left of this work of art is a single frame from which B. must somehow attempt to recall the film that just might be the last great hope of civilization. Thus begins a mind-boggling journey through the hilarious nightmarescape of a psyche as lushly Kafkaesque as it is atrophied by the relentless spew of Twitter. Desperate to impose order on an increasingly nonsensical existence, trapped in a self-imposed prison of aspirational victimhood and degeneratively inclusive language, B. scrambles to re-create the lost masterwork while attempting to keep pace with an ever-fracturing culture of “likes” and arbitrary denunciations that are simultaneously his bête noire and his raison d’être. A searing indictment of the modern world, Antkind is a richly layered meditation on art, time, memory, identity, comedy, and the very nature of existence itself—the grain of truth at the heart of every joke.
