E-volution

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E - volution Spring 2021

Journey to Mars

AI Integration

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Page 16

Delivery Drones Page 10

Screen Development Page 22

THE Team t eam .e_volu t ion @lasaezin e.or g to you

E - volution Dear Reader,

We created this magazine to showcase some facets of new, evolving technology that may be just around the corner. Each of us has chosen a topic to explore, and we hope to share some of what we?ve learned with you. Our magazine ranges from rovers in the depths of outer space to drones much closer to home, and more established technologies like artificial intelligence and electronic screens. The creation of this magazine has also given us a chance to research our interests more in-depth and ask professionals the questions we?ve always wanted to, an opportunity we?ve enjoyed.

The creation of this magazine has been quite a journey; it took some time for us to find a central topic we could all find something interesting in, and some of us changed topics a few times. We?ve also spent some time rearranging the sections, trying to find an order that made sense. Then, of course, we had the long process of finding interviews, writing stories, and making graphics. If you?re reading this, it means we?ve successfully finished with our sanity mostly intact!

We?re quite pleased with how our magazine looks; none of us consider ourselves to be particularly artistic, but it?s turned out alright, in our biased opinions. Please enjoy the vector graphics; their creation sucked out Saffron?s soul, and she?s now a hollow shell of her former self.

The topics we picked are somewhat tricky to write about since much of the technology is still in development, so part of our topics are still speculative -- the speculation of others, mind you, but speculation nonetheless. We?re all introverts with more STEM-oriented interests, as clearly evidenced by our topics, so getting interviews and putting the magazine together has been a challenge. We hope our efforts have paid off. We would also like to thank our Electronic Magazine teacher, Kevin Garcia, for teaching us the different aspects of making a magazine. His advice has been invaluable and has made the process a lot smoother. We?ve put a lot of time and energy into this magazine, so we hope you enjoy it. If it were a YouTube video, we?d ask you to like and subscribe to help us out, but as this is for no monetary gain, you taking the time to read and enjoy it is greatly be appreciated.

Sincerely,

Carter Brooks, Saffron Liu, JJSurigao, and Tristan Tan

E-volution | Letter From the Editors | 1

Table of Cont ent Letter from the Editors - 1 Table of Contents - 2 Crossing the Void - 4 Takeoff! - 8 Drones-To-Go - 10 Timeline of Communication - 14

M

D

S

Lo

C

2 | Table of Contents | E-volution

ts

Man and Machine: Mind Meld - 16

Demystifying the Codes - 20

Scrying Screens - 22

oad the Code - 26

Credits - 28

E-volution | Table of Contents | 3

Cr ossing t he Void The problems of going to M ars and how we'll solve them

By Carter Brooks

O

Image courtesy of NASA

ver fifty years ago, two men

away, it takes a minimum of six

just one singular view of how the first

became the first to walk on the

months just to get there with current

manned mission will play out, and

surface of the Moon, marking a new

technology. The surface is also

multiple different groups have

chapter in history. Since then, the

inhospitable to human settlement,

different ideas for how humans will

sights of space exploration have been

with temperatures that can plummet

reach the dusty plains of Mars. Take

set much higher ? and much farther

to -243 degrees Fahrenheit and a

NASA, for example. Their ambitious

away ? to Earth?s nearest neighbor:

carbon-dioxide-rich atmosphere less

?Moon to Mars? program will see the

the planet Mars. Visiting the red

than 1% as thick as Earth?s. Despite

Moon transformed into a hub for

planet has long been a far off dream,

all of these major roadblocks, the

interplanetary travel, as well as a

confined to the realm of science

international community has decided

destination for refueling. Assuming

fiction. In recent years, however, the

that paying the planet a visit is worth

the plan?s first phase, the Artemis

prospect of a manned mission to

the risk because of everything it has

program, is a success, this will

Mars within the next few decades has

to teach us.

hopefully become a reality by the

increased every day due to our expanding knowledge of the planet, thanks to numerous robotic missions.

Government agencies and private businesses from all over the world have been working toward a common

That being said, there are still quite a

goal: make Mars a place where

few hurdles that need to be jumped

humans can live, and do it by the end

for such a mission to succeed. At an

of the century, at the latest.

average distance of 158 million miles

4 | Crossing the Void | E-volution

2030s. In contrast, the private company SpaceX prefers a more direct approach and plans on using their Starship rocket to fly straight from Earth to Mars. However, before any of these options can ever become a reality, there are a number

Even with this goal in mind, there isn?t

of obstacles that require immediate

attention.

architecture tends to break down.?

effects.

Of all the components that make up a

Scientists are unsure if astronauts on

As of now, the most effective method

Mars mission, the most dangerous is

hypothetical Mars missions will be

of combating these problems has

likely the journey itself. The farther away humans travel from Earth and the longer we spend in space, the more problems that begin to arise. A majority of these problems can be traced back to the body, which isn?t adapted to living in a Zero-G environment (that is, an environment without the usual pull of gravity experienced on Earth). Retired colonel John Allen, chief program executive for crew

been frequent exercise,

"

which has been put into

We don't really know [what'll happen] because we need to collect more data on the effects

- Melissa Pore, science teacher able to immediately stand up

"

effect aboard the International Space Station, where astronauts usually stay for a 6-month period. ?They exercise for two

and begin working once they reach

hours a day on board the space

the planet. After spending months in

station,? said Allen. ?It?s one of those

little to no gravity (G), there?s a

things that?s very deliberate to try and

chance that their bones could

keep them healthy.?

degrade to the point where they

Due to the station?s proximity to

would have to spend time adapting to

Earth, it?s much easier to both replace

the ? G of Mars, cutting down on the

broken equipment and deliver newer,

available time to complete their

more effective means of exercise for

objectives.

the astronauts to use. On a journey to

Another issue related to the absence

Mars though, such a luxury won?t be

of gravity in space has to do with

an option. The amount of space

balance. On Earth, under normal G, a

dedicated to such equipment will also

human?s sense of direction is

be much smaller, since a craft

determined by fluids in the vestibular

traveling between the two planets

system of the ear, with ?down? being

would have to carry everything

the direction the

needed for the

fluids are pulled in.

crew to remain

Astronauts lack a

healthy.

sense of direction in

?We have to look

?There are certain hazards and risks

space. This is due to

toward developing

that we look at that can potentially

those previously

exercise

impact the body, and we study those

mentioned fluids,

capabilities that

risks very diligently to see what might

which are left to float

will be equally

happen,? Allen said.

freely in microgravity

effective, and on a

environments.

much smaller

Because of this, the

platform,? Allen

body can?t determine

explained.

health and safety at NASA, has long been at the forefront of addressing these issues.

One particular area of concern is the human skeletal system. ?The bone itself has a lattice type of

its orientation,

architecture,? Allen said. ?We find

leading to nausea

that from being in spaceflight, that

and other similar

Another possible solution could

E-volution | Crossing the Void | 5

involve the use of more experimental

communication becomes delayed, so

the event of an emergency,

technology, though some

the ability to have frequent

Mission-inhibiting problems will have

current-day analogues can be found

interactions will be impacted

to be sorted out on-site without

in the pressure suits jet pilots wear.

significantly,? said Allen.

external aid.

?What I think is going

?We?re trying very hard to build

to help is some sort of

autonomous systems,? said Allen.

pressure suit that

?Not necessarily robotic, but we?re

mitigates the negative

working together with robotic

effects and

systems; systems that will use

counteracts them to

artificial intelligence and other

make it more

approaches to help the crew

Earth-like,? said

members be their own treatment

Melissa Pore, a

providers if something comes about.?

science and

If a crew wants to be at peak

engineering teacher at Bishop O?Connell High School in Arlington,

efficiency, it?s important to make sure Melissa Pore (center) with her students. Image courtesy of Bishop O'Connell High School.

Virginia.

Such a concept for a pressure suit has actually been tested in microgravity before. During his year in space, astronaut Scott Kelly took part in an experiment in which he

they?re well-fed. At the moment, solutions to the food problem are few

Radio waves travel at the speed of light, or approximately 671million miles per hour. As fast as this sounds, it still takes light just over 1second to reach the Moon from Earth. Now compare this to Mars, which is over a

and far between, though work is being done to tackle the issue. On the International Space Station, most rations are contained in closed bags with hot water being added to prepare them.

donned a pair of pressurized pants, normalizing the flow of blood in his legs and returning the sensation of gravity to his body. Similar technologies could be utilized to mitigate the effects of being in microgravity on the way to Mars.

In addition to the numerous physical problems that are

"

There are certain hazards and risks... that can potentially impact the body, and we study those risks very diligently to see what might happen - John Allen, NASA program executive

"

hundred times further away.

However, a mission to Mars could last

expected to occur, scientists are also

Messages sent by NASA to one of

years, and the viability of using

considering the possible side effects

their many robotic missions or

similar rations has been called into

a long-duration mission to Mars

satellites operating on Mars can take

question. As has been previously

could have on the mental well-being

upwards of 20 minutes just to travel

mentioned, storage space on a ship

of the crew. Chiefly among those is

one direction.

traveling to the red planet will need to

the issue of instant communication between Earth and Mars being impossible. ?As we start moving on to Mars, [our] 6 | Crossing the Void | E-volution

Since instant communication with mission control will be impossible, a crew traveling to Mars will only have themselves to immediately rely on in

be conserved, so dedicating a large portion of that space to food and water storage isn?t an option.

However, there are a number of

proposed solutions, such as one

knowledge will be

offered by the company Nanoracks.

used to grow a

Their design of their Bishop Airlock

sustainable food supply

would promote the self-sustainability

for the crew. There are

of a crew while also not cutting down

also methods being

on the amount of usable space in the

considered by scientists and

interior of the ship.

government agencies in which

?The Bishop Airlock has a huge clear area where they?re going to put plants and see if they can grow easily when attached to a non-living area,? said Pore. ?You pull it in from the outside and open it, and they?re grown and

the liquid waste of astronauts will be converted into potable water. This is a highly efficient option, since it would not only reduce the amount of water that has to be stored aboard the ship, but also create a closed system so that no water is lost.

don?t need care.?

liquid water extracted from below the surface, it?s doubtful that it?ll become a major issue once a manned mission actually reaches Mars and establishes surface

Even if there was a designated space to grow food, it?s important to make sure that the space is utilized as

Scientists have been hard at work

operations.

discovering the best solution to satisfy the crew?s water needs on the

Despite all of the progress that?s been made in the field over the past few

efficiently as possible.

decades, there?s still a chance that a

There are a multitude

previously unknown problem may

of different ways to

arise. After all, there?s no way to

ensure this.

predict all the issues that

?The most important

until the mission is actually

thing is to grow stuff

attempted.

that has a high edible

?We don?t really know [what?ll

mass ratio,? said Pore. ?The more edible mass, the more

ou ge c Ima may occur

happen] because we need to collect A concept design of what a possible greenhouse on the Martian surface could look like. Image courtesy of the Marshall Spaceflight Center.

worthwhile it is because space is so

Martian surface. Thanks to numerous

limited.?

robotic missions to the planet, the presence of water-ice has been

Through experiments such as the ?veggie?experiment, where astronauts aboard the ISS successfully grew lettuce plants, it?s been demonstrated that food can be

larger suite of possibilities,? said Allen.

On the way to Mars, it?s likely that this

able to try multiple different things to see the good effects pay off.?

Although traveling to Mars presents

believed that just dry ice existed on

many challenges, optimistic people

the surface). Despite this, the actual

and organizations from across the

quantity of ice to be found on Mars

world are already hard at work to find

still remains unknown.

the best solutions. Through their

?Future missions to Mars are going to expand that capability, to look at a

?We haven?t had the experience to be

confirmed (whereas it was previously

grown in microgravity. ?There?s currently work being done to

more data on the effects,? said Pore.

partially bring their own supplies of water, of course,? said Pore. ?We still need to investigate how much ice there is, and then go land near it.?

dedication, and mankind?s unquenchable thirst for knowledge, it?s only a matter of time before a journey to the red planet leaves the pages of science fiction and makes history.

Utilizing ice from the north pole, or E-volution | Crossing the Void | 7

yo rt es

fN

T A

! f f o e k a

e el i n m i ft br i e

i ght l f er ed w o of p

The Ingenuity helicopter completes its first flight tes surface of Mars. It's the first demonstration of power another planet. (source: NASA JPL)

Bertrand Piccard successfully completes the first circumnavigation in a solar-powered aircraft.

With a wingspan larger than that of a Boeing 747, his plane traveled around the world using nothi but sunlight as fuel. (Source: The Guardian)

STS-1(A.K.A Space Shuttle Columbia) launches from Cape Canaveral, Florida. While not necessarily an airplane, the shuttle was capable of gliding in the same fashion as an airplane. The program?s last flight (STS-135) launched in 2011. (Source: NASA)

1969

ok s r t er Br o SA a C y b ons, N A m m o Gr aphic C edia it : W ik im d e r C o t Pho

1947

C

1927

Lo

S

1903

8 | Takeoff! | E-volution

The Wright

heavier-tha

st on the red flight on

2021

2016

ng

1981

The Concorde, a British-French passenger airliner capable of reaching supersonic speeds, makes its maiden flight. In one instance, a Concorde plane flew from New York to London in a mere 2 hours 53 seconds! (Source: Simple Flying)

Air Force pilot Chuck Yeager becomes the first human to ever break the sound barrier. He accomplished this historic feat in the Bell X-1rocket plane, nicknamed ?Glamorous Glennis.?

(Source: Space.com)

Charles Lindbergh completes the first solo, nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean between c by hi r ap G ong Island and Paris. His flight lasted a whopping 33 ½ hours! (Source: Smithsonian Air and ne

Space Museum, PBS)

Air

ks r oo B r rte Ca

pl a

brothers take flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. This marks the first-ever flight of a

an-air craft. (Source: Smithsonian Air and Space Museum)

E-volution | Takeoff! | 9

Dr ones - To - Go A look at the benefits of the new delivery method

By Abelardo Surigao III

Matternet manufactures drones designed to fly over urban environments. In the easy-to-use interface for sending and receiving packages 24/7/365. Automated

D

adapt to it? elivery drones were created

Companies that provide drone

customer, Workhorse?s Horsefly does exactly that. However, precisely why build a delivery

with the intention to deliver

products, like Matternet,

packages quickly through the air,

Workhorse, and Delivery Drone

soaring across the skies and

Canada (DDC) aim to provide fast,

Drones cheapen the cost to deliver

saving lives, especially when

reliable, and cheap drones to join

goods, an important factor in the

applied into medical use.

the delivery industry. Drones are

delivery industry according to John

Nowadays, delivery drones have

highly customizable, meaning that

Graber, head of Workspace's

features and abilities that can

various applications can be

Aerospace group leading

change the delivery industry and

implemented into them. For

development of drone delivery.

provide people with their

example, the Matternet M2 Drone is

necessities quickly and efficiently.

focused on transporting medical

However, is the time coming where

supplies from one person or

they could become more

hospital to another. In the

commonplace, and at the same

commercial industry, which works

time, where people will have to

to deliver retail goods to the

10 | Drones-To-Go | E-volution

drone at all?

?Companies believe 1to 2% of all delivered packages are able to ship by drones,? Graber said. ?That is over 5 million a day. Drone deliveries cost less than 10 cents a

Zahra. ?It could be in

With so many positive effects

Canada, we have a lot of

drones can provide to human

seasonal roads that don't

society and contribute to the

operate in the winter, we

delivery industry, you may be

actually have some ice

wondering where we are at in

highways that don't operate

terms of drone progress.

in the summer, or ferry service is infrequent. If access is convenient, it's not necessarily a drawing solution.?

smallest one, which is fully operational,? Zahra said. ?It's actually operating at customers, generating revenue for almost a

According to Zahra, drones

year now. The Robin and the

can be used to deal with

Condor, we're just wrapping up

time. This could be a food

testing in the next little while with

delivery, or a healthcare

both of those. The Robin is sort of

emergency.

the medium sized one that has

?If I'm moving an organ for transplant from one hospital to another, and you've got

picture is a visual concept of the Matternet Station, an payload and battery exchange. Image courtesy of Matternet.

?We have the Sparrow, which is the

capability. I think we're very excited to see the two bigger ones come out in the next little while.?

traffic, it's going to take an

Drones are not quite ready to

hour and I can get my drone

compete with Santa Claus and

in 10 minutes,? Zahra said.

deliver toys before Christmas

?That could be saving lives,

morning, but the dream of

transporting defibrillators,

transporting goods from an origin

bloods, transporting an

to the destination is becoming

mile, while traditional delivery

EpiPen, an asthma inhaler, a snake

closer to reality. As time goes on,

trucks cost more than $1a mile.?

bite kit, or something like that. Time

technology flourishes, but some

Many other purposes are at play

is critical, sometimes is

challenges may still arise. For

regarding drone delivery,

important.?

example, while current regulations imposed by transportation

According to Michael Zahra? president and CEO of

agencies like the FAA are

Delivery Drone Canada. He, as

limiting, they are slowly but

well as the previous Senior Vice President of Operations and Strategy , is a seasoned executive with over 30 years of experience as a senior level leader. ?The use cases are really where access is difficult,? said

"Companies believe 1to

surely changing.

2%of all delivered packages are able to ship by drones."

?For instance, the FAA just

- John Graber, Workhorse Aerospace Lead

that opens up more use cases

made some announcements a couple of months ago; they're making changes and and more viable projects that can be done,? Zahra said. ?I E-volution | Drones-To-Go | 11

would say, the biggest one would

aerospace and autonomous

not be the technology, but it would

navigation. In addition to this,

be the regulations. We're happy

concerns of the public regarding

with our system. We're happy with

privacy and safety have risen over

our technology, we're very happy

the past few years.

with what we can do and how far ahead we are versus any of our competitors. The only thing that we

?The issues to address are privacy and noise,? Zahra said. ?In our case, we don't have cameras on

all would want in this industry is

the drone

maybe the regulations to move a bit more quickly.?

According to Graber, Workhorse?s primary

"This is not going to replace all other means of transportation."

- Michael Zahra, CEO of Delivery Drone Canada

goals are

intentionally for reasons of privacy, but we do have a sort of an optical sensor camera that we point straight down that we use to

A visual graphic of DDC Sparrow's delivery drone applicatio Abelardo Surigao III.

noisy than large 787 aircraft flying at 30,000 feet. They?re not really

safety,

more precisely land based on an

reliability, and community

optical barcode at the drone spot.

acceptance. It is very hard to

For us, privacy is not an issue

Even with all these limitations and

complete systems that achieve all

whatsoever. The second issue is of

the concerns of the public,

of those things. Members of the

noise. Our drones fly around 400

companies still continue to

team have deep experience with

feet, and they're generally less

develop drones, each with a

that noisy.

specialty. Jenny Russo is a PR A look of the Delivery Drone Canada Operations Centre, where all drones are monitored 24/7. Image provided by Delivery Drone Canada.

manager at Matternet. ?One of the things I can highlight is that our M2 drone was designed to fly over cities? urban environments,? Russo said. ?Unlike others who mainly have to fly over rural environments.?

DDC has taken a notable approach and focused on a systems approach according to Michael Zahra. They?ve focused systematically on drones, not just on the hardware itself, for hardware is almost a commodity. ?I think if you look at the whole

12 | Drones-To-Go | E-volution

?I think there's always going

footprint, and you don?t think about

to be a mix, but I think you will

them anymore than you do your car

definitely see drones as part

or bike, they will cement their place

of that mix for the instances

in our world.?

where it makes sense to have to have drones. I think it's going to be a hybrid, I don't think it's going to be a mass replacement of other channels. It's going to get there, but it's going to get there in phases.?

ons. Image provided by Delivery Drone Canada. Graphics by

system, that's where we differentiate ourselves,? Zahra said. ?It's a more integrated

We are in the modern age according to Graber, where the use of various technologies aids us immensely. With the development of these drones and new advancements being made every day, they are here to create a better world. It is undeniable that we

Drones could become part of

wouldn?t love to have drones that

the variety of transport

can transport emergency supplies

options and do their part

to our homes or hospitals,

where they are needed.

anywhere and anytime. To achieve

However, an important

the dream of drone delivering

question to ask is ?Why should

becoming a reality, we as a

society accept drones??

community need to accept their assistance so we may take

turnkey solution where others are

?This is the most important

focused very just on the drone, like

question facing the industry,?

Google or Amazon, they've got a

Graber said. ?If drones annoy you

very small drone. But they don't

every day, they won?t make it. But if

?I want them to earn their place,?

have a big Operations Control

they serve you well, improve your

said Graber. ?To show the value to

Center. At the price point where we

life, help take congestion off our

society that I know they have.?

are, there really isn't somebody

roads, help lower our carbon

advantage of what they have to offer and benefit from it.

who has the size and the capabilities of the drones.?

Zahra said drones are in the making and have a probable future. When the time comes, they will possess practical capabilities that may act as an addition to the delivery industry as well as change human society positively. ?This is not going to replace all other means of transportation,? said Zahra.

Horsefly is a custom-built drone that is fully integrated with electric delivery trucks. Image courtesy of Workhorse.

E-volution | Drones-To-Go | 13

Timeline of Communicat ion Br ief

4 fascinating devices that acted as building blocks to form the technology we have today.

By Abelardo Surigao III

1831 - Tur ning Point in Hist or y Introducing the telegraph, the pivotal system that changed the way of warfare and the outcomes of conflict. It provided long distance communication using the Morse Code of which the name "Morse" was derived from the inventor of the machine Samuel Morse. The telegraph also allowed pieces of news to be exchanged between locations almost instantly, and provided an economic effect on businesses.

1876 - "Ar e You Inside t he Telephone?"

The telephone is a machine that was invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876. It allowed two people to speak to each other verbally from long distances, rather than speaking face-to-face, using the machines ability of converting sound. Due to large usage of the population, switchboards were invented that transmitted electricity from one source to the other. Nonetheless, this machinery made distance less of a problem.

14 | Brief Timeline of Communication | E-volution

Information Courtesy of Learning Hub and History.com

1895 - Tur n it on, and You'll Know it All In these times, radio and television were popular sources of information.

It provided not only musical entertainment, but also provided news, sports, and weather forecasts. Radios came in all sorts of shapes, from circles to rectangles, and were widely installed in automobiles, which is still a popular modification today. Radios can also be used to talk from one person to another, for example walkies-talkies. Radios use radio waves for the possibility of communicating from far distances, at the same time, wireless which helped act as a template for smartphones.

20 21 - An Object w it h Ever yt hing!

Presently, smartphones are owned by almost half the population worldwide. Different apps with unique functions, provide us news, entertainment, and communications. Video conferencing apps, like zoom and google duo, provide people the ability to talk and see each other from far distances. Social Media apps provide people the ability to share and express people's personal life and content. E-mail, the electronic rendition of mail, has been around for more than 50 years and is used by over 4 billion people around the globe. In essence, we have the ability to communicate with other people worldwide at our fingertips. What a time to be alive, don't you think?

E-volution | Brief Timeline of Communications | 15

Man and Machine: Mind Meld H ow AI could aid humans as it continues to develop By Saffron Liu

16 | Man and Machine: Mind Meld | E-volution

T

here are countless sci-fi

require a human. A subset of

speakers and online

stories of hypothetical

AI is machine learning, the

translation software is often

futures where a computer

ability of a machine to learn

not the most powerful or

becomes sentient and all

on its own and perform tasks

recent, meaning these

powerful, and while some

without having instructions

products often aren?t as

propose a utopia, others

explicitly programmed in. AI

reliable as they could be. The

propose a darker world,

is frequently used in place of

world-dominating

where the computer runs

machine learning when

supercomputer, well it

rampant, bent on world

discussing recent and

doesn?t seem to be an

domination at any cost. While

upcoming technology,

imminent threat. The real

some people live in fear or

despite the fact that AI can

world is difficult for a

hope of this possibility,

also be used to refer to the

computer to quantify, and

others scoff at the mere

conditional if/then

there?s an unthinkable

thought of it. After all, it?s not

statements and simple

amount of variables to take

as if computers are capable

algorithms that have been

into account to be able to

of such intelligence. There

around since the beginning

predict the future accurately,

are entire YouTube channels

of computer science.

never mind control it.

dedicated to Google Translate?s hilarious inaccuracy, and smart speakers like Google Home and Amazon Alexa often misinterpret user requests.

While both the skeptics and believers have their reasons, neither has the full picture.

When applied to specific tasks in a professional environment, AI can be quite powerful. With enough training and programming, it can accomplish more difficult, less predictable tasks, like controlling a

Technology has a lot more advancing to do for an AI-pocalypse to be a pressing danger, and humans will be there every step of the way to check both the ethics and security of new developments.

robotic hand to solve a

As technology advances,

Artificial intelligence (AI)

Rubik?s cube or driving more

humans tend to adapt to take

generally refers to the ability

safely than humans.

advantage of it, often without

of a computer or machine to

Famously, AI has beaten the

even noticing, explained John

exhibit human-like

world?s best human players

Licato, a professor of

intelligence and perform

first in chess, then in Go.

computer science and

tasks that would normally

However, the AI used in smart

engineering at the University

E-volution | Man and Machine: Mind Meld | 17

of South Florida who

AI will replace human

learning how to work with the

researches AI. In fact, it?s

intelligence, others believe

chess engines, to adjust their

already happening with

that humans can actively use

strategies. It didn't kill chess

something we take for

it as an aid to improve, and

as a game, it just changed the

granted: the cellphone.

that humans and machines

way that the game is played.?

?Think about how tied we are to our smartphones, right??

can work alongside each other.

We outsource that part of our mind to our phones. We're almost a man-machine hybrid at this point with our cell phones - John Licato,

"

professor of computer science and engineering outsourcing our memories; we don't memorize phone numbers, we outsource that part of our mind to our phones. We're almost a man-machine hybrid at this point with our cell phones.

And I think that it might go further in that direction, and it might just happen so gradually, that we won't notice or complain about it when it happens.?

While some people worry that

18 | Man and Machine: Mind Meld | E-volution

might hold for other things as well. Licato also leads the

"

Licato said. ?We're

He added that this pattern

Advancing Machine and Human Reasoning (AMHR) Lab, which works with both formal and informal reasoning and is dedicated to using artificial intelligence to make humans better reasoners.

?IBM's Deep Blue system

?Formal reasoning would be

beat the best human player in

creating logical proofs and

the world, Garry Kasparov, in

mathematical proofs,? Licato

the 1990s,? said Licato. ?But

said. ?AI can help people

it didn't kill chess as a sport.

reason in that sense because

In fact, arguably, it's more

AI systems can be better at

popular today than it was

holding a lot of memories. So

back then. What ended up

you can reason through a lot

happening was yes, the AI

of premises at a time. And

got better than humans. But

they can offer suggestions to

the next generation of chess

people that are working on

players learns how to use the

mathematical proofs.?

chess engine to make themselves better. So now

Formal proofs are not the

you have a whole generation

only thing AI can be used for.

of chess players that grew up

It can also be used where

less structured reasoning is

regularly and ensure they

but AI also encompasses

required, like a debate or

cover all angles, like the CEO

speech and image

argument.

of a company. Additionally, it

recognition. When these

could be used as a tool for

subsets of AI are combined,

introspection.

they can be applied in a

?Human beings are very subject to the sorts of cognitive biases that harm

?You have an idea and want

our ability to reason through

to test out whether the idea is

topics, especially when they

any good before you actually

get emotional, that's when

tell it to other people,? Licato

we start to perform at our

said. ?Sometimes it helps to

worst in terms of

just have someone that you

argumentation,? said Licato.

bounce ideas off of. And so

?AI can help by pointing out

the AI could maybe one day

when we?ve made a mistake,

serve that purpose?

it can help us create a supporting argument, it can help us try to find actual evidence that supports that

variety of ways, like industrial automation, personalized recommendations, and autonomous driving. Some of the uses may not be as flashy or ground-breaking as movies would have you think, but AI is steadily finding its way into our everyday lives, and it shows no signs of

Although only one small facet

slowing down.

of AI has been covered here, computer scientists have already found a range of

?AI shouldn't only be to make machines smarter,? Licato

argument so that we can refine claims that we make and avoid the situation where

"

applications. Although it

AI shouldn't only be to make machines smarter. Those advances should also be used to make people better at reasoning. - John Licato,

could be generally useful to

professor of computer science and engineering

we make claims that we can support in the first place.?

A tool with these capabilities would have a variety of

"

anyone needing to make a major decision, it could also

possible applications for it.

be helpful to anyone who has

Reasoning is a subset of

to make such decisions

natural language processing,

said. ?Those advances should also be used to make people better at reasoning as well.?

E-volution | Man and Machine: Mind Meld | 19

By Saffron Liu

Although barcodes and QR codes are both widely used, people rarely stop to question how they work.

In a barcode, each character is represented by a block containing a certain number of vertical stripes. Each stripe can be either black or white, and the configuration of stripes within a block corresponds to different characters. When a scanner reads a code, it shines a light at the code and a photoelectric cell captures the reflected light. The black stripes reflect much less light than the white ones, so a scanner can quickly read the arrangement.

Although barcodes can be scanned and read very quickly, they usually output numerical codes that need to be put through a database to get the desired information. While it is possible to encode text into a barcode, these require larger blocks per character, and anything more than 5 or 6 characters ends up being an unwieldy length. However, since they are usually short, it is easy to quickly manually enter the data if the scanner is broken or the code is damaged. They're also often cheaper to manufacture and purchase than QR codes.

20 | Demistifying the Codes | E-volution

Information from the American Mathematical Association, Explain That Stuff, SproutQR, Thonky, and Mobile QR Codes

QR codes represent bits of data as small squares or dots; black/dark for a 1, and white for a 0. The data is broken into 8 bit sections, or bytes, and arrayed onto the square. However, it?s not quite as simple as that. Some modifications are made to ensure the code is read correctly or to minimize the impact of tears or missing segments, which have been color coded above.

QR codes can contain large quantities of data compactly; it can take a barcode up to ten times as much space to encode the same amount of information. Additionally, QR codes have built in error correction, meaning part of it can be damaged, covered, or dirty, but the information can still be extracted in its entirety. This also allows part of it to be used for decorative purposes, like a logo. The downside of QR codes is that their scanners are often more expensive and can be slower to use, but now, most mobile phones can scan them and they're becoming more widespread.

Codes generated by TEC-IT and Mobilefish

E-volution | Demystifying the Codes | 21

Scr ying Scr eens Delving into screen development

By Tristan Tan

22 | Drones-To-Go | E-volution

F

rom the cell phones in people?s

pockets to electronic billboards in New York City, screens are common items during this digital age. They can come in different varieties, from LED, to LCD, or OLED screens. This is only the beginning, as companies are developing newer technologies everyday.

Most types of screens nowadays can produce a variety of light colors. After all, the world is composed of many colors. The computers we use have to be able to know which color to project in order to produce an image according to Brandon Carter, entrepreneur and tech marketing executive. ?Computers are often binary code,? said Carter, ?which is a one and zero.

That basically tells the computer to turn off one pixel or not.?

Screens have been around since the late 19th century, with its invention being credited to Karl Ferdinand

Brandon Carter, an entrepreneur in the tech world and a tech marketing executive. Image provided

by Carter.

combining multiple of these ?pixels?,

Screens have had time to develop,

an image can be produced, ranging

going from these cathode ray tubes

from plain black and white to even

to simply LEDs lining the screen.

simple colors. These simple colors

LEDs, or light emitting diodes, work

?We used to have cathode ray tubes

were achievable using three separate

by using a phenomenon called

and the big screens that took up an

beams of red, green, and blue. By

electroluminescence. By passing an

entire huge desk,? Carter said. ?They

combining these three colors,

electron through a semiconductor

weren't very portable laptops? they

shortened to RGB, in different

and filling electron holes, which are

were 20 pounds and then those

amounts, a much wider variety of

places where atoms are missing

slowly went down.?

colors is available, with each being

electrons, the material can emit light.

Cathode ray tubes work by shooting a

represented with an RGB value

Thanks to how small LEDs have

phosphorescent screen with an

consisting of three numbers from 0 to

become, screens are able to produce

electron beam. When this happens, it

255. This method of combining colors

images in much higher resolution.

causes one pixel to glow. By

was so effective that it is still used

Their size allows them to render the

today.

finer details that would have been

Braun. During their initial stages of development, they were very different to modern computer screens.

E-volution | Drones-To-Go | 23

fuzzy or pixelated on older models of

?It felt like manipulating things in the

and advertisers can see what kinds of

screens.

real, real world,? said Carter.

things consumers like and dislike,

?You have the whole streaming

The ability to manipulate and interact

generation where most of their media

with things you can visibly see is

consumption is in front of a computer

called a graphical user interface

or on their phone,? Carter said, ?So a

(GUI). This includes things like being

lot of that is driving the technology

able to click virtual buttons, or

allowing more products to more easily target either specific kinds of audiences or the most people.

Even after their invention and multiple improvements,

side of it to where

screens are still

screens are

?evolving? too, just like

becoming larger, but also lighter, and higher definition.?

While this means that screens are

"

It felt like manipulating things in the real, real world.

"

- Brandon Carter, entrepreneur and tech market executive

generally

impacts on society. As society progresses further in this digital age, an increasing amount of people are getting addicted to screens. During the pandemic, many people are left stuck at home with nothing much to do except be on their devices. Many schools have even switched from the traditional methods of teaching in a classroom to an online version of education.

Touch screens, on the other hand, are a more recently developed technology, coming about 70 years after cathode ray tubes were invented

the concept of a touch screen appeared in science fiction movies and books, including Die Hard. When this kind of screen finally came out, Carter said that it felt like a maturation of technology.

24 | Drones-To-Go | E-volution

?On every single vector, they're going to improve,? said Carter. ?you're going to they are going to be lighter.

dragging objects around on-screen.

Another advancement in screen

Maybe larger. They'll eventually be better for your eyes.?

technology may take form in flip

Carter indirectly points out a major

screens. It may seem odd that

flaw with modern screens though:

companies are taking a step back to

their negative effect on eyesight.

try and recreate an older kind of

Currently, screens produce blue light,

phone with newer screen technology,

which can cause vision problems that

but this is actually more space

are either untreatable or have

efficient. On the other hand, it may

treatments with low success rates.

seem odd that companies haven?t

Blue light itself is not a negative thing

been doing this the whole time, but

though. Blue light is all around us, as

this is where the consumers come

light is technically composed of many

into the factor.

different colors, and is even emitted

?Shifting tastes, competition, and

from the sun.

just throwing something out there to

?The blue light can come from LED

see if it sticks,? said Carter.

and fluorescent light, as well as from

but two before LEDs came into common use. Before it was invented,

technology.

have higher contrast ratios,

improving, the development can also have negative

other kinds of

This is how many kinds of products and advertisements are tested today.

Companies ?throw something out there? to see how well received it gets. If the product is received well, the companies produce it more. By using this kind of method, companies

monitors, mobile devices, and can negatively affect your vision over long term from the glare,? said Dr. Hamisou, an optometrist. ?This can cause eye strain, fatigue, and can lead to what?s called Computer Vision Syndrome.?

Computer Vision Syndrome are

reversible, they can recur and

various eye and vision problems that

possibly worsen if not dealt with.

can result from an elongated use of computers, cell phones, and tablets.

Common symptoms of this include eye

screens, an increase in demand is sure to follow. Advances in screen and eye

"

protective technology will

The blue light can come from LED and fluorescent light, as well as from monitors, mobile devices, and can negatively affect your vision over long term from the glare.

and more convenient. Until

- Sally Hamisou, doctor of optometry

screen usage will be

"

strain and

Ways people can deal with it are

fatigue, as well as headaches, blurred

simple though, like by taking

vision, dry eyes, and neck and

frequent, short breaks.

also come in turn, making life in the digital age safer these safer screen technologies come out though, practicing wiser enough.

shoulder pain. While these symptoms are generally small and easily

As gradually more people start using

Blue light is processed by the retina, which is in the back of the eye, as shown by the diagram. It's considered one of the more important parts of the eye, as it does most of the work in sending signals to the brain and allowing us to see details. Image courtesy of Louisa C Lippitt.

E-volution | Drones-To-Go | 25

Load t he Code

By Tristan Tan

How common coding languages are translated for a computer.

26 | Load the Code | E-volution

E-volution | Load the Code | 28

Team Edit or s Carter Brooks is a violinist of 9 years/ professional at doing stuff later. As a lifelong space geek, he?s excited for the opportunity to share his interest through E-volution. Among his hobbies are swimming (when the water isn?t freezing), playing Nintendo games, and watching old Japanese monster movies with his two dogs. He?s enjoyed being able to wake up ten minutes before the school day starts due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fun fact: he?s actually left-handed, a trait found in only 10% of the world?s population!

Abelardo Surigao III, nicknamed JJ, enjoys running and biking around Austin. JJ has participated in numerous track and cross-country meets across Texas, and takes Spanish as a third language. He has also participated in many different choirs across Texas for 4 years.

Photo taking and racing drones are one of his hobbies, and so contributed to the magazine an article about a special type of drone, a delivery drone. He is interested in various types of medical services and hopes to find success in the medical field. He likes snow too.

Saffron Liu is a LASA freshman with a love of books and an ever-deepening hatred of Adobe Illustrator. Despite this, she still loves admiring the art of others and watching speedpaints. Alongside reading, she enjoys coding, crafting, and making specific playlists. She also plays the piano, studies Greco-Roman mythology for a Latin trivia contest, and is interested in all the ways computers are becoming more capable.

Tristan Tan has a small background in coding and generally likes picking up different hobbies. Recently, he has picked up doing cross-country and speedrunning minecraft in the different categories, and he strives to reach many major milestones in both speedrunning and cross-country. He has also been playing trombone for almost 4 years but is also considering learning other instruments.

28 | Team Editors | E-volution

Special Thanks To Kevin Garcia - MAIS John R. Allen - PhD Brandon Carter - ME John Graber - PM Sally Hamisou - PhD Heather Hardeman - HR Dir. Nelson Hudes - PR John Licato - PhD Melissa Pore - MEd Jenny Russo - PR Michael Zahra - CEO