White Group Thoreau’s Observation Does Not Apply to I.T. White Group “…so with a hundred other ‘modern’ improvements.... our inventions are wont to be pretty toys which distract our attention from serious things. They are but an improved means to an unimproved end …” Henry Thoreau Thoreau’s observation DOES NOT apply to I.T.

White Group Thoreau’s Observation Does Not Apply to I.T. The White Team  Speaker 1:  Barry Redmond  Helpers:  Gareth Sheffield  Speaker 2:  Ronan Tunelty  Helpers:  Conor Smith  Speaker 3:  Mark Fagan  Helpers:  Gillian Smyth  Rebuttal Speaker:  Richard Ryan  Helpers:  Andrew Williams  Other Tasks

White Group Thoreau’s Observation Does Not Apply to I.T. The Motion “…so with a hundred other ‘modern’ improvements.... our inventions are wont to be pretty toys which distract our attention from serious things. They are but an improved means to an unimproved end …” Henry Thoreau Thoreau’s observation DOES NOT apply to I.T.

White Group Thoreau’s Observation Does Not Apply to I.T. What is IT?  Information Technology is all technology associated with information transfer and processing. u Telegraph/Radio/Television/Telephone/ Networks/The Internet u Computers/Technology based on the Micro-Processor.

White Group Thoreau’s Observation Does Not Apply to I.T.  The “End” and the “Serious Things” are one in the same.  The “END”, as Thoreau used the word, refers to the reasons that we live!  Our Goals  Our Happiness  The Benefit of Society  Our Health  Our Education  The Human Condition  The Things We Want From Life. “Serious Things” & The “End”

White Group Thoreau’s Observation Does Not Apply to I.T. The Motion - Again  In GENERAL – I.T. is improving our “END”.  I.T. can improve our Health  I.T. can improve our Education  I.T. can help us achieve our goals  I.T. can help us and society to better oursleves.

White Group Thoreau’s Observation Does Not Apply to I.T. Our Argument  Speaker 1 : Barry Redmond  Definition of The Motion  IT and Assistive Technology  Speaker 2 : Ronan Tumelty  Health  Speaker 3 : Mark Egan  Media/Communications  IT in the 3 rd World

White Group Thoreau’s Observation Does Not Apply to I.T. Assistive Technology  Assistive technology is any piece of equipment or system that helps people bypass, work around or compensate for learning difficulties.

White Group Thoreau’s Observation Does Not Apply to I.T. Assistive Technology Input  Alternate keyboards  Interface devices  Joysticks  Keyboard modifications  Keyboard additions  Optical pointing devices  Pointing and typing aids  Switches with scanning  Scanners & optical character recognition  Trackballs  Touch screens  Voice recognition Processing  Abbreviation/expansion and macro programs  Access utilities  Menu management programs  Reading comprehension programs  Writing composition programs  Writing enhancement tools (i.e. grammar checkers) Output  Braille displays and embossers  Monitor additions  Screen enlargement programs  Screen readers  Speech synthesizers  Talking and large print word processors

White Group Thoreau’s Observation Does Not Apply to I.T. Screen Reader

White Group Thoreau’s Observation Does Not Apply to I.T. White Group “…so with a hundred other ‘modern’ improvements.... our inventions are wont to be pretty toys which distract our attention from serious things. They are but an improved means to an unimproved end …” Henry Thoreau Thoreau’s observation DOES NOT apply to I.T.

White Group Thoreau’s Observation Does Not Apply to I.T. Speaker 2  Speaker: Ronan Tumelty  Use of IT in medical treatment, monitoring and research.  Organisation, accessing information  New scanning technology  Human Genome Project, nanotechnology

White Group Thoreau’s Observation Does Not Apply to I.T. Organisational Systems  Computerised databases on patients/diseases/treatments  Home access to clinical information via the Internet  Exchange of medical information between medical institutions.

White Group Thoreau’s Observation Does Not Apply to I.T. Databases  Doctors can catalogue diseases, symptoms and treatments.  Others can easily access this information.  55% drop in adverse drug effects since the introduction of computerized physician order-entry.

White Group Thoreau’s Observation Does Not Apply to I.T. Information Exchange  In-depth information can be transmitted in seconds  Previously it would take weeks for such information to be transferred  This helps curb outbreaks such as the SARS virus

White Group Thoreau’s Observation Does Not Apply to I.T. Computer-Aided Tools  Scans/Tests  CAT scans (Computer Axiated Topology scans) - Takes multi-angled images of the body  MRI scans (Magnetic Resonance Imaging scans) - Cross-sectional images of internal organs  Laparoscopic (Keyhole) Surgery

White Group Thoreau’s Observation Does Not Apply to I.T. Magnetic Resonance Imaging  Can take cross-sectional images in many planes  Non-intrusive methodology  No radiation exposure  Used to map brain – possible insight to brains, potential cure for brain damage?

White Group Thoreau’s Observation Does Not Apply to I.T. Laparoscopic Surgery  AKA keyhole surgery  Minimal intrusiveness (5- 15mm incisions as opposed to 20+cm)  Camera transmits digital image to computer via fibre optic cable  Minimises operative blood loss and post-operative pain

White Group Thoreau’s Observation Does Not Apply to I.T. Medical Research  Protein folding project)  Nanotechnology (nanomachines < 100 nanometres long)  Human Genome Project (Maps the standard human DNA blueprint or “genome”)  Offers solutions for presently incurable diseases?

White Group Thoreau’s Observation Does Not Apply to I.T.  Project to map the folding of protein strings  Uses technology (distributed computing)  Provide greater understanding of how protein folding affects us  Believed to hold solutions to diseases caused by misfolding of proteins (BSE, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, cystic fybrosis, etc.).

White Group Thoreau’s Observation Does Not Apply to I.T. Nanotechnology  “The purposeful creation of structures 100 nanometres or smaller”  Will allow medical interaction at a microscopic level  May cure AIDS, cancers, protein misfolding disorders

White Group Thoreau’s Observation Does Not Apply to I.T. Human Genome Project  “We, after 4 billion years, are a life-form that is reading its own set of instructions.”  Computers used to map the human “genome” (DNA blueprint)  Huge amount of data – impossible to do without IT  Genome Browser: online software anyone can use to view genome  Provide understanding of genetic disorders/help prevent their prevalence

White Group Thoreau’s Observation Does Not Apply to I.T. The Motion  Again, IT is not just a pretty toy.  Thoreau’s end: reasons we live  Medical advancement results in saving and prolonging of life  No higher end than the preservation of life