Brain and Computer Information Processing Some Implications Brian

The brain is an information processor • • Uses electricity Neurons are on/off devices Uses logic gates (threshold effect ) Has input/output • Processing – 10 billion neurons per head – more than the people in the world, or the stars in our galaxy – 100 million MIPS (168, 000 MHz Pentium) © 2007 Brian Whitworth 2

How they evolved • 50 million years of evolution © 2007 Brian Whitworth •

A different type of processor Computers find hard what people find easy: – Pattern recognition – Intelligent conversation – – – Visual ambiguity Language Spatial processing Context changes Self-reference © 2007 Brian Whitworth A 3 year old can recognize these Letraset “A”s but computers struggle to do this 4

3 lbs of “wetware” As yet, no computer-controlled robot could begin to compete with even a young child in performing some of the simplest of everyday activities: such as recognizing that a colored crayon lying on the floor at the other end of the room is what is needed to complete a drawing, walking across to collect that crayon, and then putting it to use. ” (Penrose, 1994, p 45) “Wetware” vs Hardware © 2007 Brian Whitworth 5

Von Neumann designed computer central processing as follows: 1. Control: Centralized 2. Input processing: Sequential 3. Output processing: Exclusive 4. Storage: by location 5. Initiation: Input driven 6. Self processing: Minimal Information processing need not work this way! © 2007 Brian Whitworth 6

1. Decentralized control • Computer: – Processing comes from/returns to a central processing unit (CPU) (which can delegate to sub-processors) – CPU gives control – system knows where it is up to – If the CPU fails, the whole system fails (“hangs”) • Brain: – Distributes control among autonomous subsystems – Much more difficult to do – Neural democracy vs. transistor autocracy © 2007 Brian Whitworth 7

Not this way: All input to a central point? A brain “CPU”? © 2007

But this way … • In most people – – Left hemisphere processes language Right hemisphere processes space Left hemisphere controls right side Right hemisphere controls left side • 800 million nerve corpus callosum connects the hemispheres At the highest (cortex) level, the brain shares control between two autonomous hemispheres © 2007 Brian Whitworth 9

Example: Visual processing • Each hemisphere gets half the visual field – Left visual field (both eyes) --> RH – Right visual field (both eyes) --> LH • Cutting the corpus callosum in seriously epileptic patients gives a “Split Brain” patient Hemispheres share visual processing © 2007 Brian Whitworth 10

“Split” brain patients • Right hand points to right field (Chicken foot Hen) • Left hand responds to left field (Snow Shovel) • Speech (LH) reports a chicken foot • Asked why the left hand (RH) chose a shovel, a subject said: – “The shovel cleans up after the chickens” Conclusion: Hemispheres are autonomous but support a unitary “self” © 2007 Brian Whitworth . 11

2. Massively parallel processing • Computer: – Processes input instructions one after another, very quickly – Computer “parallel” port has 25 lines • Brain: – Processes slower but with massively parallel mechanisms – Optic nerve has over a million fibres from retinal data processing © 2007 Brian Whitworth 12

Slow neurons – fast responses • Neuron rate: 1, 000 per second • Computer rate 1, 000, 000/sec • Humans recognize faces & read sentences in 1/10 th sec, faster than computers • If brain processing were sequential, that is pattern recognition in 100 lines of code! © 2007 Brian Whitworth 13

The one second response • Who is this? – Incomplete – Angle – No

A bit longer … • Who is this? © 2007 Brian Whitworth 15

3. Multi-level output processing • Computer: – Locks output channels, - network printer documents don’t come out interleaved – Databases avoid the double lock deadly embrace – Updates over-write old programs with new ones • Brain: – Overlays old systems with new ones – Old systems stay • As backups • As first responders © 2007 Brian Whitworth 16

The case of Phineas Gage • A speeding iron rod smashed the middle and left lobes of his cerebrum • Within minutes was conscious and speaking • Showed disturbed behavior • Lived for 13 years, died of unknown causes Don’t try this with your computer! © 2007 Brian Whitworth 17

Use the force Luke … • “Blind” patients catch a ball • Newborn babies “swim” in water (but older ones sink) • Brain damage subjects can’t speak but can swear & sing • People don’t “know” what they know! Older systems still active © 2007 Brian Whitworth 18

4. Access by content • Computer: – Location based information storage works like a filing cabinet – One computer “fact” per place – Can report “memory full” • Brain: – Access by content stores information in the connections – Over 1015 interconnections allows about 100, 000 megabytes © 2007 Brian Whitworth 19

A lifetime of memories • Virtually unlimited capacity - no “brain full” • Losing a neuron does not lose a fact! • Imperfect recall • Access by any feature - a database indexed on every field! © 2007 Brian Whitworth The answer to all these and many other searches may be the same memory 20

Massive interconnection The mass of processes, structures and interactions possible within this [maze] beggars both description and mathematization. The fascination is almost akin to terror … (Rose, 1976) © 2007 Brian Whitworth 21

5. Process driven • Computer: – Input driven (IPO): input -> processing -> output – System passive to input • Brain: – Process driven (POI) (as well): processing -> output -> input – People without input are bored – And hallucinate under sensory deprivation i. e. create input – People have active goals © 2007 Brian Whitworth 22

Input vs Process driven systems Behaviorist Constructivist Real world stimuli define behavior We create/construct

Brain is process driven (as well) • POI systems can alter their input: – Retinal signals --> LGB --> visual cortex – More nerves go back the other way! – The brain is not just an input processor • Lets the brain handle context effects: – 1. Every statement is a lie – 2. Rule #1 applies to #1 • People can anticipate, expect, imagine and seek what has never occurred Kanizsa’s triangle © 2007 Brian Whitworth 24

6. Self-Processing • Computer: – “Clever” Mr. Clippy used Bayesian logic but was unaware of himself – Analyzed your actions but not his own actions – Not “smart” enough to recognize rejection • Brain: – Recursively processes its own processing – People can have a selfconcept, and can think about their thinking © 2007 Brian Whitworth 25

Social interaction requires a “self” • The “ego” self-concept strongly affects behavior • Groups give members a ready-made “identity” • Self-processing lets us answer social questions like: – Who am I? – Who are you? – Who are we? © 2007 Brian Whitworth 26

“Risky” information processing Brain’s processing tactics: 1. Decentralized control 2. Massively parallel input processing 3. Multi-level output 4. Storage by interconnectivity 5. Process driven interaction 6. Self-processing Responds in real time, to complex, ambiguous and incomplete information, with both fast and considered responses, to conditions that continuously change over time, and include other same-type systems © 2007 Brian Whitworth 27

A different type of processor “Computers are no real competition for the human brain in areas such as vision, hearing, pattern recognition and learning. … And when it comes to operational efficiency there is no contest at all. A typical room-size supercomputer weights roughly 1, 000 times more, occupies 10, 000 times more space and consumes a millionfold more power …” © 2007 Brian Whitworth An excellent design for its environment 28

HCI Design implications 1. Manage user web site attention e. g. Where do users look? 2. Engage many input channels e. g. multi-media design 3. Support multi-level responses e. g. consider first impressions like border contrast 4. Support knowledge associations e. g. hypertext allows idea links 5. Provide feedback flow, e. g. games 6. Remember past interactions, e. g. s/w agents © 2007 Brian Whitworth 29

Feedback example (point #5) • Students who struggle to “input” a textbook for an hour • Can easily spend 4 hours building imaginary civilizations or battling imaginary enemies, i. e. playing a game • Because … • Actively driving a feedback loop is naturally rewarding © 2007 Brian Whitworth Interactive games are addictive! 30

System performance levels Each level requires a different type of processing © 2007 Brian

Computer Utopia? Computers will do everything we do but better © 2007 Brian Whitworth

Or socio-technical progress? After level #2, computers work with people © 2007 Brian Whitworth

Kim Peek – The real Rain Man • Kim Peek inspired the movie Rain Man, is: – Neurally disabled – Knows every word on every page of over 9, 000 books • Disabled savants can calculate 20 digit prime numbers in their head, but need full time caretakers • Are computers the electronic equivalent of Rain Man? • Did nature already try the computer way, and move on? © 2007 Brian Whitworth 34

Killer app reality check Killer App Main Human Role Main Computer Role Email Create conversation Information transfer Blogs Expression Information display Wikipedia Create knowledge Version control and revert E-bay Trade Calculate reputation ratings Hypertext Make associations Connect links Social Networks Make friends Open communication channels Chat Group conversations Append to text stream Browser Gather information Display and link URLs Online games Play game Connect players to the game © 2007 Brian Whitworth 35

STS Categories • -- Information Management Systems: Browsers, Search engines, List. Servs, Web-crawlers, Portals • -- Human Expression Systems: Home pages, Virtual museum/art gallery, Online music publishing, Online books/journals, E-zines, Blogs, Online news • -- Interpersonal Relation Systems: Email, Internet phone (e. g. Skype), Video-phone and conferencing, Instant messages, Chat, Social networking, texting • -- Group Interaction Systems: Wikis, Bulletin boards, Group writing systems, Collaborative tools, Commenting systems, Online voting, E-governance, Online leadership, Online norms, Communities of Action, Group membership systems, Online democracy, Communities of Practice, Online multi-player games, Online cooperatives © 2007 Brian Whitworth 36

STS Categories • - Trade and Business Systems: Electronic markets, Recommender systems, Enterprise information systems, Job markets, Work flow systems, Web-bots (buyer/sellers), Enduser license agreements (EULA), Online barter systems, RFID systems • -- Health Support Systems: Diagnostic support systems, Patient record systems, Out-patient support systems, Patient empowerment systems • - Learning Support Systems: Online learning systems, Asynchronous Learning Systems, E-learning practices, Help agents, Video teaching, FAQ's and Help-boards, Training and tutorial systems • - Anti-social systems: Spyware, Phone-home systems, Spam, Unwanted software installs, Spoofing, Phishing, Identity theft, Hacking tools © 2007 Brian Whitworth 37

Some examples • • • Social bookmarks and tags: – Delicious http: //del. icio. us/ – Digg http: //digg. com/ Wikis – Wikipedia http: //en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Wiki – Tiddlywiki http: //www. tiddlywiki. com/ Social networks – Myspace http: //www. myspace. com/ – Facebook http: //www. facebook. com/sitetour/homepage. php – Youtube http: //youtube. com/ Electronic markets – Amazon )books) http: //www. amazon. com/ – Monster (jobs) http: //www. monster. com/ – E bay http: //www. ebay. com/ – Craig’s list http: //www. craigslist. org/about/sites. html Discussions – Slashdot http: //slashdot. org/ – Hardware Reviews http: //www. anandtech. com/ © 2007 Brian Whitworth 38

More examples • • • Electronic learning – Web. CT (now Blackboard) http: //www. webct. com/webct/ – Moodle http: //moodle. org/ – Webboard http: //www. webboard. com/ Blogs and Newsfeeds – Andrew Sullivan http: //andrewsullivan. theatlantic. com/ – Chinese NZ news http: //www. skykiwi. com/ Software – Browsers/email - Mozilla http: //www. mozilla. org/ – Winzip http: //www. vodahost. com/winzip. htm – Antivirus – AVG http: //free. grisoft. com/doc/2/ Emails – Gmail https: //mail. google. com/ Free storage – Mediamax http: //www. mediamax. com/ – Flickr (photo sharing) http: //www. flickr. com/ Online banking/investing – Kiwibank http: //www. kiwibank. co. nz/ © 2007 Brian Whitworth 39

STS systems impact politics & business • China blocks Utube on Tibet rioting? http: //www. news. com/8301 -10784_3 -9895277 -7. html? tag=nefd. pulse • Barrack Obama’s myspace page • Trade me blocked by Massey? http: //www. trademe. co. nz/ © 2007 Brian Whitworth http: //www. myspace. com/barackobama 40