Author Archives: Claire Manning

Robots designed to mimic animal movement

Posted on November 9, 2015 by Claire Manning

I found an interesting article from the website Popular Mechanics about five new animal robots that are designed to look and act like animals. An emphasis is placed on the movement of these animal robots; although their form is mechanical … Continue reading →

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Rise of the Machines

Posted on October 28, 2015 by Claire Manning

Article: http://www.csmonitor.com/Technology/2015/1023/Rise-of-the-machines-why-artificial-intelligence-will-power-Google-s-core The article I found, Rise of the Machines: Why Artificial Intelligence will Power Google’s Core, explores the various ways in which machines are beginning to self-regulate and solve problems. Google CEO Sundar Pichai has announced various plans and expectations … Continue reading →

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Opening scene of Ghost in the Shell

Posted on October 21, 2015 by Claire Manning

The opening scene of the Ghost in the Shell film is very dramatic and helps to set the context and tone for the entire film. I always find it interesting to note the way the opening scene begins and frames … Continue reading →

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Second Life VR Experience

Posted on October 11, 2015 by Claire Manning

Second Life provides a very interesting Virtual Reality experience. It’s slightly eerie how the environment is programmed to mimic the natural environment; for example, the water moves in a way that mimics real waves. These small details help to make … Continue reading →

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The hyperreal in modern society: social media

Posted on October 3, 2015 by Claire Manning

As I mentioned in class, I thought about social media as an example of the hyperreal in our society. Social media (in particular Facebook and Instagram) blurs the line between what is blurred and what is fabricated. Through the use … Continue reading →

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Technology and the Human Body in Neuromancer

Posted on September 24, 2015 by Claire Manning

In William Gibson’s Neuromancer, I was particularly intrigued by the interactions between technology and the human body. Gibson openly explores the effect of technology on our society and culture, and makes bold statements about how beneficial but also dangerous it … Continue reading →

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The Blurred Binary of Man vs. Beast

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Claire Manning

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein delves into the dichotomies between human vs. non-human, and between man vs. beast, and underscores the instability of these binaries. As far as aesthetics are concerned, Frankenstein represents the human side of these dichotomies, while his creation … Continue reading →

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