$1.75- Holy Water, Snickers, or the Price of Convenience?

I go to the library almost every day. Routine calls for a stop at the vending machine to snag a Diet Coke before claiming my cubicle. Today, while on my way there with my boyfriend, we contemplated stopping at CVS to pick up sodas beforehand; however, to avoid another stop and wasting precious study time, we opted to use the vending machines instead, a quick and convenient option to satisfy my habitual pre-study caffeine craving. Not knowing it at the time, but my appreciation for the library vending machines actually fueled my interest when contemplating today’s blog. Asked to examine the most significant technology of a specific time period, the 2^nd century caught my eye when in the time line of great technology appeared two words I know and love- vending machine.

When we think of technology, so many of us restrict our thoughts to the last few centuries. Technology is often mistaken as a futuristic concept-- what on earth would the 2^nd century know about technology? You’re right, Heron of Alexandria (great mathematician and engineer c. 10-70 A.D) did not use a calculator, research on the internet, or leisurely read via his Kindle, but the existence of technology certainly cannot be discarded. We had to start somewhere, right?

The vending machine is not technology I consider significant because it changed the world and opened the door for an influx of influential creations. Actually, for many it’s probably not significant at all. However, technology is not always about public appeal, but concept. To create successful technology, one must make a judgment on society and predict what they will find useful, entertaining and perhaps necessary. Are instant Snickers significant today? No. Is the appreciation for self-service, convenience and accessibility? Absolutely. Second century life was not conducive to convenience and accessibility, making Heron of Alexandria, the creator of the first vending machine, a true conceptual genius.

The first vending machine worked a little something like this: One inserted a coin and when the machine accepted it, out came a fixed amount of holy water. When the coin was deposited, it landed on a pan attached to a lever which opened upon impact and allowed the water to flow. The water continued to flow until the coin fell off, turning off the valve.

So maybe Heron’s machine didn’t let out Snickers and Sprite, but the concepts of self-service, convenience, and accessibility are absolutely apparent. When looking at current technology like iPods, laptops, and cell phones, these three concepts still hold their ground. The 2^nd century vending machine, thousands of years ago, nailed societies wants and needs before anyone even knew what a Kindle was.

Mind you, it’s not as if Heron created the first vending machine and civilizations everywhere suddenly had their nuts and berries dispensed from a lever upon depositing a coin. The vending machine actually did not arise again as a prominent part of society until the Industrial Age, specifically London in 1880. When researching the first vending machine, the results often claim that the first coin-depositing vending machine was created in 1888 by Thomas Adams Gun Company. This may be the first emergence in centuries (and centuries and centuries), but technically, not true.

With this in mind, Heron’s vending machine acquires that much more significance. Even with centuries without use, his original concept withstood the test of time. Eighteen centuries ago, a man recognized the human desire for self-service, convenience, and accessibility that exist today; this reflects an amazing understanding of society, the purpose of technology and the concepts it must behold in order to be a success, which to me, is what technology is all about.
　
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5433820/heron_of_alexandria.html
Click the link above for more information on Heron's other ideas/inventions and early modern concepts.

http://kottke.org/10/10/the-first-vending-machine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vending_machine
　
Mallory.
　

The In's and Out's Of Biometric Technology: A look inside at the future of security

 These technologies are being used for security purposes, employees and other staff remembers of The Drew Creamery will using these technologies in order to enter the corporation buildings, computer network, devices that hold important information, bathrooms, ATM’s, money safe, research labs, and to monitor attendance (Clocking-in/ Clocking out) at work.  Depending on how high you are in the company there are only certain places, and things that employees are allow to enter and get access to.

Biometric Technology is based on what you know, or what you have, and who you are.

To explain the risks and benefits of Biometric technology I will use a corporation/company as an example. Let’s say that the company’s name is Drew Creamery, and they are trying numerous types of biometric securities in order to find out which will be the most secured and fit for the company. 

­___These are only examples, not real life stories_____

The first type that was used at Drew Creamery, was the signature reader, which works by looking at, and identifying the motions the signature was first recorded.  It records how hard the person pressed while signing.  Each employee of the company needed to enter their signature into the computer before the technology was put into operation.  At first it was hard to use because it sometimes denied legitimate employees because of the little details of each signature. Eventually there was a burglary inside of the building and all the money in the safe was stolen.  This happened because a criminal was able to get a copy of one of the employee’s signature and was able to reproduce it in order to enter the building and then the safe. 

After the signature pad wasn’t successful, the company installed finger print/palm print pads all around the building.  Being that every individual has their own unique fingerprint the company thought this would work well. This meant that all the employees needed to do in order to enter were to press their index finger on the pad, granting the access.  Only the CEO had access to the safe, in order to keep track of the money.  One night the only two employees that were left at the office were the CEO and the janitor. The janitor, named Spencer has been having some financial problems and needed money.  Something snapped in his brain he decided to kill the CEO in order to use his fingerprint to enter the safe and steal the money. The same crime happened when the face recognition was put into place.  In order to break into the safe, and computer records that held important employee information, like social security numbers, home addresses, family information, and corporate credit card numbers the criminal used a face that they knew would be able to grant them access.  Not only did this criminal steal the money that was in the safe but also went so far to steal money from employee’s families using their social security numbers, and credit cards.

The DNA recognition biometric device was installed meaning that employees needed to place their head on the device in order to match their original DNA that was recorded.  This used DNA samples from hair.  It wasn’t successful because it was inconvenient for employees and some of the Drew Creamery employees were or had no hair at all.  These stories seem unrealistic but they are examples to show the pros and cons of the biometric.   

Short Video Inside Biometric Security: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CL3Mjn7uAnA

Two types of Biometric Technology

Physiological Biometrics is used to identify body shape and physical characteristics of a person.  Examples are fingerprints/ handprint/palm print, face detection, DNA, and odor/scent recognition.  Other ways to identify someone is by their signature, which I feel can be dangerous because signatures can be copied.

Behavior Biometrics is used to identify an individual’s behavior.  Such as the pattern or way someone types, motion behaviors, and identifying a persons voice. 

 In conclusion:  The Benefits and Problems - Biometric Technology

Pros:

-       Everyone has a different voice, fingerprint, handprint, body shape, physical looks, face, body motion, and DNA

-       Finger print scanning can be installed on computers, cell phones, ATM’s, safes, and smaller devices.  From my research fingerprint recognition seems to be the most used and successful.  Fingerprinting has been the most widely used and has the lowest error rate.

-       Can improve and develop employee attendance by using it as a “clock in, clock out” system.  This will replace the widely used paper slips, which will also help the environment.  No other employee can punch in for another.

-       Fast and easy to use if the employees are trained efficiently.

-       Unlike ID cards and passwords, it is very hard to guess, share, and forget.

-       It allows security to use information, like where someone is at a point in time.  It can read where someone last entered.

Cons:

-       Expensive to install

o   On other hand some fingerprint technology can be bought for around $100.

-       No technology is perfect and there are always some problems that can occur.

-       There is a need for Tech. help if anything goes wrong.  So educating the users is another factor that plays into biometric technology and security.

-       Some users may not be comfortable using the technology

Research that has analyzed personal opinions on Biometrics: Illustrates the uses and the disadvantages.

http://www.techcast.org/Upload/PDFs/634122830612738824_Biometrics-VivianandGayathrilo-res.pdf

Places that are using Biometrics Technology and places where Biometrics could be useful: http://www.sciencedirect.com/

-       Schools- to replace library cards, meal plans

-       Walt Disney World Resorts- In order to prevent ticket fraud they use fingerprints to make sure no one enters the park that isn’t supposed to be their or have not paid.

-       Airports- wanted to make passports using facial biometrics in order to make it easier to recognize individuals and show criminal records

-       FBI and other government agencies, like the Department of Homeland Security - everyone that enters the United States must now five a fingerprint in order to keep track of individual’s records.

-       Banks- in order to stop/prevent ATM fraud, credit card fraud, check forgery

-       Hospitals- to keep medicine safe, records safe, and prevent doctors or other employees to steal medication.

-       Police Departments have been using fingerprinting for a very long time.  Now there are finger pads to scan their fingerprints.  This is to replace the ink and paper that used to be used.  It is now easier to send information over the computer to other authorities around the country and worldwide.