Jun 10 2014 : Mirror (Pune)

Artificial intelligence passes the Turing Test

MM





A historic milestone in artificial intelligence set by Alan Turing ­ the father of modern computer science ­ has been achieved for the first time more than 60 years after it was created

The 65 year-old iconic Turing Test was passed for the very first time by supercomputer Eugene Goostman during Turing Test 2014 held at the renowned Royal Society in London at an event organised by the University of Reading.Eugene, a computer programme that simulates a 13-year-old boy, was developed in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The development team includes Eugene’s creator Vladimir Veselov, who was born in Russia and now lives in the United States, and Ukrainian born Eugene Demchenko who now lives in Russia.
The Turing Test is based on 20th century mathematician and code-breaker Turing’s 1950 famous question and answer game, ‘Can Machines Think?’. The experiment investigates whether people can detect if they are talking to machines or humans. The event is particularly poignant as it took place on the 60th anniversary of Turing’s death, nearly six months after he was given a posthumous royal pardon.
If a computer is mistaken for a human more than 30 per cent of the time during a series of five minute keyboard conversations it passes the test. No computer has ever achieved this, until now. Eugene managed to convince 33 per cent of the human judges that it was human.
This historic event was organised by the University’s School of Systems Engineering in partnership with RoboLaw, an EU-funded organisation examining the regulation of emerging robotic technologies.
“Some will claim that the Test has already been passed. The words Turing Test have been applied to similar competitions around the world. However this event involved the most simultaneous comparison tests than ever before, was independently verified and, crucially, the conversations were unrestricted. A true Turing Test does not set the questions or topics prior to the conversations. We are therefore proud to declare that Alan Turing’s Test was passed for the first time,” said Professor Kevin Warwick, a Visiting Professor at the University of Reading.
“Of course the Test has implications for society today. Having a computer that can trick a human into thinking that someone, or even
something, is a person we trust is a wake-up call to cybercrime. The Turing Test is a vital tool for combating that threat. It is important to understand more fully how online, real-time communication of this type can influence an individual human in such a way that they are fooled into believing something is true... when in fact it is not.” Eugene was one of five supercomputers battling it for the Turing Test 2014 Prize.“I want to congratulate everyone who worked on Eugene Goostman. Our whole team is very excited with this result. It’s a remarkable achievement for us and we hope it boosts interest in artificial intelligence and chatbots,” said Vladimir Veselov, on winning the competition and achieving this historic milestone.
“Eugene was ‘born’ in 2001. Our main idea was that he can claim that he knows anything, but his age also makes it perfectly reasonable that
he doesn’t know everything. We spent a lot of time developing a character with a believable personality. This year we improved the ‘dialog controller’ which makes the conversation far more human-like when compared to programs that just answer questions. Going forward we plan to make Eugene smarter and continue working on improving what we refer to as ‘conversation logic’.” Turing, who played a major role in breaking the “Enigma” code used by Nazi Germany, is often hailed as a genius who laid the groundwork for modern computing. But he ended his life in sadness, committing suicide in 1954 at the age of 41, two years after being convicted of the then crime of homosexuality.He was awarded a posthumous pardon by Queen Elizabeth II in December 2013 following along campaign by supporters.

Jun 09 2014 : Mirror (Pune)

Mr Tata's Class act





It was in December last year that the prestigious Tata Hall, named after and funded by Ratan Tata, was inaugurated at Harvard Business School. The arc-shaped, seven-storey, glass and brick building includes residential space, classrooms, and common areas for Executive Education participants and has been designed by William Rawn Associates.But it was only last week that one had a virtual tour of the 100-crore project, thanks to Nisha Jamvwal, who was invited for lunch there and made copious notes of the architectural masterpiece that it is. The building reflects Mr Tata’s distinctive aesthetic sense —
minimalistic, detailed and elegant.Class rooms and conference halls overlook the river, while abstract Indian art adorn the walls. We are told the art is from Mr Tata’s personal collection, as he was closely involved in the planning of the centre of learning for world leaders. The other striking feature of the hall are the two long sculptural benches facing each other created by Matthias Pliessnig and the three open gardens flanking the hall.
“I think it should make every Indian proud, it did make my chest swell with pride because its an Indian landmark on the banks of the Charles River...” says Nisha. Indeed.

Jun 09 2014 : The Times of India (Delhi)

KICK-START LIFE

ANUPA BARIK |

TNN





From the bylanes of the city's red-light area to the mecca of soccer lovers, Old Trafford, this is the tale of a 16 year-old's near-impossible journey that finally ended in his dream coming true. Today, the teenager, Rajib Roy, is happy to spread the mantra of his life -try and try until you succeed -among his peers at Rahul Vidya Niketan, a school for sex workers' children at Baruipur on the fringes of Kolkata. Rajib is almost a messiah for these children as he shares with them his experiences from a six day football training under Manchester United and gives them a reason to live and dream.Being the son of a sex worker and living off the bare minimum essentials of life, Rajib went through a lot of struggle to reach the top of the ladder. Today, he boasts of being the first under-16 footballer in India to have a two-year contract with a FIFA-approved agent who will train and promote him globally.
Rajib now has a mission in life -to be a model for change in his society. His urge to incorporate his practice lessons from Manchester to the fields of Rabindra Kanan is slowly taking shape.
While his hard work and determination saw him reap rich dividends, it was his `godfather' Biswajit Mojumdar, for mer footballer and coach of Rajib's football academy, who led him ball academy, who led him through the rough journey.
Members of Rahul Vidya Niketan, a school set up by the Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee, and its founder, Samarjit Jana, believe that sport is one of the best ways to integrate these children into mainstream society.
Rajib's dream began materialising when he represented the school for the 2013 Airtel U-16 school football tournament which took place in seven cities in India. Though the team lost in the quarter-finals, Rajib was unani mously chosen by Airtel and the Indian Football Association (IFA) as one of the top 30 players of the tour nament. The list included Rajib's friend Arko along with 28 players from various parts of India. The sub sequent camp was held in Goa where ManU coaches scooped up the top 11 to travel to the city of the Red Devils for training. raining.
The UK experience and training have made Rajib an inspi ration and a real-life story that many in his area want to repliate. This right winger is sure to strike a goal at changing his underprivi leged community as he gets to coach and train the children of the area while reaching for the stars himself.

Jun 09 2014 : The Times of India (Delhi)

A HELPING HAND FOR THE NEEDY





BY N SIDDOJI RAO Founder, Help-Desk for Underprivileged

l l am from a homeless background and belong to a Scheduled Caste. I lost my parents at the age of sev en. I had nine siblings. I lost three sis ters and two brothers to hunger. I studied in government schools and stayed at government hostels. In the hostel, I had to eat rice full of black and white worms (when I added but termilk to it, they used to float in it).
But, since I was not able to get a decent meal anywhere, a worm-infested meal appeared like heaven to me. During the summer holidays, I used to do odd cleaning jobs in a hotel for three rupees a day regularly till graduation.
I used to wear clothes handed over by others after altering them.Despite hunger, poverty and being a social outcast, I managed to sail through and ended up at some of the best institutions such as Harvard Uni versity, Australian National Universi ty, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Andhra Pradesh Residential Degree College, Andhra Pradesh Residential Junior College, etc, and excelled. I have worked in India, US and Aus tralia. My performance has been out standing and even extraordinary at times. It has been an amazing odyssey.
From worm-infested rice to the world's finest basmati rice, from torn clothes to the finest global brands, I have experienced it all.
Many factors have contributed to this journey. Since childhood, I have always tried to understand and know my subject much better than others. I always tried to do my work (whatever I do) much better than others, though I have had a language problem (I am not proficient in either Telugu or English). Also, I was always prepared to sacrifice some happiness and comforts to achieve my goal of topping in schools, colleges and univer sities to attain greater happiness.
Moreover, people from my background don't have access to quality education. And they always have a negative opinion of people and the system; I, too, did due to the practice of `untouchability' and the absence of support. However, I gradually got over my negative views owing to the support of the government and a few people who treated me with love and respect. The reason is that all my teachers, classmates and the general public always respected me because of my hard work and academic record. For me, gov ernment is God as it gave me a supporting hand when I needed it badly.
The leadership training by the Ford Foundation inter national fellowship pro gramme for social justice, my life experience and some important people (such as K Madhava Rao, S Prasada Rao, etc) have moti vated me to work for the underprivileged rather than pursuing selfish career objectives. So, I aim to make the Dalit community an asset, indispensable to India in particular and the world in general to overcome `untouchability' and enjoy true liber ty. To achieve this, I have studied why some countries, communities and individuals are better developed than others. Through these extensive studies, I have realised that I need to make the Dalits more productive, more responsible and more communicative.
In addition, to bring desirable and effective change among Dalits, I have prepared myself for self-sacrifice, risk-taking, patience and commitment. That is why, I left my lucrative job in Australia. I have approached upwardly mobile Dalits for their support in achieving my goal and in helping the underprivileged. I have started an Information Centre for Dalits for the purpose of educational and em ployment opportuni ties in addition to career coun selling (per selling (per sonality de velop ment). I have start ed to use Dr Ambed kar, who built our na tion with a modern, democratic and accommodative constitution and who is known for his hard work, talent, scientific mind, sacrifice and indispensability in motivating Dalits and developing a high self-esteem among them. Finally, people have been convinced of my aim and started to support it and change themselves. I have given 1,500 lectures at every level -villages, schools, colleges, and universities -to make Dalits more productive, responsible, and communicative.
With the support of successful Dalits, I have created a help desk which supports to underprivileged Dalits. In this, we use the resources, skills, professional experience, time and energy of successful Dalits. The help desk carries out the following activities daily: z Monday: Counselling/lecture on how to get government officer-level jobs easily, personality development and professional leadership z Tuesday: Counselling/ lecture on employable skills, skill development -upgrading skills, overseas education counselling and education opportunities z Wednesday: Mentor young Dalit entrepreneurs and help them write project reports, etc z Thursday: Legal advice on any issue z Friday: Marriage counselling z Saturday: Solve scholarship or fee reimbursement problems The writer won the Ford Foundation international fellowship in 2002

Jun 09 2014 : The Times of India (Delhi)

Social empowerment

Aaditi Isaac

TNN





The School of Social Work (SOSW) at the Indira Gandhi National Open University (Ignou) has launched a new programme -Master of social work (counselling).“There is a dearth of professional counsellors in all sectors. The programme will provide both academic learning and professional education and training in counseling, extending beyond theoretical knowledge. It is tailored to suit counsellors working in a wide range of organisational and community contexts as well as individuals in families in a fast-changing social scenario. There are numerous problems being faced by people across the board. Unlike in the West, counselling services are inadequate in our country,“ says Gracious Thomas, director, School of Social Work, Ignou.
The two-year programme is organised in such a way that students can put into practice what they learn in the classroom. “Students will be able to assist trained counsellors in hospitals, jails, for childcare, in rural settings, etc. The university will provide students with a block placement at the end of the first year where students will be able to consolidate their theoretical knowledge and practical work experience under a social welfare agency. At the end of the second year, students have to intern for a month with an agency, depending on their interest and once they complete the internship they would be given a degree,“ he explains.
Once students complete the programme, they can work as counsellors in schools, corporate sector, health-care setting, social and welfare sectors, correctional settings, etc. There is an urgent need for specially trained counsellors to handle the stress of employees working with call centres, corporate sectors, families, family courts, correctional settings, school, universities and educational institutions, rehabilitation centres, refugee camps, institutions for the differently-abled, aged, child care and adoption centres, family planning, voluntary counseling and testing centres, rural sectors especially where farmers are driven to commit suicide, de-addiction centres etc. > AT A GLANCE z Eligibility: Bachelor's degree from a recognised university z Medium of Instruction: English z Duration: Minimum two years and maximum five years z Deadline: June 20 http://www.ignou.ac.in

Jun 09 2014 : The Times of India (Delhi)

In a first, comp convinces humans it's a real person

Andrew Griffin





Eugene Goostman, a computer programme made by a team based in Russia, cleared the Turing Test. It convinced 33% of the judges that it was a 13-yr-old boy

A programme that convinced humans that it was a 13-year-old boy has become the first computer ever to pass the Turing Test. The test -which requires that computers are indistinguishable from humans -is considered a landmark in the development of artificial intelligence, but academics have warned that the technology could be used for cybercrime.Computing pioneer Alan Turing said that a computer could be understood to be thinking if it passed the test, which requires that a computer dupes 30% of human interrogators in five-minute text conversations. Eugene Goostman, a computer programme made by a team based in Russia, succeeded in a test conducted at the Royal Society in London. It convinced 33% of the judges that it was human, said academics at the University of Reading, which organized the test.
It is thought to be the first computer to pass the iconic
test. The success came on the 60th anniversary of Turing’s death, on Saturday. The computer programme claims to be a 13-year-old boy from Odessa in Ukraine.“Our idea was that he can claim he knows anything, but his age makes it perfectly reasonable that he doesn’t know everything,” said Vladimir Veselov, one of the creators of the programme. “We developed a character with a believable personality.” The programme’s success may prompt concerns about the future of computing, said Kevin Warwick, a visiting professor at the University of Reading and deputy vice-chancellor for research at Coventry University. THE INDEPENDENT





Jun 09 2014 : The Times of India (Delhi)

Teacher training weakest link in education chain

Subodh Varma

Subodh Varma TIMES INSIGHT GROUP





One of the most important streams of higher education is teachers' training. It is from here that thousands of young men and women spread out to teach children in schools, virtually holding the destiny of the future generations in their hands. Yet teachers' training remains one of the most chaotic, neglected and deficient sectors of India's vast education system.Sadhana Singh of Kanpur discovered this last month when she tried to enroll for the B.Ed program in Delhi.
The eligibility conditions laid down by the National Council for Teachers Education (NCTE) are straightforward: any graduate with at least 50% marks can apply for admission. Since the NCTE is the apex regulatory body for teachers' education, setting down the rules for everything from eligibility to facility standards, Sadhana was confident that she would get admission in Delhi's prestigious B.Ed programs in Delhi University or Jamia Milia.
She couldn't have been more wrong. For both these universities she was declared not eligible because she was a commerce graduate. She is not alone in this -there are thousands of commerce graduates who are denied admission to BEd programs, although such rules are in direct violation of NCTE norms and regulations.
Similar complaints have been received from Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan.
Rama Mathew, director of Delhi University's Central Institute of Education (CIE) where BEd and MEd courses are taught says that the eligibility conditions were arrived at after past experience and approved by the university Academic Council. She was unaware that NCTE norms do not allow this prohibition of BCom graduates.
“It appears that there is a disjunct between our university and the NCTE. We will write to them to change the eligibility conditions,“ she said after the violation was pointed out.
Her colleague in CIE, Poonam Batra is heading a committee set up by the NCTE on the Supreme Court's advise to reformulate all norms and rules of the NCTE. In the new recommendations, the committee has maintained the previous eligibility conditions of any graduate with 50% marks.
Poonam Batra, who was a member of the Verma Commission set up in 2011 on the SC's orders to look into teachers' education, was aghast when TOI told her that her own institute was not allowing commerce graduates. She asserted that as per both existing and proposed norms, all graduates should be allowed.
Venita Kaul, a professor in Ambedkar University Delhi who was initially nominated to the Batra committee but resigned, told TOI that com merce is not taught in classes up to 10th and so there is no need for commerce graduates to be admitted.
“Moreover, NCTE norms are guidelines, states can adjust according to their local conditions,“ she said. This is clearly not the case: the NCTE is a statutory body and it lays down the law for teachers' education.
Farida Khan, professor in Jamia Milia and member of the Batra committee was also surprised that her own university was not allowing commerce graduates in violation of NCTE norms.
A senior teachers' education professor in Rajasthan, who wished to remain unnamed, told TOI that this confusion among the top brass of the NCTE and the blatant flouting of rules at the ground level is rampant across the country .
“Earlier Rajasthan too did not allow commerce graduates to enroll for BEd but after a high court order in 2005 where the NCTE's supremacy was upheld, the state government started allowing them,“ he told TOI.
Teachers' education has been plagued by sub-standard institutions and policy confusion for years.
India is facing a double crisis of both quality and quantity of school teachers.
According to the 12th five year plan there is an estimated shortage of 12.58 lakh teachers just at the elementary level. In addition, several States face an acute problem of untrained teachers. Tight fisted state governments are merrily employing contractual teachers at low pay scales sacrificing quality and discouraging talent.