ICA-CP: Question of the Week - Due 9/26/08

Background:
Karel the Robot is a computer simulation of a real robot. For a definition of a simulation, see the Wikipedia definition at this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_model Computer simulations allow users (who may be doctors, lawyers, the disabled, a researcher, or any one of us) to perform tasks that may be too dangerous or too expensive, to try alternatives before choosing the best course of action (a doctor simulating a brain operation, for example), or to learn a new skill (like driving or flying a jet plane), or design a roller coaster. Even more realistic are simulations that attempt to use a Virtual Reality (see Wikipedia for a definition: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_reality). Here are some computer simulation links:

Driving simulator: http://www.stisimdrive.com/?gclid=CMK4583h75UCFQ8QagodYCUFew

Flight Simulator: http://www.baseops.net/flightsimulators/

Brain Surgery Simulator: http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB/produkte.asp?Doi=100260

Virtual Reality Field Trips: http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2005/1011-virtual_reality_field_trips.htm

Movies like the The Lawnmover Man and The Matrix are about computer simulations. The Ninentendo Wii uses simulations. You might want to do some more Internet reasearch by yourself on simulations.

Questions of the Week:
As computers become more sophisticated, simulations will be more and more complex. What kinds of computer simulations, other than Karel the Robot, do you use? How do you see computer simulations being used now and in the future in sports, in the classroom, in medicine, or in any other facet of daily life? Do you think that some individuals might escape into Virtual Reality and never come back to reality? (There have been science fiction stories and movies written wbout this topic.)