All Narratives (296)
Find narratives by ethical themes or by technologies.
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- 10 min
- Kinolab
- 2015
During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive. Communication between Earth and space happens primarily through data streaming methods, such as video chats or satellite broadcasts. With the launch of a spacecraft known as IRIS, Mark anticipates a delivery of food rations. However, he is unaware that the safety inspections have been bypassed, which results in the entire operation failing and the chances of his survival dramatically decreasing.
- Kinolab
- 2015
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- 10 min
- Kinolab
- 2015
Mars Rescue Part I: Making Contact
During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive. Communication between Earth and space happens primarily through data streaming methods, such as video chats or satellite broadcasts. With the launch of a spacecraft known as IRIS, Mark anticipates a delivery of food rations. However, he is unaware that the safety inspections have been bypassed, which results in the entire operation failing and the chances of his survival dramatically decreasing.
Does space travel and exploration seem like a good use of scientific or technological capital? Is it too dangerous of a frontier to dispense so many technological resources on? How is the development of data streaming methods over long distances depicted positively here? How does technological innovation have the potential to spur global alliances?
The Martian: Mark and Vincent Make Contact-
- 16 min
- Kinolab
- 2003
In a distant future, the majority of humanity has been wiped out, and most of the planet is flooded. ECOBAN is a city which runs on technological power, avoiding destruction and pollution by using a machine which converts pollutants into power. However, Marrians, who live on the exterior of the city in the destroyed world, are responsible for performing the labor to harvest these pollutants, without any of the benefits. Essentially, Ecoban keeps its technology to itself, not sharing it with the “contaminated” underclasses. Shua, a renegade Marrian hacker, attempts to shut down the DELOS system, the technology which powers Ecoban and has destroyed the surrounding environment entirely. He ultimately succeeds in his mission, breaking the DELOS system which gave Ecobans a privileged life and at last bringing back blue skies.
- Kinolab
- 2003
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- 16 min
- Kinolab
- 2003
Technological Regulation of the Environment and Division
In a distant future, the majority of humanity has been wiped out, and most of the planet is flooded. ECOBAN is a city which runs on technological power, avoiding destruction and pollution by using a machine which converts pollutants into power. However, Marrians, who live on the exterior of the city in the destroyed world, are responsible for performing the labor to harvest these pollutants, without any of the benefits. Essentially, Ecoban keeps its technology to itself, not sharing it with the “contaminated” underclasses. Shua, a renegade Marrian hacker, attempts to shut down the DELOS system, the technology which powers Ecoban and has destroyed the surrounding environment entirely. He ultimately succeeds in his mission, breaking the DELOS system which gave Ecobans a privileged life and at last bringing back blue skies.
How can it be ensured that technology built with the aim to reverse climate change or otherwise aid the environment helps all people, and not just certain higher classes? How can governments or leaders support “Robin Hood” hackers who disrupt technology for a greater good? Who is responsible for bridging digital divides and bringing technological equality to disadvantaged communities, and how should this be approached? How should technology be created to be accessible to all communities?
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- 14 min
- Kinolab
- 2008
After his family home is destroyed and his father is killed, Memo must become a part of the global economy. He is expected to do this at the Sleep Dealer Factory, where citizens of Mexico who are implanted with “nodes” connect to a brain-computer interface which they use to remotely control robots in the United States. This was meant to be a solution to the “migrant problem” to the United States in this imagined future, allowing the United States to contract labor from immigrants without actually having people cross the border. However, the wages payed by the Sleep Dealers for the exhaustive labor are incredibly low, thus most laborers there live in unlivable conditions. The technology is shown to not only be exhausting due to the menial labor, but also dangerous if someone is connected during a short-circuit.
- Kinolab
- 2008
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- 14 min
- Kinolab
- 2008
Networked Laborers and Remote Workforces
After his family home is destroyed and his father is killed, Memo must become a part of the global economy. He is expected to do this at the Sleep Dealer Factory, where citizens of Mexico who are implanted with “nodes” connect to a brain-computer interface which they use to remotely control robots in the United States. This was meant to be a solution to the “migrant problem” to the United States in this imagined future, allowing the United States to contract labor from immigrants without actually having people cross the border. However, the wages payed by the Sleep Dealers for the exhaustive labor are incredibly low, thus most laborers there live in unlivable conditions. The technology is shown to not only be exhausting due to the menial labor, but also dangerous if someone is connected during a short-circuit.
How could technology theoretically exacerbate the gross xenophobia displayed toward Mexican immigrants in the United States? How does automation lower the value of labor, causing harm to those communities who need jobs? How can automation and robots be used to avoid putting workers in dangerous scenarios? Could a system using the technologies displayed in this narrative ever be designed to be truly fair?
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- 7 min
- Kinolab
- 2013
In this film, actress Robin Wright plays a fictionalized version of herself as an actress whose popularity is declining. Her agent Al exposes her to deep fake technology which creates a virtual version of an actor to play a role in any number of scenarios or films. These “actors” are 3D holographs with AI that have been trained to replicate the real person which they imitate. However, Robin is disconcerted with the lack of agency that she would have in deciding how her image and identity appeared in these movies.
- Kinolab
- 2013
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- 7 min
- Kinolab
- 2013
Digital Performers and the Gift of Choice
In this film, actress Robin Wright plays a fictionalized version of herself as an actress whose popularity is declining. Her agent Al exposes her to deep fake technology which creates a virtual version of an actor to play a role in any number of scenarios or films. These “actors” are 3D holographs with AI that have been trained to replicate the real person which they imitate. However, Robin is disconcerted with the lack of agency that she would have in deciding how her image and identity appeared in these movies.
What sorts of problems are implicated with the ability to manipulate another person’s body and likeness in a piece of media without their consent? Does technology like this actually have the potential to free actors from some of the constraints of the film industry, as Al says? How would acting be valued as an art, and actors paid accordingly and properly, if this technology became the norm?
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- 7 min
- Kinolab
- 2008
Under threat of eviction, Luz must find a quick way to make some money to pay rent. Thankfully, through the company TruNode, she can digitize her memories and sell them on the internet for anyone who may wish to access and stream them. While this seems convenient, the downsides are shown when the repository of her memories are used to help ruthless drone pilot Rudy Ramirez hunt down an innocent laborer who is a supposedly dangerous criminal. After Luz reveals this means of making money to Memo, the aforementioned innocent laborer, he is less than enthused with the system.
- Kinolab
- 2008
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- 7 min
- Kinolab
- 2008
Selling Digitized Memories
Under threat of eviction, Luz must find a quick way to make some money to pay rent. Thankfully, through the company TruNode, she can digitize her memories and sell them on the internet for anyone who may wish to access and stream them. While this seems convenient, the downsides are shown when the repository of her memories are used to help ruthless drone pilot Rudy Ramirez hunt down an innocent laborer who is a supposedly dangerous criminal. After Luz reveals this means of making money to Memo, the aforementioned innocent laborer, he is less than enthused with the system.
How can the high cost of very personal data and digital memories be both empowering in the right circumstances and disempowering in the wrong ones? What if people were able to sell all of their personal data, as is shown here? Is the complete digitization of memory a positive concept or a negative one? How can data or memory be purchased for nefarious purposes? How can people be unintentionally harmed by this system? Can the emotions of memories ever be paired well with a digital interface?
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- 5 min
- Kinolab
- 2008
Memo lives in a small Mexican rural village with his father. This narrative reveals that access to water in the area surrounding their village is limited; one company oversees a watering hole where people pay to replenish their supply. This business, Del Rio Water Company, builds dams and other means of controlling the water supply, and uses drones to protect these against suspected aqua-terrorists who might seek to take back control of it.
- Kinolab
- 2008
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- 5 min
- Kinolab
- 2008
Drones and Gatekeeping Natural Resources
Memo lives in a small Mexican rural village with his father. This narrative reveals that access to water in the area surrounding their village is limited; one company oversees a watering hole where people pay to replenish their supply. This business, Del Rio Water Company, builds dams and other means of controlling the water supply, and uses drones to protect these against suspected aqua-terrorists who might seek to take back control of it.
How might the centralization of technological power and capital lead to gatekeeping of natural and vital resources like water? How might drones and other technologies de-sensitize profiteers to those whom they are hurting? What happens when technology is used and abused by those who don’t have the best interests of all people at heart? How does technology cause and reinforce changes to our environment? Could surveillance technology such as this potentially be used for positive conservation purposes?