Required Viewing

Academic Required Viewing

• The Craft of Writing Effectively

  A video featuring Dr. Larry McEnerney, longtime director of the University of Chicago's writing program, on the techniques that make academic writing valuable to readers, not merely clear. See Writing a Journal or Conference Paper for the fuller discussion and why every MItHRIL member is encouraged to watch it.

  Why watch it: Clarity and logical organization alone don't make writing valuable to its readers. This video reframes how to think about that, and it pays off directly in stronger papers and grant applications.

Human-Robot Interaction

• Time of Eve (Eve no Jikan)

  イヴの時間 (Ivu no Jikan) is a six-part Japanese web anime created by Yasuhiro Yoshiura, which ran from 2008 to 2009; a theatrical version premiered in Japan on March 6, 2010.

  Plot: In the not-too-distant future, androids have come into common usage. Rikuo Sakisaka, who has taken robots for granted his entire life, one day discovers that Sammy, his home android, has been acting independently and coming and going on her own. He finds a strange phrase recorded in her activity log: "Are you enjoying the Time of Eve?" He and his friend Masakazu Masaki trace Sammy's movements and find an unusual cafe, "The Time of Eve." Nagi, the barista, informs them that the cafe's main rule is not to discriminate between humans and androids: within the cafe, androids do not display their status rings, and when patrons depart, the door locks automatically for two minutes to prevent someone from following them to discover their true nature.

  Why watch it: This show highlights many themes and issues discussed in human-robot interaction. It is a well-animated and entertaining examination of the role robots may play in society, and possibly a foretelling of issues we may face if the line between human and machine is blurred.

• Short Circuit and Short Circuit 2

  These classic comedy films (1986 and 1988) follow the misadventures of Number 5, an experimental military robot who becomes alive and wants to stay that way.

  Plot: When one of an experimental range of military robots is hit by lightning, it is given consciousness. It escapes from the military and befriends a young woman, Stephanie Speck. Its creator, Newton Crosby, is desperate to find it, or his entire project may be scrapped.

  Why watch it: Despite the corniness and contemporary criticism of casting a Caucasian actor to play an Indian character, these films highlight how robot motion and behaviours can be used to convey human attributes such as thought, emotion, and intent.

• WALL-E

  Andrew Stanton conceived WALL-E during a lunch with fellow writers John Lasseter, Pete Docter, and Joe Ranft in 1994, while Toy Story was near completion and the writers were brainstorming ideas for their next projects. Stanton asked, "What if mankind had to leave Earth and somebody forgot to turn off the last robot?"

  Plot: WALL-E, short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-class, is the last robot left on Earth, spending his days tidying up the planet one piece of garbage at a time. But over 700 years, WALL-E has developed a personality, and he's more than a little lonely. Then he spots EVE, a sleek probe sent back to Earth on a scanning mission; smitten, WALL-E embarks on his greatest adventure yet when he follows EVE across the galaxy.

  Why watch it: Because it's WALL-E.