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LATERAL COMPUTING AS A FUNDAMENTAL NEED OF COMPUTER TO CLEAR TURINGS TEST

A. Senguttuvan Sree Vidyanikethan Engineering College, Tirupathi, AP, India.

ABSTRACT
Human thinking can broadly be classified as (1)Absorptive thinking-the ability to observe and to apply attention,(2) Retentive thinking-the ability to memorize and to recall, (3)Reasoning thinking-the ability to analyze and to judge, (4) Creative thinkingthe ability to visualize, to foresee and to generate ideas. Computers can perform the

first three functions to some extent; but it is almost certain that no computer with the current state-of-the-art technology will ever be capable of generating ideas. Scientists assert that Imagination is more useful than dormant knowledge. To pass in the Turings test is the ultimate achievement of a sophisticated computer. The presently available computers are far away from even attempting to succeed in Turings Test. The most important needs towards achieving this goal are to incorporate Illogical computing in computers and to make the computers empowered with Natural

Language Processing. This paper attempts to analyze how low-end computers can act as excellent support systems for incorporating Creativity in computers. It also discusses how low-end computers can act as effective tools in performing logical thinking, in exhibiting the characteristics of creative behavior and in facilitating human creativity through software. Since computers cannot perform creative thinking independently, creativity has to be exercised by human beings only. In this process, computers can act as excellent creativity support systems and can be made to assist human creative thinking in the best possible manner. Creativity has played a very important role in the evolution of human civilization. Since computer- assisted human creativity plays a dominant role in inventing new inventions and in the development of productive research, a brief survey of different software packages that assist in enhancing human creativity is also presented in this paper. Keywords: lateral Computing, Imagination, Creative thinking, Originality, Electronic Brainstorming, Idea Generation International Journal of Research in Engineering, IT and Social Sciences www.indusedu.org

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1.0 INTRODUCTION It is imperative to understand the relationship between learning and creativity in Engineering Education. Edward Lumsdaine and Monika Lumsdaine have suggested a learning cone as a model to have a clear understanding of this relationship. Computers need to incorporate Illogical Computing in order to succeed in Turings Test. Learning can be comprehended as a linear process moving through the following four stages : (i) (ii) We dont know that we dont know We know that we dont know

(iii) We consciously learn the missing knowledge and skill (iv) We become so proficient in using the new knowledge that it becomes a subconscious act. Let us imagine a cylindrical column over these four stages where the learning process moves upward as the learner learns new concepts. Creativity helps in enlarging the learners horizon by making the radius of the learning cycles larger. Hence the cone opens up in a linear fashion as shown in Fig 1. The learner progresses over these four stages in a spiralling fashion.
KNOWLEDGE

CREATIVITY

Figure 1 The learning Cone

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As a case study the same authors have suggested a diagram for the relationships between the three components. The resulting diagram (Edward Lumsdaine, Monika Lumsdaine, 1995) is given in Fig. 2. In this diagram the connecting lines indicate paths of communication (verbal, written, visual).

Using Computers

Analytical, Logical & Mathematical Skills Probability & Statistics

Creating Thinking & Visualization

Working with People

Figure 2 Figure 2 shows that creative thinking can enhance our use of computers and the way we interact with people. It can improve how we integrate various learning techniques with computers in the service of the students and society, while communication is the important connecting link. Thus computers play an active role in improving the communication among the end-users and enhance creative thinking, visualization and creative problem solving.

2.0 CREATIVE ABILITIES AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION It is imperative to understand creativity and its significance in technical education before trying to analyze the contribution of modern technology in fostering creativity in technical education. It is found (Pradip N Khandwalla 1988) that creativity is not one ability, but a whole cluster of abilities. The most important of these abilities are described below. 2.1 FLUENCY OF IDEAS Fluency is the ability to come out with a large number of ideas or solutions to a given simple problem. Fluency works primarily through the process of associative thinking. One idea leads to another, the second idea to a third and so on. Fluency can be improved by trying to get answers for questions like How would you make your student more interested in Computer Graphics? etc., 2.2 FLEXIBILITY It is the ability to come out with a variety of ideas or concepts to a given problem. For example, to answer the question, What are the uses of brick? One can tell (i)Used as a

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construction material or (ii)as a weapon to attack, instead of answering (i) used for building bridges (ii) for houses etc., 2.3 ORIGINALITY It is the ability to come up with unusual but appropriate responses. For example, Use of brick (i) as a substitute for pillows or (ii) hiding place for jewellery. Originality is the vital element of creativity. Try to get answers for questions like, Suppose that your child has no gift for music, but loves it, how would you help him to become a good musician? 2.4 GUESSING ABILITY It is the ability to go to the roots of a phenomenon by unravelling its causes. It makes good guesses about the causes and consequences. This is considered to be a vital ingredient of Scientific Creativity. 2.5 SENSITIVITY It is the ability to spot the uncommon; to be sensitive to feelings, sight, smell, sound, etc., Try to get answers for questions like Why some experts in designing efficient algorithms have aversion to working with computer terminals? 2.6 ELABORATING ABILITY It is the ability involved on a theme. It involves working out the implications of a bright idea by a combination of analytical, evaluative, and associative thinking. Try to get answers for questions like, (i) Elaborate upon the paradoxical proverbs Stitch in time saves nine or Haste makes waste. The presence of all these abilities facilitates creation. Many people think that creativity is a god-given gift. It may not be always true in technology. Once we realize that creativity is a confluence of many different abilities, it becomes possible to develop each ability through proper training. It is important to note that technology-enhanced-teaching has become an important component in providing training in technical education.

3.0 IDEA GENERATION THROUGH ELECTRONIC BRAINSTORMING: Idea generation methods and techniques have been adopted to enhance the creativity of both individuals and groups. Idea generation software (electronic brainstorming) helps to stimulate a free flow of turbulent creative thinking; ideas, words, pictures and concepts set loose with fearless enthusiasm, based on the principle of synergy (association). Some packages are designed to enhance the creative thought process of the human mind and

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can be used to create new product ideas, marketing strategies, promotional campaigns, names, titles, slogans, or stories, or just for brainstorming.

A key feature in idea-generating software is bombarding the user with many ideas. This is critical because it helps the user to move away from an analytic mode into a creative mode. Psychological research indicates that people tend to anchor their thoughts early on, using their first idea as springboard for other ideas. Therefore, subsequent ideas may not be significantly new, but simply minor variations of the original idea. Because brainstorming software is free of human subjectivity, it can help broaden the thinking platform and encourage truly unique ideas to emerge. Recent studies (Efraim Turban, Jay E.Aronson, 2001) have characterized creativity and how it can be enhanced by software tools. By definition, idea generation in Group Support System (GSS) is a collaborative effort. One persons idea triggers anothers ideas, which trigger even more ideas (an idea chain developed by association). With collaborative computing support tools, the individuals do all the thinking while the software system encourages them more.

Technology is an anonymous, safe way to encourage participants to voice opinions that they might be reluctant to express in a more conventional setting. By building on each

others ideas, people can obtain creative insights they did not have before (based on associations with existing ideas and with their memories). There is a percolation effect as ideas work in their own way through the process. Associations trigger memories that can activate creativity. The exchange of information that can lead to increase in output and creativity (Dennis, 1996; Dennis et al., 1997/1998; Rees and Koehler, 1999). There are many relatively inexpensive idea generation packages on the market (Efraim Turban, Jay E.Aronson, 2001). Under the right electronic brainstorming conditions, more ideas and more creative ideas in overall can be generated. A number of different conditions may be explored. Aronson et al (2000) investigated time pressure impacts on idea generation and quality. Dennis et al. (1997) studied single versus multiple dialogues in brainstorming, and Dennis et al (1999) examined the impact of decomposing a problem by time periods or by tasks. Massetti (1996) investigated the impact of different brainstorming tools on creativity and Hilmer and Dennis (2000) studied categorization impacts. Generally, if the right approach is used in electronic brainstorming, more ideas and more creative ideas are generated. But a word of caution is needed. This may not always International Journal of Research in Engineering, IT and Social Sciences www.indusedu.org

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be a good idea in that a group may experience a process gain in the number of ideas and the number of creative ideas but also experience a process loss, resulting from information overload. The results of each idea generation session can be stored (GSS provides organizational memory) so that they can be carried over from one meeting to another to enhance the creativity of more people. What if an individual needs to brainstorm alone? There are methods for enhancing individual brainstorming. Satzinger et al (1999) developed simulated brainstorming to help individuals trigger more creative responses when brainstorming alone. They compare the impact of simulator that randomly generates ideas to an individual decision maker, versus an individual decision maker not using a simulator in brainstorming. The participants using the simulator generated more ideas and more creative ideas than the others. Research on how a group should organize itself to generate ideas shows that in contrast to findings on non-computer mediated idea generation, a single GSS supported group generates more ideas of higher quality than the same number of participants working as individuals or in several smaller groups (Bostrom et al., 1993). Web-based systems for idea generation are readily available. Closely related to brainstorming, cognitive maps can help an individual or a group to understand a messy problem, develop a common frame, and enhance creativity. A organize

cognitive map shows how concepts relate to each other, thus helping users their thoughts and ideas.

In this way they can visualize on the problem they are trying to

solve. (Lipp and Carver, 2000; Sheetz et al., 2000).

4.0 CREATIVITY-ENHANCING SOFTWARE Even though electronic transforming enhances human creativity, only human beings can produce the results. Creativity is a major characteristic of intelligent behavior. Since computer programs are written to exhibit the intelligent behavior of human mind, they may also be made to exhibit creativity. Intelligent agents (Smartbots) can function as facilitators in Group Support Systems. Intelligent agents are capable of assisting in idea convergence. The intelligent agents performance is comparable to that of a human facilitator in identifying important meeting concepts but inferior in generating precise and relevant concepts. But the agent is able to complete its task faster than its human counterparts. This novel concept has potential for supporting Web-based Group Support Systems. International Journal of Research in Engineering, IT and Social Sciences www.indusedu.org

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Rasmus (1995) describes three creativity tools. The first one Copycat, a program that seeks analogies in patterns of letters. Identifying the patterns is the essence of intelligence. Copycat consisting of several intelligent agents which can find analogies to strings of letters (e.g. find an analogy for transforming aabc to aabd). This ability can be generalized to other problems that require conceptual understanding and the manipulation of objects. The ability of the program to anticipate the meaning of the transformation and find analogous fits provides evidence that computers can mimic a human beings ability to create analogies. The second system, Tabletop is also capable of finding analogies. A third system AARON is a sophisticated art drawing program and the result of 15 years of research. Its developer Harlod Cohen, created a comprehensive knowledge base to support AARON. Similar computer programs have been developed to write poems to play music and create waves in their media. The increased knowledge base, processing speed and storage presently available enable such programs to create artwork of good quality. CoBrain is an intelligent partner that accelerates technical innovation. CoBrains semantic processing technology reads, understands and extracts key concepts from company databases, intranets and the internet. The software reads the content, creates a problem solution tree (knowledge index) and delivers an abstract listing the technical content in relevant documents. CoBrain uses scientific and engineering knowledge as the foundation for its semantic algorithms to accelerate new product and process design innovations. CoBrain is based on the theory of inventive problem solving TRIZ (a Russian acronym). TRIZ was first developed by Genrich Altshuller and his colleagues in Russia in 1946. Over two million patents were examined, classified by level of inventiveness and analyzed to work for the following innovation principles: Problems and solutions repeated across industries and sciences. Patterns of technical evolution repeated across industries and sciences. Innovations used scientific effects outside the field where they were

developed. There are several good software packages that can help in stimulating creativity. Some have very specific functions and others use word associations or questions to prompt the user to take new, unexplored directions in their thought patterns. This activity can help users break cyclic thinking patterns, get past mental blocks, or overcome procrastination. Such software can use several different approaches to release the users flow of ideas.

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Project KickStart, ThoughtPath, Creative WhackPack, and IdeaFisher are just a few of these packages. Project KickStart supports the creative aspect of a very specific problem; organizing a project at its inception. It walks the user through a series of standard steps through which every project should progress. It helps the user to organize his or her ideas to start the project quickly. It also makes information from other projects available to help work out the details through every step. A down loadable demonstration is available from the companys Website. ThoughtsPath enhances creativity by walking a user through a series of steps that have demonstrated success in practice. ThoughtPath guides the user through problems and opportunities towards a creative pragmatic solution. It helps users gain insights into their problems and issues. ThoughtPath is designed to promote outside-the-box thinking. A tour is available on the Web. CreativeThink provides the Creative WhackPack, a deck of 64 cards that will whack you out of habitual thought patterns and let you look at your problem in a new way. The cards are designed to stimulate the imagination. Fortunately, all 64 illustrated cards are up and running on the Web site and you can select the Give Me Another Creative Whack button to select one at random. IdeaFisher, has an associative lexicon of the English language that cross-references words and phrases. The associative links make it easy for the computer to provide the user with words related to a given theme on some level, based on analogies and metaphors. Many such nonlinear associations can be outrageous, but as mentioned earlier,

outrageousness can often trigger new, useful ideas. Personal associations can also be added to the database to broaden its creative application base. IdeaFisher has been

described as a thesaurus on steroids. In 2000 IdeaFisher had 15 add-on modules designed for specific creative problem-solving situations. The modules include Strategic Planning. Speech and Presentation, Public Relations, General Problem Solving, and more. Writers can use IdeaFishers Creative Writing Module to help generate analogies to get past writers block. IdeaFisher has three components: Qbank, IdeaBank and Notepad. QBanks questions are organized to assist in formulating an exact problem more accurately; a series of modification questions encourage the user to branch into different lines of thought, and a series of evaluation questions help the user to test and compare the quality of creative ideas International Journal of Research in Engineering, IT and Social Sciences www.indusedu.org

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what to

to the original objective. This pursue in IdeaBank.

list of central ideas, can then be used to decide

IdeaBank is a massive database of idea words, concepts, and associations with the crossreferencing power of a huge number of direct idea associations and a very large number of secondary (linked) associations. The inclusion of polar opposites stimulates an even

larger group of associations. IdeaBank also lets the user to add personal associations and phrases to Topical Categories or to create their own customized Topical Categories. The third component of the system, Notepad, allows together efficiently. The the two databases to work efforts in selecting

user can then focus on productive

alternative lines of thought, maximizing the number of high-quality ideas and selecting the best ones.

5.0 GROUP CREATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING TECHNIQUES Aids to creative problem solving include group techniques as well as techniques for individuals. The merging of perspectives and views has in the past been found to be a productive way of discovering new insights into stubborn problems. Group aids to creative thinking have also been emulated by computer decision support mechanisms. In addition to facilities for individuals, networked personal computers provide the surroundings for software which can assemble and amalgamate the ideas of different individuals. A team can use an application to evaluate and rank ideas which have either been generated in a group brainstorming session or are the result of individual effort collated on the network. This kind of software saves time and permits equality of opportunity to input ideas. It also facilities the gaining of a consensus of opinion. There are two main products on the market in the United States that can be used for this purpose. TeamFocus, developed by the University of Arizona, and VisionQuest, developed by Collaborative Technologies Corporation of Austin, Texas. TeamFocus can be used by a group of individuals who meet electronically on their decision network. Participants can work from any location provided that they have suitable computer hardware. An alternative is for individuals to work on their own and network their ideas later. Robert L. A. Trost at the Centre for Commercial Innovation Ltd in the Netherlands has produced Global Think Tank. This package makes use of a program called Operation Brainstorm. The package facilitates idea generation and can be used over electronic networks such as CompuServe of Internet. The Operation Brainstrom program produces a workfile in International Journal of Research in Engineering, IT and Social Sciences www.indusedu.org

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which output of a brainstorming session is filled. The workfile can be exchanged with another person using disk or electronic file no matter where the person lives. Both these packages improve productivity through the medium of computerized group decision making. They aim to reduce executives time spent in meetings and enhance creativity. Electronic group brainstorming sessions are anonymous, thus removing an

important barrier to creative thinking the fear of feeling foolish in front of superiors. The elimination of social inhibitions can lead to the generation of novel and unusual ideas. Option Finder is another package which can be used by a group. It is readily available in the United Kingdom and is designed to provoke thought and explore the different Opinions held by the people who might use it. The system consists of a public screen and a single personal computer loaded with the software. The system is portable and is used to facilitate voting on issues identified by a facilitator. Voting is anonymous but comment is not. Voting analysis is displayed in a graphical format, either on an x-y grid or as a bar chart on the public screen. This analysis of opinion enhances evaluation and feedback. It clarifies whether there is consensus of opinion or disagreement. Confirmation of conflicting beliefs can induce thought-provoking exchanges and new ideas.

6.0 OBSERVATIONS ON COMPUTERS AS CREATIVITY SUPPORT SYSTEMS Many trial and error attempts in selecting / rejecting ideas would be achieved easily using computers large data storing devices. Combining and processing different components of ideas repeatedly, is easily achieved by computers best possible processing speed. Computers, however, when allowed to be the prime-mover for creative processes, might diminish the humans own intuitive thinking. The users of Computational Creative processing, have to be computer-literates and need to know the operational capabilities of sophisticated software packages.

7.0 CONCLUDING REMARKS Creativity in Computerscan be termed as a logical process, unlike the intuitive process that is generally referred as to in psychology. Creativity is an important prerequisite for design-oriented problems or for proposing and executing challenging projects / assignments.

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Creativity is not a single ability at all, but a whole cluster of abilities. By consciously nurturing human abilities like flexibility, originality, guessing ability, sensitivity and Elaborating ability, any individual can improve the capacity for Creative Problem Solving and thus enhance Creativity. It is clearly demonstrated that Creativity through logical thinking process can be applied to solve technical design problems and consequently may be applied in Technical Education. Although computers themselves cannot exhibit Creativity, they can be made to support human creative process in the best possible manner and thus, they can act as excellent Creativity Support Systems to the end-users. Brainstorming can be simplified and improved by making use of Computers and

thus Electronic Brainstorming does away with distance between persons and their Geographical Locations.

Table 1. Some computerized creativity aids, and their main features. COMPUTERISED CREATIVITY SOFTWARE Facilities the construction of cognitive maps. Useful for gaining Cope (1980) insights into ones own beliefs and attitudes with respect to a problem. Helps to identify potential blocks to implementing new ideas. Helps to structure problems and make decisions. Includes a module BRAIN (1985) which performs morphological analysis. Useful for generating new product ideas. Helps to define open-ended problems and to stimulate insights. Uses BRAIN (1985) Idea (1986) IdeaTree (1988) MORPHY (1989) random words and semi-meaningful phrases. Useful in identifying new ways to do something. Generator Useful for structuring problems. Includes a framework for generating insights into how a problem is structured. A computerized tool that facilitates mind-mapping. It is good for obtaining insights into how a problem is structured A package facilitating morphological analysis and including a random word generator to aid identification of attributes. Useful for generating new product ideas, etc. International Journal of Research in Engineering, IT and Social Sciences www.indusedu.org FEATURES

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IdeaFisher (1990)

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Uses word association to enable one to follow through the thread of an idea. Essentially a random word generator to help the stimulation of

Thunder (1990)

Thought insights. This can be achieved by force-fitting a randomly generated phrase with the problem in hand. Assists in dreaming up creative ideas. MoonLite is based on the premise that at least 80 per cent of ones tangible and intangible assets are not being fully used and are, in fact, more or less lying idle. In order to activate this potential, MoonLite employs a new creativity

MoonLite (1993)

technique called Random Asset Pairing (RAP) with which tangible and intangible assets that you have or can dispose of are randomly combined and presented in ever-changing pairs to form the basis for the pleasant and easy generation of creative business ideas. Enables one to work through objective setting, idea generating and evaluation. The commercial version of BizIdea is a more advanced program than

BizIdea.

MoonLite, making use of Fuzzy Logic in the determination and rating of criteria.

REFERENCES 1 Aronson, J.E., R.M. Myers, and R.B. Wharton, (2000, June) Time Pressure Impacts on Electronic Brainstorming in a Group Support System Environment Informatica, Vol.24., No.2 2 Chen, H.et al(1995) Intelligent Meeting Facilitation Agents: An Experiment on Group Systems Tucson: University of Arizona. 3 Dennis. A.R. (1996) Information Exchange and Use in Group Decision making: You Can Lead a Group to Information But You Cant Make It Think MIS Quarterly Vol 20. No.4. 4 Dennis A.R., K.M. Hilmer, and N.J. Taylor.(1997/1998) Information Exchange and Use In GSS and Verbal Group Decision Making Effects of Minority Influence Journal of Management Information Systems, Vol.14., No.3. 5 Dennis, A.R. Aronson W.G. Heninger, and E.D. Walker, H.(1999, Mar.) Structuring Time and Task Decomposition In Electronic Brainstorming Management Information Systems Quarterly, Vol.23.,No.1. International Journal of Research in Engineering, IT and Social Sciences www.indusedu.org

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6 Dennis A. and B.H. Wixom. (2000) Systems Analysis and Design: An Applied Approach New York , Wiley. 7 Edward Lumsdaine & Monika Lumsdaine, Creative Problem Solving; Thinking Skills For a Changing World (1995) McGraw-Hill, Inc., 8 Efraim Turban and Jay E Aronson, Decision Support Systems and Intelligent Systems (2001) Pearson Education Inc., 9 Lipp, A., and C.Y. Carver.(2000, Jan). Using Web Group Ware and Cognitive Mapping in a CIS Department to Review and Revise the Assessment Process and 10 Document Resoning Proceeding of the Thirty Third Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences HICSS-33 , Los Alamitos, CA: IEEE Computer Society Press. 11 Pradip N Khandwalla Fourth Eye: Excellence through Creativity Second Edition (1988) A.H. Wheeler & Co., 12 Rasmus, D.W. (1995). Creativity and Tools PC AL, Pt. 1: May/June Pt. 2: July/August: Pt. 3: Sept/Oct. 13 Satzinger, J.W., M.J. Garfield, and M.Nagasundaram, (1999 Spring) The Creative Process: The Effects Of Group Memory on Individual Idea Generation Journal of Management Information Systems. Vol.15., No.4. 14 Senguttuvan A, Sambanthan. T.G, Proceedings of TELT 2002 : International Conference on Technology Enhanced Learning and Teaching, December 19-20, 2002, Crescent Engineering College, Chennai, India. 15 Sheetz, S.D., D.P.Tegarden, L.F.Tegarden, L.Poppo, and D.Gynwali. (2000 Aug.). A WWW-Based Group Cognitive Mapping Approach to Support Case-Based Learning, Proceeding of the Americas Conference of the Association for Information Systems, Milwaukee, WI. 16 Tony Proctor , The Essence of Management Creativity, Prentice Hall of India Pvt Ltd. 17 Turing, A.A. 1950. Computing Machinery and Intelligence, Mind, 59: 433 460. 18 Von Oech. R. (1998) A Whack on the Side of the Head, New York: Warner Books.

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