Digital Imaging (Tutorial Two)

"A new technology is rarely superior to an old one in every feature"

Storing Digital Images
As with all technology there are always some things people like about the old that is not carried on to the new. Digital cameras have given us the opportunity to all become overnight photographers taking a lot more photos and seeing them before printing them so supposedly being more economical. It also affords us the luxury of storing our pictures in different ways in case of disaster. For example on a disc, the computer or a hard copy.

Informed Consent

“Informed consent is a process rather than a one-off
event. The essential elements of this process are effective
communication, full information, and freely-given
competent consent” (Fraser, 1998, p.1).
Informed consent is an integral aspect of service provision.
It is also an ethical and legal requirement under the codes
of ethics of various professional bodies, the Health and
Disability Act (1994), and Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights (1996).

Ministry of Education. Informed consent guidelines. Retrieved March 14, 2009, from http://www.minedu.govt.nz/~/media/MinEdu/Files/EducationSectors/SpecialEducation/FormsGuidelines/InformedConsentGuidelines.pdf

Use of Digital Images in Practice
Digital images are being used in Occupational therapy practice to make others aware of some of the difficulties faced by others that are less able. For example: Occupational Therapy at Grand Valley State University. Retrieved March 14, 2009, from http://www.gvsu.edu/ot/index.cfm?id=9D296622-CFA0-EB34-F9EDC9408F00E6C7 uses photos to highlight the interaction of OT's with clients and to promote the school.

Images are also used to enhance the skills and diversity of an OT, such as seen on the following website that has links attached to each image. Retrieved March 14, 2009, from http://images.google.co.nz/images?sourceid=navclient&rlz=1T4DANZ_enNZ312&q=Occupational+Therapy+photos&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=i_3jSd31NcGTkAWhtczZCw&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&resnum=1&ct=title

Occupational Therapists are using digital images to show supervisors or other therapist. This is to ensure correct seating/posture/movements/equipment installation are in place for a client instead of creating another visit to the clients residents and wasting time for both parties.

Flickr

There are other ways in which people display their digital images which is less formal and offers others the opportunity to comment on the images. One such site is Flickr.com offering people an opportunity to showcase their photos and talent (or lack of) to others. Flickr's aims are 1. We want to help people make their content available to the people who matter to them. and 2. We want to enable new ways of organizing photos and video. For more information or to join Flickr go to http://www.flickr.com/

JPEG (Joint Photo's Experts Group) retrieved March 14,2009, from http://www.image-formats.com/jpeg.htm

"Jpeg format was designed to transfer graphic data and images via digital
telecommunication networking and was generally used to hold and transfer full
color photo realistic images. Before Jpeg, there were very few formats, which
supported 24 bit halftone images. TIFF and BMP formats allowed holding 24 bit
data, but they failed to perform a loss less compression of the data, which
contained thousand colors from the real world, on the high quality
level. Jpeg compresses photos though with quality loss. Compression algorithm
is that data are deleted for deal location (it allows to raise the compression
degree). Data are hold as pixel block in a certain color with intensity
information save (the matter is that a human eye discerns disintensity better
than discoloration).
Photos and multi-color images, transferred in this
format, are ideal for networking. It is not possible to refine Jpeg images,
though it is possible to debase them by decreasing the file size.
Jpeg format is primarily used to hold photo realistic graphic images with a large number of
colors.
Compressed data capacity depends on image contents. Compression
degree may come up to 25:1 without visible loss in quality.
Jpeg supports, Progressive Jpeg standard, which conceptually looks like interlaced in Gif
format. That means that Jpeg Progressive format images are loaded by parts,
which are displayed, as they are loaded. Such format is good for large files.
Unfortunately, it is a new standard, so some programs may not support it".

Digital Vs Optical Zoom

Finding the Difference Between Digital and Optical Zoom; go to Digital Vs Optical Zoom at http://www.pantherproducts.co.uk/Articles/Digital_Camera/digital_optical_zoom.shtml

Digital zoom according to Wikipedia - is a method of decreasing (narrowing) the apparent angle of view of a digital photographic or video image. Digital zoom is accomplished by cropping an image down to a centered area with the same aspect ratio as the original, and usually also interpolating the result back up to the pixel dimensions of the original. It is accomplished electronically, without any adjustment of the camera's optics, and no optical resolution is gained in the process. Wikipedia. Retrieved March 14, 2009 from, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_zoom

Optical zoom is magnification created by a lens. This type of magnification is a "true zoom" and should not adversely affect image quality. Optical zoom should be your first choice for magnification whenever possible. About.com Photography. Retrieved March 14, 2009, from http://photography.about.com/od/camerabasics/qt/digvsoptzoom.htm

What is a Mega pixel????

"A mega pixel refers to one million pixels, and is commonly used in reference to digital cameras as an indication of resolution capability. A pixel is a tiny square on a computerized display that is so small it appears as a dot. The display screen is a solid grid of these squares or dots, which can be easily seen with a magnifying glass. The more pixels or dots that make up the display screen, the clearer the resolution or image will be. Greater numbers of dots or pixels allow for more refinement of the image, which results in higher, truer image replication". Wisegeek. What is a mega pixel? Retrieved March 14, 2009, from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-megapixel.htm

Go to Digicamhelp at http://www.digicamhelp.com/camera-features/camera-parts/megapixels/ for further information.

Ethics and Information Technology (Tutorial One)

In today's society we have the option to use as many or as little devices from the technological word as we can wish. For some like me this only includes the basics such as the computer, mainly e-mail and a word programme, a cell phone and digital camera, and DVD video recorder. As I contemplate my future in the working world and consider how these things are being used to enhance an Occupational Therapist job I realise these objects are going to be essential for information gathering, multi note taking, communication and assessment.

"We hold to the philosophy that it’s not what’s going on inside a computer’s plastic container that is of greatest importance, but how this technology benefits those who are using it. Plus, we believe that computer technology is now a vital part of everyday life – from how washing machines operate to how running shoes are designed – and its possible uses are limitless!" Retrieved 15 March, 2009 Otago Polytechnic. Information Technology, from http://www.otagopolytechnic.ac.nz/schools-departments/information-technology.html

The use of devices that take video or photo's has ethical implications that need to be considered. These images once put 'out there' in cyber world loose there intended purpose and can become ill used by others. The issue of 'who' has access to the images we put on our tools needs to be addressed.(see: http://library.thinkquest.org/26658/)

Intellectual Property (IP) for New Zealand, refer Intellectual Property of New Zealand (IPONZ), run by the Ministry of Economic Development http://www.iponz.govt.nz/cms/what-is-ip/what-is-intellectual-property

For an interesting overview from a US perspective of global issues around IP refer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eejH0ANk-M

What is social justice and who does it effect? Why do we think about it in relation to technology? In Computer Ethics and Professional Responsibility, Bynum and Rogerson say that "social justice requires that society develops policies and practices to more fully include people who, in the past, have had limited access to computer resources: women, the poor, the old, persons of colour, rual residents, person's with disabilities".

Informed consent is a legal condition whereby a person can be said to have given consent based upon an appreciation and understanding of the facts and implications of an action.
Retrieved February 14, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Informed_consent

As technology moves into our lives more and more we are forced to learn, comprehend and teach. There is an advantage to being able to download information quickly, video a client and send it through to a supervisor for comment or view techniques on line. But were does the 'person, feelings etc' come into the equation? How do we keep information private, is social justice being served? The techology is there but the privacy, ethical and intellectual property issues are not well known enough to future proof a person's rights, just yet.