July 2023 Intelligent Computers are not the only Technology requiring Regulation

July 2023 Intelligent Computers are not the only Technology requiring Regulation

In last month’s column I argued that because of Artificial Intelligence (AI) being built into modern-day computers, some level of regulation would be  necessary. But, as you already know, it’s complicated. The need for the regulation of any technology that could possibly harm society was unfortunately and forcibly  brought home when we received the shocking news of the Titan submersible tragedy where five died in their attempt to visit the sunken wreck of the ocean liner Titanic.

It’s clear that submersibles like Titan are as much a result of technology as computers are, and as this column means to examine the relationship between technology and society, of  how one affects the other,and so it’s appropriate to examine the laws society creates to regulate its technology and, in this case,  the technology of submersibles. 

“Apart from size, the main technical difference between a "submersible" and a "submarine" is that submersibles are not fully autonomous and may rely on a support facility or vessel for replenishment of power and breathing gasses. Submersibles are much smaller, typically have shorter range, and operate primarily underwater.   Some submersibles operate on a "tether" or "umbilical", remaining connected to a tender (a submarine, surface vessel or platform). Submersibles have been able to dive to over 10 km (33,000 ft) below the surface. Submersibles may be relatively small, hold only a small crew, and have no living facilities.”

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submersible)

“ A submarine, on the other hand,  is used primarily in warfare to monitor and engage enemy warships  but can and has been used as an auxiliary weapon in a land invasion.  Also, I was surprised to learn that a submarine is generally unable to rest on the ocean floor: “Most nuclear submarines cannot rest on the seabed floor for long, as silt and other debris can block the intakes that draw in water to regulate the reactor's temperature.” (https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/navy-ships/) 

From an historical perspective, the development of submarines and submersible technology has been around and evolving  for the last 24 centuries: “Though submarines seem to be modern inventions, their origin goes back to the fourth century B.C.E. when “Greek historians said Alexander the Great's soldiers used "diving bells" for attacking underwater. 

(http://www.waterencyclopedia.com/St-Ts/Submarines-and-Submersibles.html)

Probably the first person to travel horizontally underwater was Dutch engineer Cornelis Drebbel. Around 1620, Drebbel built submersibles that resembled two wooden rowboats—one atop the other—made from grease-soaked leather stretched on a frame with oars stuck through waterproofed holes. Historians consider Drebbel's vessels the first practical use of a maneuverable submarine. “

“By the eighteenth century, submarines built in the United States, England, France, Germany, and Italy were larger in size than predecessors, but were still primitive hand-powered ships, with rudimentary and often ineffective explosive weapons. In 1776, Yale student David Bushnell built a submarine for the Americans during the Revolutionary War (from 1775 to 1783). The egg-shaped submarine was hand-propelled by two crude propellers, one for back-and forth motion, and another for ascending-and-descending motion. The Turtle carried a powder charge (some say the world's first torpedo) into battle with the British man-of-war Eagle. The submarine sank after numerous attempts to attach explosives to the ship's bottom.”

David Bushnell's Turtle, shown in this 1776 illustration, was intended to attach explosives to British ships in the Revolutionary War.

For a much more extensive discourse on the history of submarines and submersibles point your browser at:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_submarines

Personally, I have fond memories of enjoying the diving bell on Steel Pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey. I won’t say how old I was but I remember it cost a dime, the bell went down about  50 feet and with a little bit of luck, a fish would swim by.  Much later,  as a civilian employee working for the Navy, I appreciated learning about “Alvin”:

“Alvin (1964)

As the oldest manned research submersible still in operation, Alvin boasts an impressive résumé. Having logged over 4,000 dives so far, the titanium sphere was the first manned vessel to visit the wreckage of the RMS Titanic. Alvin has also helped researchers discover approximately 300 new animal species, including foot-long clams and giant red-tipped tubeworms. Thought lost in 1968 when her support cables failed and her crew abandoned ship, the craft spent 11 months on the seafloor, sustaining only minor damage. Near-freezing temperatures and a lack of oxygen kept even the lunches left onboard perfectly preserved—if a bit damp.”( https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news-features/evolution-of-alvin/)

The failure of the Titan has generated  a ton of sensational coverage on Stockton Rush, describing him as the self-promoting  “ CEO and founder of OceanGate Expeditions, and was aboard his company’s Titan submarine that imploded”  including the controversial view that “...bringing an outside entity up to speed on every innovation before it is put into real-world testing is anathema to rapid innovation”

https://www.kiro7.com › news › world › canada-is

However, by now, you’ve most likely read about the allegations, accusations and lawsuits sure to follow as a result  of the Titan implosion: they center on the hubris of the enterprise such as overlooking fatigue in the innovative carbon-fiber hull of Titan,  and the general lack of maritime regulation of submersibles in International waters --- so there is no need to beat a dead horse.

The only positive outcome of this tragedy that I can foresee is that, like the sinking of the Titanic in1912, this will surely lead to additional needed regulation in the “adventure” travel industry.