Technology

Digital technology plays an increasingly significant-and, many believe, unethical and intrusive-role in the lives of Americans. This CNBC program examines the rapidly growing data-mining and surveillance industries and brings examples of dubious and hurtful information-sharing to light. Case studies include a man whose cell phone records were acquired by his former employer, a woman whose personal information was stolen from a company she had never heard of, and a man whose rental car company tracked his every move. The documentary also looks at how law enforcement agencies and even schools are using biometric technologies, and at an AOL division that provides members' personal data to law enforcement. Not available in French-speaking Canada. Original CNBC broadcast title: Big Brother, Big Business. (78 minutes)

Technology is taking the field of biometrics to new levels of accuracy and efficiency. But is the price of such security, achieved by turning over unique bodily information to governments and private companies, too high? And is biometric data really as foolproof as its proponents say? This program travels the globe to showcase examples of high-tech biometrics in action, including electronic recognition of iris patterns, fingerprints, faces, hand vein patterns, handwriting, and gait. In addition, Alex Turk, chairman of France's national commission on data protection and civil liberties, voices his concern over people's passive acceptance of biometric technologies, and a hacker demonstrates just how easy it is to fake out a fingerprint scanner. Contains brief nudity depicting humans in motion as it relates to behavioral biometrics. (Portions in other languages with English subtitles, 51 minutes)

Should human cloning be allowed? Will computers ever be able to think? Has technology already gone too far? If questions like these are food for thought, then this accessible five-part series hosted by ABC News anchor Ted Koppel and correspondent Robert Krulwich is a banquet. Interviews with renowned scholars, specialists of all kinds, and an engaging cast of everyday people shed light on some of the fundamental changes going on in the world today-changes involving dynamic fields such as computer technology, neurobiology, and genetic engineering. 5-part series, 42-45 minutes each.

The town of Sunnyville is thrilled with the jobs and development promised by a new factory, which will make efficient, inexpensive solar cells. However, nanomaterials used in the manufacturing process pose an unknown level of risk to city residents and the environment. In this Fred Friendly Seminar, Peabody award-winning correspondent John Hockenberry leads expert panelists through a series of hypothetical dilemmas, putting their knowledge and principles to the test. Should plant construction go forward? Who determines the risks-the company, the government, or the university that holds the solar cell patent? Do we need new regulations to govern production and use of nanomaterials, or are current laws adequate? Seminar panelists include Dr. Richard Denison, Senior Scientist at Environmental Defense in Washington, D.C.; Christine Daniel, Deputy City Manager of Fremont, California; Jennifer Scott Fonstad, Managing Director of the venture capital firm Draper Fisher Jurvetson; Dr. Daniel M. Kammen of UCal Berkeley's Department of Nuclear Engineering; and Maureen Gorsen, Director of the California Department of Toxic Substances. A discussion guide and other resources are available online. (57 minutes)

Two designers, two very different digital display technologies: Christopher Pearson has prototyped decorative animated digital wallpaper, while Tom Barker has invented the SmartSlab, a large-scale modular interactive LED panel. Segment one of this program shows how Pearson, having accepted a commission to wallpaper" an entire restaurant, triumphs over every technological and logistical obstacle to meet the opening-night deadline-without a moment to spare. In segment two, Barker risks his reputation-and his financial backing-when he presents his SmartSlab at a world conference of architects. Part technology documentary, part business case study, this program provides double educational value. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. (24 minutes)"

Compact and portable, digitized information is an attractive alternative to bulky books, analog media, and emulsion-based photographs-but can it stand the test of time? In this program, Stewart Brand, co-inventor of the TCP/IP Internet protocol, and others in the know assess the rapid proliferation of digitization; confront the alarming risk of massive data loss through technology obsolescence, platform incompatibilities, and storage media degradation; explore the potentially catastrophic impact of data loss on cultural identity; and outline some of the efforts being made to stave off a digital dark age. (53 minutes)

With nano-enabled drugs that destroy diseased cells and enable tissue repair, doctors may one day extend life expectancy far beyond our current capabilities-at least in countries wealthy enough to afford the technology. But the medicine that so radically redefines our standards of health and mortality will also profoundly challenge our social support systems and cultural values. In this Fred Friendly Seminar, moderator and Peabody award-winning journalist John Hockenberry leads a panel of experts through provocative scenarios that shed light on the issue. What kinds of cures and therapies will nanomedicine make possible? Should access to them be universal, even if they are prohibitively expensive? Does everyone have a right to live forever? Or does immortality present a danger, ironically, to human survival? Seminar panelists include Dr. Michael Goldblatt, President and CEO of Functional Genetics, Inc.; Dr. Michael L. Roukes, Professor of Physics, Nanoscience Institute at CalTech; Dr. James R. Baker, Jr., Director of the Michigan Nanotechnology Institute for Medicine and Biological Sciences; and Dr. Rosalyn Berne, Associate Professor of Technology, Culture, and Communication at the University of Virginia. A discussion guide and other resources are available online. (57 minutes)

This program looks at the highways of optical fibers, copper wires, coaxial cables, and satellites by means of which images, sound, and computer data are transmitted around the world. It also examines telecommunication satellites which-whether they are geostationary or in orbit close to Earth-enable us to put two people on Earth, at sea, or even in the air, in contact. The program concludes with a look at cable distribution systems, which no longer serve only for broadcasting television programs but are being used to consult huge data banks and service bank transactions. (23 minutes)

Technological breakthroughs have taken place since the dawn of human awareness, but 21st-century innovation occurs at an unprecedented, seemingly rapid-fire, pace. This program showcases examples of innovation that are visible in industry today and their implications for the future. Beginning with an exploration of the basic concept of innovation, the video presents several concise case studies. These include the evolution of home video, from Betamax to VHS to Blu-ray, and the introduction of the Aurora 101, a solar-powered race car that is still in the developing stages. Nine widely recognized steps in the innovation process are explained in detail. (25 minutes)

The laser light pulses that travel the gossamer threads of glass in today's high-tech communication systems are the distant offspring of ancient signal fires. In this program, Ira Flatow and Tom Standage guide viewers through the evolution of long-distance communication, a field of endeavor spurred on by creativity, competition, and chance. Special emphasis is given to fiber optics as it is being used today, both in communications and in other disciplines such as telerobotic surgery. (57 minutes)

As technology becomes increasingly complex and pervasive, it is impacting the very essence of what it means to be human. Narrated by the influential futurists and media gurus Arthur and Marilouise Kroker, this unsettling two-part series explores how technology is disrupting not only the workplace and home, but the mind and body as well. Where is the Digital Revolution going? And what will become of those who are left behind? 2-part series, 41-52 minutes each.

This edition of Science Screen Report shows how the principles of microengineering and nanotechnology are being applied to environmental science, medicine, and engineering. A complete water-testing laboratory on a single microchip is spotlighted, as are grooved bandages that channel the movement and bonding of fibroblasts, speeding up healing and minimizing scarring. Research into the manipulation of individual atoms, the use of microscopic beads as medicinal magic bullets, and the identification of stress cracks caused by resonance is also featured. A viewable/printable instructor's guide is available online. Produced in association with the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology and the Junior Engineering Technical Society. (17 minutes)

As scientists develop the ability to work at levels thousands of times smaller than a human hair, a new world of possibilities-and critical concerns-opens up. This three-part series of Fred Friendly Seminars explores the social, ethical, and personal implications of advances in nanotechnology. Hosted by Peabody award-winning journalist John Hockenberry, each program asks policymakers, researchers, and activists to wrestle with difficult but essential issues that will impact the environment, human health, public safety, and individual privacy. Discussion guides and other resources are available online. 3-part series, 57 minutes each.

Is the surveillance society inevitable? In No Place to Hide, Peter Jennings examines high-tech monitoring methods that promise greater safety and security but threaten personal privacy. The program shows how Acxiom, ChoicePoint, and other companies use supercomputers to obtain data on more than 90 percent of American households-and how law enforcement and government intelligence agencies increasingly rely on this information. It also studies questionable programs like MATRIX and the Pentagon's Total Information Awareness project, and finds a surprisingly effective model for the responsible use of surveillance technology: the Las Vegas casino. (41 minutes)

The field of information technology is continually expanding. What is it like to work in this dynamic industry? Focusing on IT positions at IBM's overseas operation in Australia, this video outlines the qualifications necessary to be an IT professional while describing associated duties in the areas of product development, sales and marketing, and system development, maintenance, and support. The interconnected nature of various IT functions is stressed. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. (28 minutes)