SPP1 Thoughts of the future

In our lecture today, we learnt, in summary that things of the future would probably be:

• smaller
• portable
• more energy efficient
• reality / virtual reality
• change in distribution
• change in authorship

Deb asked us to predict what we should expect to see existing in the future.

Having a think, I've come up with a few zany (put possibly not too crazy) ideas:

• In ear phone - this removes the need to have to hold a phone, scroll through menus, dial numbers, instead a miniature bluetooth type headset, small enough to fit in your ear and go unseen will be the new form of 'mobile phone'. You simply voice program in all your numbers and then when wishing to call, tap the earpiece and say the recipients name. -This idea isn't that far off from bluetooth headsets, and the way we use mobile phones is so much more advanced than just calling devices now, so the idea would need evolving further.
• 3D media - currently in 2008 we look at our photos, videos and games on screens, whether they are flat screens or traditional bulky monitors. A new invention would see us launched into the actual worlds contained within the videos or pictures,by means of a 3D projector. It could use holograms to bring pictures of friends, pets, family to life, replaying the memories you previously captured. - Although no doubt highly expensive, over time and as with all technology, the costs would come down. The only issue is that the photos and videos we currently create would create real difficulties in turning fully 3D, perhaps in fact impossible. As of which, new capturing equipment would be required.
• Advanced paper - a sheet of paper, mimicing paper in pretty much everyway (thickness, size, but perhaps slightly more substantial in quality) which has the ability to record what we write onto it in a digital form. This is like a step on from the tablet PC, but the advance is that the paper you write onto is so thin and durable that it can be rolled up, or folded, meaning is it very compact and even more portable. There are already systems which have handwriting recognition, but with more sophisticated technology, the traditional method of using ink can be replaced with digitally writing onto the paper, and from there, we can erase it, or, transport it to a computer as a Word file, or image piece. - This I think has potential for reality in the future. It meets the criteria which technology is forming itself around: it would be smaller, even more portable, would be more efficient material wise, could distribute your work into several formats, and at its utmost, is interactive for the user. Similarities could be drawn with smart boards, proving the idea is technically viable. It simply requires evolution in regards to computation and size.

- - -

What I do think is a likely reality is that shown in Minority Report.

Identification, over recent years, has become increasingly more important, and in accordance, more advanced too. The scenario pitched of iris scanners, linked to ID databases and identifying us and acknowledging our activites, whether it be paying for something, mapping our travel to places, or validating who you are for age or health reasons, I think will become a reality in some shape or form.

As seen in the clip, the digital assistant recognises the customer by means of scanning their iris and then highlights what is available for them to buy, offering advice specific to the customer, be it suitable sizes or colour preferences. This though, it not a truly futuristic idea. Website already use 'cookies' which remember our previous actions. Amazon for example, uses a cookie to recall the searches we have previously run, and uses these to suggest other possible items we may find of interest.

This could be expanded further though, depending on how much information people are willing to divulge. One example could be that our utility companies interlink, so our bank account, with an allotted spending allowance, is reported to the digital assistant and so on entering the store, appropriately priced objects are recommeneded. The possibilties are endless, if not worryingly invasive on our privacy!

Such iris technology implemented

throughout our world would help and hinder us in a number of ways. Not having to carry money to pay for things would be safer, and the ability to track people would be helpful for parents and their children, for example. It would make life easier too, not needing to remember codes or carry additional objects. However, on the otherhand, digital databases can he hacked into and stolen. In addition, to be constantly tracked by the Government or any invasive hackers - would that be wise, or actually safe? Definitely things which need to be questioned and thought about.

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