A few examples need to be made:-
- Google's Automatic Self Driven Car (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiwVMrTLUWg)
- Google Duplex (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5VN56jQMWM)
- Oculus Interface (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMiAPnVvzAQ&t=101s)
- Anki Vector (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy2Z2TWAt6A)
You might wonder why I've chosen those 4. Have a look at the associated links for Videos that will explain them a little more.
In essence, technology has pushed forward into a new zone, that of taking on a greater part of our lives.
It's going to start driving our cars, making decisions on the road, having conversations with people that we no longer have time for, developing virtual places to meet our friends so we don't have to leave our homes, and providing robots in the home instead of pets.
"Now hang on", I hear you say "You're an I.T. guy, surely you LOVE all this stuff?"
Yep, I do. But I'm balanced about it all too. I see the need for technology in certain areas of life, but never at the expense of taking it away from our physical abilities.
They say it was never an exercise freak that invented the remote control.. it's true... once we allow a machine to do a job that we would normally do, then we stop training ourselves to do it.
We don't need to walk around a store to buy shopping when we can sit at home and do it online. We don't need to meet people in person if we can meet them in a virtual room. We don't need to enjoy the experience of driving, if the computer can drive for us. We don't need to make a phone call and talk to somebody if Google can do it.
I'll let you decide what you think is happening to technology. I'm not against it, but I won't let it take everything from me.
