When I was writing for Seagate.com, there was constant talk of the storage cloud, and cloud computing, and how people where going to interface with their content in the times to come. You know, being able to access any type of information and all of your pictures, documents, music, and videos from wherever you might be, at any time. It was the conversations along these lines that caused me to grow fascinated by the way we will use technology in the future to communicate with each other, as well as the technology itself.
As further evidence of the coming communications convergence, we have this mind-boggling TED talk by MIT’s Pattie Maes & Pranav Mistry, who are suggesting the possibility of being able to interact with both our environment and our information in a revolutionary new way. The profoundly amazing thing about this talk is that it suggests the development of a new, sixth sense: one that would give us seamless access to information in a way that integrates technology into our lives, or maybe ourselves into technology, in a Minority Report sort of way that uses any surface to fully connect us with the Matrix–and likely make your laptop and iPhone completely obsolete.
d, thanks for the link.
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This very cool idea, well i’ll say parts of it are. Some of it, like being able to detect information about someone else and their online habits and interest starts to cross the boundary line into personal terrority for. But overall very cool.
Hey Chris, maybe they’ll be able to develop cloaking systems and shields?
Yeah cloaking would definitely a necessity for me. Wouldn’t want donkey pr0n emblazoned across my chest. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
I don’t think using Tom Cruise in Minority Report as the gold standard/aspiration really sold me. I’m not sure any of it really sold me. We already use google way too much for information; this really would remove the need to remember anything. Doesn’t bode well for intellectual development and it kinda gets me thinking about Wall-E and the fat humans drinking Big Gulps and floating around with their faces glued to their screens.
But that could just be the aftereffects of a long day at work. Why am I still using my brain? It’s 7pm. Two hours into the happy hour. ‘Nuff said.
Ha!
Funny Fergus. I agree that there is a bit of a danger of us turning into Idiocracy. The intellectual exercise, I think, becomes the way in which you use the information. How do you relate it and what decisions do you make based on having infinite access to almost anything? It’s just crazy. And definitely deserves some forethought and wisdom in the way its used.
But hey, why turn to wisdom when American Idol is on tonight?
I love stuff like this. Make it easy for me to remember people’s names! Although the implant part at the end sounded kind of cyborgish. Scary!
I don’t think this will take away from intellectual development. Rather it gives you access to material to further your intelligence. For example, earlier today at work, Google allowed me to find material that I then used to teach myself something new. Just another day in the office.
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