Emerging and Future Technologies
This week’s lesson was a pretty intriguing one because it covered emerging and future technologies, a topic I believe captivated the class’s attention. No matter what, I’m sure we are interested in how these technologies are going to impact and change our lives in the future. After all, technology has already changed the way we lived since we were born. Remember how used to communicate with our friends (during primary school) with our home phones? Now, this seldom takes place because it has been replaced by other avenues of communication such as MSN, facebook and text messages. Technology has indeed brought immense convenience and change to our lives and I believe it will continue to do so in the future.
“In terms of the development and application of new and emerging technologies, we are limited only by our imagination – and all too often, the lack thereof”.
- Prof Gurinder Shahi
This was the quote of the week which I found really apt because I feel that all great ideas come with the ability to imagine. Without imagination, we wouldn’t be able to even phantom about how the product is going to be like and hence, innovations would never occur. Therefore, it is imperative that we do not restrict our imagination. Instead, we should always be open to new ideas and technologies and embrace it. In the past when the idea of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) was first introduced, many were skeptical about it, having concerns over ethical issues and potential complications which might arise. However, fast forward till today, IVF is widely accepted by several and can be said to be a life-saver for couples who want a baby but are unable to have one. Hence, it is evident that we should not be cynical to the possibilities of new technologies which might sound far-fetched to us now. People do not embrace new technologies immediately because they cannot foresee and imagine the probability of using it. However, if they take a step back and keep an open mind while using the technology, I believe they will be able to see it in a different light. In a nutshell, nothing is impossible. As long as you can think of it, it can happen.
Augmented reality was one of the technologies brought up in class which I found really fascinating. It is a technology that is able to bring virtual computer generated images into reality. This concept can be applicable to several fields.
I also found the idea that an innovation that was technologically driven could have the capability to alter the needs and perceptions of the market. For example, when mobile phones were first invented, it was not a technology that was commonly used by the masses. This was due to the fact that people did not see the need to own a mobile phone, judging by the availability of public phones in almost all cities. However, fast forward to the 21st century, mobile phones are a necessity to all, to such an extent that this gadget has evolved rapidly in a matter of years.
A few key takeaways from the session would be the confluence of the 4 “Smarts”: smart people, smart ideas, smart money and smart alliances & partnerships, as a driver for the development of emerging and future technologies. Some issues for further discussion would be the question as to whether future technologies would be a plaything for the rich. Whenever a new invention appears, the cost would be generally expensive. As such, only the rich could afford the luxury of owning these new ‘items’. Would this then exacerbate the divide between the rich and the poor ? I would personally rate the session a 8 out of 10.
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