The Force May Be With You, Sooner Than You Think

Last week, one of the presentation groups talked about mind controlled games.  While still in their infancy, many companies are developing video games controlled by ones brainwaves.  It is the next evolution of gaming platforms; transcending handheld controllers and body recognition software.  I was very curious about this mysterious new format, so I researched mind-control technologies.  I found that gadgets, usually in the form of headsets, have been created which can translate brain waves into digital codes that are then sent to various computer devices.  This technology has been utilized in other physical objects as well.  For instance, NeuroSky produced a headset with cat ears on it, which adjust according to ones varying moods and energy levels.  These ears actually read the mind and translate those thoughts into  realistic feline ear positions. In video gaming, mind-reading technology is being used to create scenarios in which one can control gun shots single-mindedly.  While the capability to perform specific actions through thought are still in the beginning stages of development, technological engineers have been able to create sensors that track relaxation and concentration in the brain.  Games revolving around achieving various levels of meditation are currently on the rise. For instance, "Mind Labyrinth" is a mind game imploring users to navigate through 52 levels of an ancient temple, progressing as their concentration goes deeper and deeper. Some psychologists argue that these sorts of mind control games are beneficial to humans in that they support brain health.  The meditative exercises, especially, work as a sort of cognitive therapy.  I am very excited to witness the progress being made in mind-control technology, yet also wary of its effects. To be able to move and affect change in front of one’s eyes by simply imagining it is an exciting and intriguing experience to behold.  That being said, this progression could aide the potential for humans to become so completely dependent on technology, that their own autonomy is abandoned.  I also fear the possibility of the virtual world becoming so intertwined with reality that one becomes incapable of divorcing the two.  Should such an event occur, I predict that the violence of video games could transcend into real violence.  Overall, it is important for technologists to advance the mind-control platform, but it is also imperative to be cautious of public usage.  

Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304707604577426251091339254.html

If You Like It Then, You Should Put a Sign on It

Digital signage is an engaging and informative wave of new media influence.  Essentially, this format is understood as any sort of electronic billboard in which messages are sent out.  Signage is utilized in education, businesses, public transportation, hospitals, and advertising.  One of the most stated examples of digital signage is Times Square in New York City.  I think digital signage is so effective because of its ability to capture the interest of busy consumers, but I am simultaneously wary of its potential to distract.  Flashing lights and bright colors so easily warrant the attention of the target audience. In addition, because screens can be easily modified, one can change the outgoing message as often as they desire.  It is quick, cost effective, and resourceful to embrace digital signage.  I loved the idea of a digital soda machine. It is interactive and tailored to specific interest.  Not only does an electronic soda machine engross the reader in a stimulating game-like interaction, it also advertises the product effectively.  In this way, the product becomes more than the object, but also the means it took to attain it.  Every business wants someone to have an enjoyable shopping experience from start to end.  The one matter I worry about with digital signage is how dangerous it could become.  Signs, while beautifully intriguing and eye-catching, are also horribly distracting.  I fear for the safety of drivers everywhere as digital signage becomes more prominent in our cities and towns.  While billboards have been a common existence for ages, electronic signs reach an entirely new level of response.  Digital signs involve movement, and even sometimes sound, unlike the print billboards of the past. The more these signs are erected, the more likely car accidents will become.  The implementation of electronic billboards slightly counteracts the push to eliminate texting in driving situations, as they are just as distracting.  I hope for the sake of our generation that media sources have the foresight and logic to promote their ideas without endangering the community. 

We are Humans, Not Robots

In the past lectures, our class has conceptualized a dystopian and a utopian Chicago of the future. In thinking about this, I came to realize some important truths. First of all, a truly utopian city would not have an over abundance of technology. A utopian world is one where all aspects of society and life are in their elements. Utilizing technology to do all tasks, especially ones humans used to be able to do on their own, is often perceived as a great benefit of a digital empire. I argue that this is not the case, because the more humans rely on technology, the more they loose their self-autonomy. Don't get me wrong; I love all the gadgets that I'm blessed to have. In fact, I'm writing this blog post from my iPhone at this very moment. That being said, I cannot help but worry that as technology evolves, we do too. But instead of evolving into better people, we are turning into robots. I question the necessity of many developing products in our time. Do we really need Google glasses, which are essentially computers in the shape of eye ware? Have we really become so lazy and self-involved that we need the  instant gratification of on-demand information? So often I hear stories about children and teenagers harboring serious video game and computer addictions. Kids used to rely on their imaginations to have fun, but now it seems that imagination is handed to them on a glossy touch screen. Their thoughts and ideas are no longer their own. I feel that a true utopia would not encourage its members to sit back and have media and technology fed, or even shoved, down our throats.  Indeed, a true utopia would establish the perfect balance between technology and human action. It is an environment where we are aided by its efficiency and accuracy, yet we are not completely reliant on it. A utopian city would spend more time using technology to fight illness and poverty, as opposed to promoting countless products for which the middle and upper classes have no true need. I know this balance exists in a truly idealized state of mind, but in that lies the utopian mentality as well. I sincerely hope, for the sake of humanity, that we can come to respect natural human ability and come to place that in the foreground.