Interface (tech control)

Will our future include bread runs to feed our smart-toasters?

Submitted by Daryl Weade on

Brad the ToasterIt'll start out that way, of course. We'll buy these networked, AI driven toasters to pop some bread in which they'll char to perfection every time. There will be toast contests with our friends, an app keeping track of how many slices we consume over time and how many steps it takes to burn the calories - more with butter - even more with jam.

Like most things, the toaster will lose its newness. The shine will wear off as the dust collects. Every so often, it'll let us know how unhappy it is. How unused if feels. That's when we start buying bread just to give it something to do, so it will feign happiness and not annoy us with its app notifications - "It's time for some toast!"

Will we have a future of extreme inequality and bountiful resources?

Submitted by Daryl Weade on

Robot speaking in publicThey say in every utopia there is a subclass for whom it is a dystopia. In mainstream futuristic media, the story often overlooks the economy unless it offers a political statement supporting their view and/or damning the opposition’s take on things. But the future is beginning to look a bit strange. On one side, the ability to provide ample resources in the first world has some questioning if poverty can even exist in countries like the US, Canada, and the original EU member states such as Britain, France and Germany. An article I recall from some time ago asked the question, “Can you be considered poor if you have a flatscreen TV in your home?”

Science fiction is the new R&D

Submitted by Daryl Weade on

When I imagined Regarding Tomorrow as a social site, part of it was crowdsourcing member ideas to build towards greater accuracy of what the future might hold - specifically how new advancements might impact our cultures. Always on the lookout for information helping me to better understand what the site needs to offer, I ran across three tweets today, all very close to one another, that struck a chord as I consider my first major site refresh.

The first was from Ali Madad:

Public education is about to rush into the 21st century - what will it look like?

Submitted by Daryl Weade on

Students in classroom with tabletsK-12 education has been limping along for some time, strung up between two conflicting political viewpoints and hard up for the money required to create a meaningful and beneficial change to an aging system. As technological advancements are refined, schools will be able to offer new and affordable curricula that will change how, when and where students learn and teachers teach.

 

Will specialized artificial intelligence be kickstarted from a learning perspective?

Submitted by Daryl Weade on

RobonautMany highly intelligent humans predict highly intelligent robots as soon as researchers find the programming and/or hardware to make it work. Theories about the technological singularity, the point at which artificial intelligence surpasses human intelligence, are supported by notable figures such as Ray Kurzweil and Vernor Vinge. It's a very attractive advancement, one in which intelligent systems can help move humanity forward faster than we ourselves are capable of managing. Coupling artificial intelligence with robotics would provide devices capable of not only responding to human need, but identifying human need in real time or even in advance of the need - and not only based on human trends, but on the needs of an individual human.

As an aside, we should also note the Terminator series turns artificial intelligence into Skynet and nearly indestructible robots with time travel capabilities. A far cry from helpful butler-bots, life-saving surgical-bots, and wiggly sex-bots.

As we add more automation to our lives, will it hurt those around us?

Submitted by Daryl Weade on

Kid texting while walkingEvan Selinger at Wired gives us an interesting look at how the automated communication in our world can go too far and separate us from the value of an act, instead turning it into a regular switch thrown by a perfectly timed computer system. In his words -

We’re observing the emergence of tech that doesn’t just augment our intellect and lives — but is now beginning to automate and outsource our humanity.

Will we allow automated robotic law enforcement?

Submitted by Daryl Weade on

Knightscope K5 unit at a mallAutomated law enforcement would offer a network of systems capable of identifying a crime and gathering enough information on the law-breaker for human officers to identify and consider charges. This is a hot topic issue that will become hotter as technologies merge towards the point where companies will attempt to retail robotic systems to augment human police forces.

Artifact from the Future: Choice Reducer 5000

Submitted by Daryl Weade on

Choice reducer 5000 viewThere has been quite a bit of debate over adding facial recognition and allowing pop-up marketing on devices such as Google Glass - think iBeacon updates as an overlay on your vision. Today's IFTF artifact gives some control back to shoppers, using information overlays to help us identify the risk/reward for snacking.

Though I have to wonder if facial recognition could be just as useful. Walk in to a party and get an overlay of someone's real age, Facebook relationship status, favorite book or film, and how many times they've been married. Oh, and throw in their credit rating and you might fend off the jackals.

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