{"id":14027,"date":"2013-12-21T07:00:40","date_gmt":"2013-12-21T12:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/webhostinggeeks.com\/blog\/?p=14027"},"modified":"2021-10-19T06:51:12","modified_gmt":"2021-10-19T10:51:12","slug":"geek-in-the-new-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/webhostinggeeks.com\/blog\/geek-in-the-new-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Geek In The New Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s almost 2014. We are finishing our holiday shopping, planning New Year’s events and getting ready to feast on all the good food of the season. I’m no Isaac Asimov–his predictions for 2014<\/a>\u00a0were remarkably accurate and his writing was incredible–but I’ve got a few predictions of my own for 2014 and beyond. Some trends to watch, some technology to follow\u00a0with interest. In no particular order, here they are:<\/p>\n

<\/strong>Geek Ethicist’s 2014 Predictions & Trends<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Wearable Tech<\/strong><\/p>\n

We love our technology. We love it so much we can\u2019t stop touching it, looking at it, thinking about it, buying accessories for it\u2026. We are inseparable from our technology: our technology is<\/em> us. Articles\u2014and people!\u2014talk about \u201cunplugging\u201d because we are constantly plugged in. Unplugging is now synonymous with that rare, uncomfortable digital vacation. We can hardly stand to part with our devices. It’s a lonely world when you aren’t connected\u2026.<\/p>\n

If we are so connected to our devices, especially our phones, it only logically follows that soon we will wear our devices<\/a>. We already have\u00a0wristbands<\/a> and watches<\/a> that monitor our bodies digitially, returning data about our movements, body mass and the intensity of our workouts. Google Glass<\/a>, that coveted wearable computer, promises to revolutionize the way we interact with our computers and the world. And Google isn’t\u00a0the only company creating tech-infused glasses<\/a>. My prediction is that technology will soon be woven into everything: our carpet, our clothing<\/a>, our accessories…and that this pairing will be so smooth and natural we will cease to notice when a thing is digitally enlivened and when it is not. We will begin to assume that everything has a computer in it\u2014or we will think that everything should<\/em> have a computer in it.<\/p>\n

The Internet of Things (IoT)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Oh, the Internet of Things<\/a>! IoT, why have you not exploded to great fanfare the world over? Once again<\/a>, I am not the only one<\/a> who declares that the New Year will be the Year of the Internet of Things<\/a>. Quietly, the IoT is taking over. We now have smart home security systems<\/a>, smart fire detectors<\/a>, smart lights<\/a>\u2026and some even have smart homes<\/a>. It is only a matter of time before the world around us is the world of the Internet of Things. Wearable technology is only one aspect of the Internet of Things: our children\u2019s toys will talk to them<\/a>, relaying messages from us; our cars can park themselves<\/a>; our appliances can turn themselves on and off. The Internet of Things has arrived, but the world has failed to notice. I predict that 2014 will be the year that the world finally opens its eyes to the Internet of Things, is awed and clamors for more.<\/p>\n

Robots, FOR REAL!<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you haven\u2019t seen Robot and Frank<\/em><\/a>, it\u2019s a thought-provoking movie about robot ethics (the robot helps Frank carry out burglaries!) and robot usefulness in the not-so-distant future. Cutting edge scientists talk of robots with imagination<\/a>, robots that can heal themselves (below), robots who will sense<\/a> our emotions and respond in helpful ways. That\u2019s an incredible future for robotic kind and 2014 will see its inception. Some people are afraid robots will take our jobs: I\u2019m afraid robots will become indispensable to us in more scary ways. We will fall in love with them! The day is coming when people will connect<\/a> with robots on emotional and relational levels that we could not dream of: Lars<\/a> will find his Real Girl and she will be a robot, not a blow up doll. And no one will be able to come between that relationship. I\u2019ve been waiting my whole life for a robot wife: 2014 might just be the year that I find her (or print her myself!).<\/p>\n

Researchers have already created self-healing 3D printed shoes<\/a>, electrodes<\/a> and phones<\/a>: how long will it be before we 3D print our own self-healing robots? Not long, I\u2019m guessing. Once we design the perfect, sentient robot who can sense our emotions and meet our needs, 4D printing<\/a> will allow these robots to print new parts for themselves. Or, like self-healing shoes<\/a>, the materials used to create these robots will heal overnight<\/a>: a new, perfect robot emerging every morning! The only problem is that our robot friends may outlive us\u2026and we may bequeath our earthly goods to our robot companions instead of our children. But those are topics for robot ethics, a field that will certainly explode once the first self-healing robot emerges from its printer.<\/p>\n

Automatic & 3D\u00a0Photography<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ah, yes. Technology has made it possible for us to record almost every moment of our daily lives. We take selfies<\/a> like narcissistic fools. We post pictures of our latest exploits on Instagram<\/a>, Tumblr<\/a>, Facebook<\/a>. The new riddle is: If a tree falls in the forest and no one records it\u00a0and posts\u00a0it\u00a0online\u2026does anyone care? Did it really happen? It\u2019s not a riddle though because we know the answer: No. No one cares and it might as well not have happened. In order to feel like we are living, in order to validate our existence we MUST record the moments of our life and put them online for others to view and comment on. But sometimes pulling out the camera or phone is inconvenient: in fact, we\u2019ve merged<\/a> phones with cameras to make it more convenient, to make sure we always have our cameras with us. But even that isn\u2019t enough: we need automatic recording (selfie drones?). We need cameras that sense the special moment and take that perfect picture for us.<\/p>\n

Never fear! Big Business knows us and has anticipated this need! There are prototype cameras that use your brainwaves<\/a> to snap photos: no fingers or bulky camera necessary. It’s an easy prediction to say\u00a02014 will bring you automatic photography so you\u2019ll never have to miss a moment\u2026and you won\u2019t have to break the moment to capture it.<\/p>\n

But automatic photography is not enough! We have 3D printing, 3D movies and live in a 3D world: where is 3D photography<\/a> for the average man, woman and child? It is coming<\/a>. We see glimpses<\/a> of it already and I predict we will see the advent of 3D cameras for the average consumer in 2014. Bring that selfie to life<\/a> in 3D!<\/p>\n

Instant Delivery<\/strong><\/p>\n

We want things and we want them five minutes ago. McDonald’s has acclimated us to instant service. The problem with the Internet is the not-so-insant delivery. But with Amazon\u2019s drones<\/a> and Google\u2019s robots<\/a> duking it out for fastest automatic delivery, it\u2019s only a matter of time<\/a> before your Internet\u00a0orders arrive at your door as fast as your Big Mac arrives at your car window. Even Ebay<\/a> has an option to deliver locally for $5: no one wants to be left behind in the race to our front door.<\/p>\n

3D Printed Driverless Cars<\/strong><\/p>\n

Driverless cars<\/a> are so 2013. But 3D Printed<\/em> Driverless Cars? THAT sounds like 2014! Google started the driverless car mania,\u00a0and\u00a0now Ford<\/a>,\u00a0Toyota<\/a> and\u00a0Nissan<\/a> have created their own versions. Driverless cars are on the road in Milton Keynes<\/a>, England and will be driving down a road near you very soon. But we’ve all heard that: driverless cars are old news. 3D printed cars are all the rage: Porsche has made people salivate with downloadable plans for a 3D\u00a0printed model of its Cayman sports car. Not the real thing,\u00a0but a first step. Urbee 2<\/a> promises to be the first 3D printed\u00a0car to drive across the country.
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