Technology & Information

Recently, a guest lecturer came to give a lecture during NCT lecture time. He spoke about a few things of technology and information, which turned out to be surprisingly interesting and relevant.

He talked about how information would have identity fragmentation, permission management, publishing complexities and publishing complexities. The one that stood out most for me was identity fragmentation, since it means our information would be shared so widely to the point people whom I do not know of will add me. It is scary to think that my privacy is slowly diminishing and boundaries between who are considered strangers and friends are blurred.

Another point he made was how my information is used to make money legally for someone else. I would think that if someone really wanted my information, they should first seek my permission or at least pay me for the information I provide.

Information is also become increasingly immediate, accurate, applicable, reliable, usable and evolving since it is what we are demanding for.

An intriguing device he mentioned was the 3rd party free RealTime Translation Device. For example, if you needed to flag a taxi in Japan but did not know how to speak Japanese, the taxi driver would use the device to translate whatever you are saying. This makes communication extremely convenient and breaks the boundaries that different languages used to limit in the past.

It is a little worrying to know that according to a 2009 Standford study, media multi-taskers do not have the best memory. It makes me wonder to what extent do we become so reliant on technology to help us remember things that we do not bother to train our own memory?

Augmented reality in full sensory 3D is a fascinating and exciting prospect of technology to look forward to though. On 26th October of 2011, it was the first time in the world that characters in 3D actually sang and danced with a live audience. However, as fascinating as it is since it has the intrigue of novelty, it seems a little pointless when you think about it since you already have humans who can sing and dance and entertain crowds. It goes to show how people are constantly looking of different things to entertain themselves as long as it is new.

In conclusion, it really is interesting to see how technology will change the way we communicate. In so many ways it will make communication so much faster and convenient, but if it is at the expense of personal and meaningful communication, it is a future I am apprehensive and reluctant about.

After all, too much of a good thing is never good in the end.

 

Minority Report

The movie ‘Minority Report’ was like taking a copious glimpse into the future of technology. A fast-paced, intelligent and intriguing movie about an idealistic city where no murders take place due to the ‘precogs’ visions – both the riveting drama and resplendent effects brought me on a journey.

Technology in the movie is far more advanced than what it is now. Cars are more functional than ever. Captain John Anderton, the Chief of Department of PreCrime drives a sleek car that not just go forwards and backwards but even horizontally and gravity-defying vertical, which makes the future of cars so exciting.

Technology is also literally at your fingertips, with John Anderton able to control and move images or files with the swipe of his hands. There was something so captivating about the way he moved his hands to zoom into the images or move them away, almost as if he were conducting an orchestra.

In addition, weapons take a cool twist, with guns that do not shoot out bullets but instead  a force field that sends people flying away to momentarily render them helpless. It is a great substitute for guns to save bloodshed. The irony of the weapon though is that you are pushing your target further away instead of nearer to you.

However, just as there are the upsides of technology, there are always the downsides. Sensors are everywhere – in the streets as you walk about or in trains. They are able to recognize your identity and ‘personalise’ advertisements by screening the advert and ending it off with your name. Privacy is destroyed at the expense of technology, with advertisements forcibly placed around John Anderton. It is an extremely controlled and monitored environment where the people are literally being watched everywhere there go. The creepiest part is that this is a very real thing that could happen in years to come.

Prison cells are another thing of the past. Prisoners are kept in cylinders in a coma-induced state for as long as they have been sentenced. It is most surreal-looking and feels oddly twisted, especially with the visuals of their crime being replayed again and again on a screen that covers their face.

Cereal boxes are not spared the dose of technology either, with a catchy albeit annoying jig that plays on the cover of the box every time it is touched. Unfortunately, there is no ‘off’ button for it, which led to John Anderton throwing it away in frustration. This makes a good example of how technology can be unnecessary and unwanted at times.

Overall, the movie had such dark yet beautiful cinematography. It showcased technology seemingly possible only in a ‘movie scriptwriter’s imagination’, yet in reality, is a future so near. In addition, it brilliantly highlighted the fact that humans are flawed; no matter how much they try to aim for perfection through technology.

There is a memorable conversation in the movie that takes place between John Anderton and Danny Witwer, the Department of Justice agent that goes like this:

John Anderton: This system is …
Danny Witwer: Perfect. I agree. If there’s a flaw, it’s human. It always is.

It makes you then wonder, if the creator of technology – humans, are flawed, how perfect can its creation – technology, be?

Introductions

I’m Charmaine Lim and this blog is dedicated to my NCT module. It’s time to embrace the technology geek inside of me.