Reprogramming Biology

How many arguments have we heard about technology harming human nature? Whether technology use is reprogramming your brain, altering social inclination, or contributing to declining health, there seems to be a biased cloud hanging over the discourse of technology and the body.

There should be no argument against the statement that technology is essential to modern life’s daily task; therefore, it only makes sense that it is essential to maintaining life itself.

We have great medical opportunities through technology’s ability to compliment the body: pacemakers, cochlear implants, prosthetics, sight, surgery, safe birth, heat detection, accessibility to medicine, weight loss, preventative healthcare- the list goes on and on.

In recent years, some revolutionary and extreme technologies have made headlines in the health and medical world. They can be as common as X-rays and as complex as implantable chips, but all promise to help and enhance our health.

Within the past decade, a global discussion about food and nutrition has erupted, as we realize that health related ailments are growing in number and dramatically affecting our population. Food documentaries like “Food Inc.“,“Supersize Me”, and “Forks Over Knives“, reveals that technology, such as genetic modification engineering, is essential to manufacturing and distributing our food. They are also quick to point out that diet is the number one indicator of a healthy or disease-ridden life. We can cure or suppress many of our health issues by maintaining a quality diet and sticking to food naturally found in nature.

Last month, multiple vitamin companies were pulled off the shelves for fraudulent labeling. It turns out the beneficial ingredients claimed to be in the vitamins were just not there, containing filler ingredients instead. About two years ago, the juice brand, ‘Naked ‘, was involved in a pricey lawsuit for inaccurate claims that their popular beverage was ‘all natural’ and contained no added sugar. An ‘all-natural’ fruit juice that contains more sugar than Pepsi doesn’t seem too natural to me.

It’s unfortunate to those taking control of their health, that the power of advertising and desperation for monetary profit can interfere with their efforts. Luckily, new companies like Vessyl, Scio, and Tellspec have created technologies that analyze the nutritional contents of food and beverages, so we can be educated and aware of what we’re putting in our body. From sugar and caffeine count to the prevalence of common food allergens, these relatively inexpensive high tech products evaluate chemical compounds of nutrients and send it to your smart phone.

       

Dr. Mark Berman believes these contraptions aren’t just useful for people dealing with common struggles such as obesity or diabetes. By tracking and eliminating certain ingredients from our diets, the public is able to modify their health as necessary at a very basic level. Berman mentions many of the health related conditions we complain about can be explained by what we eat and drink.

What we eat doesn’t just impact our weight, but also the functionality of every organ, including our brain. Ultimately, education about food, nutritional ingredients, and their affect on the body, is the first step in transforming the health of our population; understanding the slight, yet importance difference between sucrose, glucose and fructose is just one example. By pouring your drink into a high-tech cylinder, Vessyl can tell you for sure, you are what you eat, and that you should understand what it is.

As of now, Vessyl is only able tell you about the content of your beverages, but Scio and Tellspec can identify the molecular contents of your cookie or houseplant.

“Yet another offering from Scio, based in Israel, promises to analyze not only food but plants and almost any chemical you might come in contact with during the day. The devices all take advantage of a technology known as spectroscopy, which beams light into an object then analyzes the patterns or spectrums that bounce back. And if consumers bite, or sip, developers believe the result could revolutionize the notion of food labeling, giving consumers unprecedented control over what they put in their bodies” (ABC News).

Nutritional molecular tracking seems to have a semi-realistic future with consumers, but what about a biostamp medical tattoo?

You’re probably asking what that even is.

David Icke is the CEO of MC10, a futuristic electronics company dedicated to health and medicine. Their tagline, “Reshaping electronics” does literally, exactly that with this medical tattoo.

A thin, flexible, stretchable tattoo that can be implanted underneath or on top of your skin, will eventually take place of ‘outdated’ devices like a pacemaker.

“What if electronics conformed to us, instead of us conforming to them”, Icke says of his prototype.

Icke expects the biostamp medical tattoo to replace bulky, common medical devices because of its capability to detect disease, irregular heartbeat, infection, brain swelling, and whatever else misfortune may unfold as it happens to your body. If executed correctly, this would take uncertainty and panic urgency out of hospital visits and medical emergencies. It also encourages the individual to be mindful of their health, whether through preventative or responsive action.

Though it might seem unnecessary to have technology involved in every facet of life, with advanced, modern day struggles naturally comes modern day solutions.

If it wasn’t obvious before, it should be now- technology isn’t going away any time soon. In fact, it just might become apart of you.

This just in: WE ARE ADDICTED TO MEDIA

Think of the last time you went out to dinner, sat in a meeting or class, walked around town or were even driving. Undoubtedly, I bet you witnessed someone on their phone, tablet or laptop completely ignoring what they should have been focused on, because they just could not overcome the ultimate temptation, to post and/or check the latest updates on their social media platform. — We are a society who is addicted to media.

Now don’t get me wrong, social media can be great, and with the latest technological innovations, including the ever evolving smart phones, tablets, and now laptops flatter and almost lighter than a newspaper, all of which now come with a 4G network, getting connected is seemingly effortless, no matter where in the world you are. You can read up on what your friends are doing states away, catch up on the latest news highlights around the world and inevitably communicate like never before. If it isn’t already obvious, social media is seemingly limitless.

But like anything without limits, in part contributing to its ultimate appeal, sometimes the greatest problems are overlooked: our social media addiction. In fact, a study on the relationship between social media and teenagers revealed that 72% of users are unaware of the actual risk involved with an addiction to social media. Not amused?

Those same users took such drastic measures to satisfy their media cravings that they even chose to lie and even steal from relatives, and they still failed to recognize any form of a problem. So yes…this can be pretty serious — so serious that John Dicey, Therapist of Allan Carr Addiction Clinics and Worldwide MD, stated “unless [users] are educated to the dangers of constant ­stimulation and consumption, it could become an epidemic of addiction in the future.”

If that isn’t troubling enough or even sparking the slightest interest, realize how often our society is choosing cyber communication over face-to-face interaction and gathering knowledge virtually versus choosing to get hands on experience.

So, while I understand the times are changing, I think it’s important to recognize how we are evolving with technology, and of course that includes how we are allowing social media into our lives more than ever before.

A recent study by a group of University of Michigan researchers concluded “media stuff has changed students’ relationship not just to news and information, but to family and friends — it has, in other words, caused them to make different and distinctive social, and arguably moral, decisions.” So, choosing to message a friend versus talking with them in person or opting out of a social event because you feel more satisfied spending the time with your laptop may give your friends the wrong impression and it could be at the cost of that relationship. So you see, it is not uncommon to adjust our habits and social interactions as a result of our constant use of [social] media, even if the measures may not be as drastic as stealing, they can still have an impact in the long run.

While many users in our society fail to recognize the severity of too much social media use, Media Psychologist Dr. Stuart Fischoff suggests that “everyone is a potential addict – they’re just waiting for their drug of choice to come along, whether heroin, running, junk food or social media.”

As crazy as it seems, social media falls into this category of addiction because like the serious drugs also on the list, it has “power to validate us, provide a frenzy of friendships, followers and connections, so we feel important,” even if those friendships and connections are built upon deceit. This is why addiction is so habit-forming.

That same study by University of Michigan researchers even found that users of social media can experience withdrawal symptoms after abstaining from use for too long, much like the withdrawal drug and alcohol addicts experience. The worst part is that for some, this withdrawal came after just 24 short hours without any usage. Can you imagine getting to the point where you have headaches, are unable to concentrate and even feel anxious or depressed just from not having access to social media? Maybe some of you even do…

For those of you still not sold, let’s look at some startling statistics courtesy of Go Globe.

• There are 2.03 billion users of social media in the world
•   1,320,000,000 Facebook users
• 343,000,000 Google users
• 271,000,000 Twitter users
• 4 is the average number of social/communication apps on a smartphone
• 25% of the work day is spent on social media by Americans

Perhaps a few graphics will paint you an even better picture of the media addiction trend.

Guilty as charged?

I hope by recognizing that you help comprise even one of these statistics, that you will think twice before waking up and immediately checking Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, because social media above all, has the full potential to become a serious addiction among its users, if it hasn’t already.

By learning just how great of an impact heavy use of social media can have on your life, you can prevent any potential losses in physical engagement, relationships and missing out when it matters most. Perhaps Neil Vidyarthi, managing editor of Social Times, says it best, “like any activity there is a need to find balance in what we do — the key is to be able to balance the use of this exciting form of interaction with all the other aspects of our lives.”

Are you up for the challenge?

Uncovering the Future of Near-Field Communication Technology

NFC is finally going mainstream after its invention in 2002. NFC is an acronym for Near-Field Communication, which is a short-range, wireless communication technology. NFC allows devices to communicate with each other; for example, the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus have the capability to complete payment transactions because they are equipped with the NFC chip, and so are the store’s point-of-sale systems. The two devices share data via radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology, but in order to work, they have to be within four-inches of each other (a feature that is actually good when considering privacy issues).

Smartphone companies seem to be the most eager to make use of NFC technology. NFC World website has even complied a list of smartphones set with the chip, and the list totals 262 devices from over 50 different brands!

Smartphones with NFC chips make possible ideas like the “digital wallet” and instant sharing between devices. But the potential of NFC technology is way beyond novel Smartphone applications. Consumer technology expert, Nathan Chandler, wrote an article for the website How Stuff Works about the future of NFC technology. He speculates that they could be used to serve a similar function as QR codes by linking users with information, like on a movie poster, for example. The NFC chips are so small they could easily be embedded on signs, and people can just wave their smartphones next to the “infotag” to be linked to more information. Chandler uses the RosettaStone technology (microchips on a stone grave marker that links the visitor to information and photos of the deceased), as an example of the possibilities for NFC infotags. The chips could also be used to improve health care services by storing patient data for doctors and providing prescription drug instructions to patients. Chandler also included a link to the Gentag website as another NFC possibility for health care. These are wearable tags that can deliver information about you fitness, skincare, or body temperature to your device.

Even weirder than wearable NFC is implantable NFC! The implants are being sold on a site called Dangerous Things for $99. The testers of the device reported being able to use the NFC implant to “unlock phones, open doors, and share contact details with friends,” on the xNT campaign website.

NFC chips may be going mainstream in Smartphone devices, but other uses of the technology are still really foreign. However convenient these capabilities seem, even basic functions like the digital wallet still have a long way to go. According to a report by InfoScout and PYMNTS (via VentureBeat) 85% of iPhone 6 owners in the U.S. have still never tried using apple pay.

I think that we have definitely entered the era of NFC, and we should expect to start seeing it in more places, more frequently. But convincing people to break their established protocols, like not taking out your wallet at the register, will take longer to catch up with the technology. When discussing the future of communication media, an expert can describe the possibilities and capabilities of a technology, but it is impossible to predict what people will do with it. New media are contested from their moment of emergence. Developing successful products and negotiating habits of use can only be determined by the consumers. So, while the future of NFC use may seem limitless, the ways that it will actually be used are unknown.

 

Stop Throwing Dirt on the Internet: How Internet use can actually improve human thinking

Let me propose a question: How many times do you say, “Oh, I’ll just Google that real quick” when there is a tidbit of information you are looking for? I for one can easily stand up and say I am a culprit numerous times a day. After all, it is instantaneous information at our fingertips, anything you would want to know is just a click away. As delightful as that sounds, this automatically raises the infamous question: “Is the Internet making us smarter or dumber?”

Clive Thompson (pictured left) contributing writer for the New York Times Magazine and author of Smarter Than You Think (pictured right)

There are endless angry critics out there who fight for the pessimistic side that the Internet is ruining the human race. But then there are authors such as Clive Thompson who put the use of Internet and computers into the positive light that they deserve. Thompson draws on the notion of human thinking and how “big ideas only come into the world when we share our thinking with others” (BBC, 2014, video).

Think about the Internet. This vast world of endless information all together in one place. Take this blog post you are reading for example. How did it all get here? Humans such as you and I contribute and bring together information for Internet publication for the enjoyment (and knowledge!) of the masses. At some point we all had to sit down and bring our knowledge together to create this online community of the Internet. And that is exactly what happened.

Thompson reflected this notion of people coming together with thought and knowledge in his book, Smarter Than You Think, which he discussed in a video published by BBC. He argued that the Internet has created the chance for individuals to connect on different levels, which in turn “improved the caliber of everyone’s thinking when they are sitting at the computer” (BBC, 2014, video). When we come together as an online community and start jointly thinking together, we then create what Thompson refers to as “social thinking.”

So if a community is being created through such an overwhelming presence of online thinking from all different corners of the world that an author had to actually come up with terminology for this phenomenon, can’t we agree that the Internet is making us smarter? Still not convinced? How about a remarkable scientific study to back up this notion.

The UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior conducted a study in 2009 surfacing results that suggested “Internet training can stimulate neural activation patterns and could potentially enhance brain function and cognition in older adults” (Champeau, 2009).

Take a look for yourself…

MRI brain scans depicting neural networks that are engaged (in red) when reading a book (left) verses when engaging in an Internet search (right). (Provided by Huffington Post)

The MRI scan on the left is showing neural networks of the brain that are engaged when reading a book. Pretty spotty, right? Then you take a look at the scan on the right and notice a stronger presence of red. This scan shows that neural networks are far more exercised when the brain is engaging in an Internet search!

We may log on the computer to do one thing, but before we know it we are consumed by endless browsers all contributing to brain engagement. (provided by thetechnologicalcitizen.com)

I want to further this point by bringing in a piece by Will Oremus of Slate. Think about everything you do when you are logged onto your computer. Are you like me and conform to the stereotype of the Multitasking Generation? Turns out that “a parade of tweets and hyperlinks is training our brains to expect constant stimulation” (Oremus, 2013). While this notion was taken in a more negative context by Oremus, I can’t help but associate multitasking and constant browsing with higher engagement of neural networks in the brain. Thus, the more brain activity, the more you are exercising and improving overall brain function.

I think it is time to stand up for the opportunities the Internet has granted us with. The place where individuals can come together and challenge themselves to think more in-depth because they are surrounded by others who share the passion to do the same. Whether we are aware of it or not, all the vast information on the Internet is engaging our brains in ways we would never even think of. I will admit, I would not be as engaged with information as I am today without these web browsers of wonder.

Honesty or Deceit? The Truth Behind Virtual Relationships

It seems our society overlooks just how great of an impact technology can have on our lives, influencing how we function and communicate on a daily basis. In keeping with the harsh realities of the online communities that so many of us take part in, e.g., privacy or lack there of, I feel it is also critical to address the underlying deception that too, plays a major role here; brace yourselves.

Perhaps the greatest forms of deception and deceit are taking place right before our eyes, as we communicate with others via the virtual relationships that we form, from social media sites to dating sites. But why and how does this happen?

Now, like myself, I’m sure you have at least one online profile, so it’s safe to say we are no stranger to the countless choices and complete freedom given to us as users of these various online sites we choose to be a part of. We can essentially create an entirely different (and fake) persona, virtually existing and communicating as anyone; yes…it happens, and sometimes at extreme levels.In fact, the word for this type of deception is called catfishing, which MTV defines as “pretend[ing] to be someone you’re not online by posting false information, such as someone else’s pictures, on social media sites, usually with the intention of getting someone to fall in love with you.”

But, as we go about constructing our online profiles, creating a virtual self-open to the public, we probably are not aware of just how common it is to want to construct a modified version of ourselves, and this isn’t just because these sites make it effortless. Heck, there are even sites on how to construct the perfect profile! And, naturally, sites on how to make a safe online profile.

Real results from a study titled, “The Truth About Lying in Online Dating Profiles”

Focusing our attention on social media sites and dating websites, the main reason online users tend to fabricate and alter their online profiles from reality is largely because of their need to “bring themselves closer to the standard image in the hope of attracting a mate,” says Dr. Jack Schafer.

Well what is this standard image? It’s what is seen as average or acceptable in society, in terms of beauty, but the real kicker is that it’s completely constructed from media. To make matters worse, these users comparing themselves to the standard image are left feeling a loss of confidence and beauty because they don’t meet the criteria deemed acceptable by society. Thus, they are willing to deceive others by creating false identities just to seem more appealing (Schafer, 2011).

Now the problem isn’t just the deception of ordinary people online; the problem is that these users are deceiving those with whom they hope to share a romantic relationship with. And of the relationships that already exist under these circumstances, they are completely based off of dishonesty and deceit. Even more disconcerting, a study in 2007 by a group of Communication scholars found that these realities are going to multiply over time as online relationships are on the rise, especially via dating websites (Toma, Hancock & Ellison, 2007). Uh oh!

Now, I’m not favoring these deceitful users by any means, but to help you understand this phenomenon, realize that the goal these users had in mind was to create a positive first impression, creating potential for a relationship and a future together. And remember, they most likely had low confidence levels. Thus, as suggested by Dr. Jack Schafer, “[reading] an on-line profile is the equivalent of a first date.” Crazy, huh?

What I’m really getting at here is not just how cruel media can be, but to realize the tremendous influence media can have on our lives as internet users with online profiles. We should be aware of the foundation and authenticity of our virtual relationships, recognizing that our uncertainty, second-guessing and fear may be a good thing.

Ultimately, we are in control of our lives, virtual or not. We choose who to communicate with and how we communicate. And here is the bottom line: behind these virtual communication agencies, there is amble room for deceit and deception.

So, next time you go to accept a friend request or message another user, recognize that their online identity may not be completely representative of who they are behind the computer screen. As we continue to live in a society akin to a technoculture, you may also want to think twice before making your next online profile, checking that you haven’t fabricated any of your online self, like so many virtual users before you.

Digging up the Possibilities Virtual Worlds Offer

Ever wonder what you are actually capable of as a human being? Are there things you wish you could do but are too shy to even think about taking part in? Well what if I told you there was a way to try these unimaginable things, and better yet, that people have already been taking part in such actions since 2003.

Second Life logo
Courtesy of wiki-land.wikispaces.com

Let me introduce you to Second Life. Second Life is an online world, “your world,” that was born in 2003 where you can create your very own avatar to look like you (or perhaps better) and make him/her do anything you wish. With those facts alone, the possibilities already become endless. Kristina Dell of TIME picked up on this phenomenon and decided to do some digging herself in her article “How Second Life Affects Real Life.”

Dell came across research that was conducted by Jeremy Bailenson at Stanford University’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab that concentrated on his speciality of “the way self-perception affects behavior,” (Dell, 2008). The results are not only worth sharing, but worth evaluating as well. His research suggests that “the qualities you acquire online — whether its confidence or insecurity — can spill over and change your conduct in the real world” (Dell, 2008).

Example of an Avatar in Second Life running on a treadmill
By watching this action, users are persuaded to engage in the same activity

The study went through a series of situations including attractiveness, height, and health. The results showed more confidence with attractiveness, more aggressive negotiation skills with taller height, and more urge to exercise after watching his/her avatar go for a run. These are all positive characteristics that can receive a thumbs up when carried over into society by these newly persuaded users.

So how can a computer screen be the open door into the real world? In a stressful society that we have created today — with the constant worry about financials, family, and health — humans are constantly looking for an escape. When participants decide to log onto sites such as Second Life to escape, they are subconsciously using these sites as “powerful psychological tools for shaping how we think and behave” (Yee, 2014).  While users believe they are escaping, they are actually using their created avatars to influence how they will react in real life.

This result can be astonishing and can create the “yes” to the question: can I really do “that?!” These worlds can act as the test drive to polishing off your new social skills around new friends, or perhaps overall confidence to be able to achieve your current personal goals in life.

To drive the point home that virtual worlds can actually do society some good, I want to bring to light the success that businesses such as IBM have had with the use of Second Life. Janet Martin of Nvate found such information intriguing and brings me to an idea I want you to take a second to ponder. Think about the struggles that come with being a full-time parent, partner, or even just a friend while also being a full-time employee. If only there was a simpler way to succeed at both. Well now there is.

Here is a visual of the online conference IBM held using Second Life hosting over 200 members

With the use of Second Life, virtual meetings, interviews, and even employee training can take place through this virtual world. “International business is easier to coordinate with virtual worlds and now workers do not have to travel from their homes in order to fulfill their obligations to the company” (Martin, 2012). This is music to some employees ears considering traveling may not be ideal for certain lifestyles, yet fear of not being a crucial asset to the company is on the line at the same time.

I know I would see myself in such a position with those same fears for many reasons I won’t get into. But now knowing that companies utilize Second Life to achieve the same goals that traveling would, with the elimination of certain struggles, my confidence would be lifted and my drive to succeed without fear would be in forward motion.

Virtual worlds such as Second Life, while they may appear strange to some people, can be such a success to others. Whether it means overcoming social anxieties or succeeding in the world field, virtual worlds create a blank canvas for users to become the artist they have been dreaming of. Will virtual worlds continue on this upward trend? That fate lies in the digital hands of the avatar society.

Postcards in a SNAP!

Media archaeology is an interesting concept because media is cyclical, rather than linear. A linear model is a way of thinking about the developments of technologies as one after the other, like points on a straight timeline, but that is not the case. No medium exists in isolation of other media because they are all related. Cyclical model suggest that was once old will continue to be made new again, and every new medium will be an extension and reinvention of the previous. The two media that I want to compare in the cyclical process are the postcard and the Snapchat app.

Robinson Meyer, a writer for The Atlantic, just published an article (March 2, 2015) that describes Snapchat’s new Geofilters and equates them to postcards- an observation that I completely agree with for a number of reasons.

The definition of the Geofilter design from the Snapchat website says, “Geofilters are special overlays for Snaps that can only be accessed in certain locations.” There are thousands of Geofilters that represent locations worldwide. And, since you have to actually be present at that location to find the graphic in the filters list, it makes Snapchats similar to postcards. The front of a traditional postcard is usually an image of a destination indicated by a famous landmark or just a beautiful setting with the name of the city/country etc. Snapchat uses this same basis to choose their user-generated filters. 

Postcards have a unique purpose. Traditional, old-fashioned, postcards would be purchased on vacation as a souvenir to be mailed back to loved-ones. There is only a small blank space for writing a note to the receiver. Just enough space for the sender to say how they have been enjoying their time, and usually the classic sentiment “wish you were here!” Originally, postcards had a very practical purpose in the United States. These “private mailing cards” were smaller and only required one stamp instead of two. But their invention was around the same time as the telephone, so they were quickly replaced as a common communication media. Then, postcards started becoming more fashionable with illustrated images on the front. A total “revival” took place when high quality photographs could be used as the front of the card. Destination photos were popular, so the practice of ‘sending a postcard home’ became customary.

Snapchats make the perfect modern postcard. But, better than a postcard, Snapchat is instant! I remember when I sent a (real) postcard to my best friend from Paris, and I got back to the U.S. before the postcard did! A Snapchat is delivered instantly, so you can say “look where I am,” while you’re still actually there. And, since Snapchat is instant, is can prompt a real-time conversation between the sender and receiver. If I open a Snap from my friend who is in Vegas, and see some crazy picture, I can text her right away and ask “what are you doing?!” or “who is that?!” Meyer points out that Snapchats and postcards are both casual. And I agree because there is such limited space for writing, that their intended use could never include a formal exchange.

In the 21^st century, traditional postcards still exist as a sort of novelty or special gesture. This article from The Guardian praises the practice of sending postcards because it is intimate. This is where Snapchat comes into this cyclical progress, because even when new media relate to old media, the technology is evolved and changing.

The biggest difference I have identified between postcards and Snapchat is that the level of “intimacy” between the two varies because one is 3-dimensional and the other is digital. I cannot speak for every user’s interpretations, but I do know that a Snapchat can be sent to more than just one user, which may lessen the personal appeal. When you receive a postcard is it special because you know the person has physically touched the card and paid for the postage that has been addressed only to you. One can make the argument that Snapchat is actually more personal because the sender can still include the same brief message (“wish you were here!”), but also add a customized picture: a selfie or a photo of the location that they actually took themselves.

 

Regardless of one being more intimate than the other, Snapchat’s idea for the Geofilters is the epitome of cyclical progress, by taking something old and making it new again. Transforming postcards to their digital app has restored the friendly connections people keep while traveling or studying abroad.

Augmented Reality: What will yours look like?

Mosaic- Internet information browser

Augmented reality is a relatively new term that received attention around the same time Mosaic was developed by “Marc Andreeseen at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA). It [became] the dominant navigating system for the World Wide Web, which at this time accounts for only 1% of all Internet traffic” (Infoplease, Pearson).

In layman’s terms, augmented reality is best described as a strictly sensory experience, mostly reliant on sight and sound and not something physically lived out by your corporeal body. With technological advancements far beyond initial expectation, inventions like these lead to a growing discussion of what constitutes reality- a physical experience or any variation of one that is created by the human imagination? Even further, reality is subjective to each individual’s imagination dependent on relative truths and experiences.

Though the phrase may be new, the concept surely isn’t. Mankind has been developing augmented realities since media conception. As far back as writing and reading historical manuscripts, humans have been able to relive the past or experience alternative realities (like fantasy or fiction) in the form of video games, virtual tours, movies, and programs like Second Life. Now the future of AR is as real as ever, no pun intended, with added sensory experiences like smell and taste.

Visual AR experience through Eve’s prototype

Stuart Eve, the author of “Finding Out What the Past Smelled Like”, and the creator of a new prototype for an AR experience, has created something independent of human functionality in the name of historical education. Eve has gone beyond the typical visual model of AR by realizing that to be fully immersed in another reality, every sense must be engaged and even “built the system using low-cost materials and cheap or free software” (Eve, 2015). By watching his iPad, listening to earphones, and wearing a device around his neck that emits scents based on location in the AR, he can experience another time or realm as if his body were there. An archaeologist by trade, Eve created this prototype called “Dead Men’s Eyes”, in hopes of better understanding the past by living through it. Although this sounds like something out of a 3^rd rate science fiction film, it apparently isn’t as difficult or as ultramodern as you might think.

“Augmented reality is a way of merging the real world with virtual objects. It normally involves overlaying virtual objects onto live video feed from either a web camera, a head-worn display, or a mobile device” (Eve, 2015).

These mobile devices are contraptions such as, or similar to, “Google Glass” and “Microsoft HoloLens”. These devices present the user with information as a result of facial recognition or inquiry via a miniature screen located inches from your cornea. While only a small audience currently welcomes this visual distraction, this enhancement is still considered AR, as it represents an altered existence not possible without the aid of the website search engine.

Google Glass

As with every step in the development of Internet and social media, AR privacy issues are a primary concern. Continued advancements in facial recognition technology could one day make it possible to know everything about a perfect stranger you pass on the street. That sounds like an interesting voyeuristic pastime, until you realize your most recent resume additions, Facebook photos, and telephone number are accessible based on passing eye contact (Bonsor, How Augmented Reality Works).

Microsoft HoloLens

The cycle of invention is based on negative feedback and in the digital world, software upgrades. As would be expected there are concerns, but many professionals believe AR has a bright and beneficial future.

“People may not want to rely on their cell phones, which have small screens on which to superimpose information. For that reason, wearable devices like SixthSense or augmented-reality capable contact lenses and glasses will provide users with more convenient, expansive views of the world around them. Screen real estate will no longer be an issue. In the near future, you may be able to play a real-time strategy game on your computer, or you can invite a friend over, put on your AR glasses, and play on the tabletop in front of you” (Bonsor, How Augmented Reality Works).

AR through a mobile device

Bright future might be an understatement. Considering the fanatical acceptance of many media enabled devices, it sounds like our family reunions and first dates might start to take place at half occupied tables and in different countries.

Eleanor Roosevelt reminds us “the purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience” (Holmes, 2014). Augmented reality could become the face of what we currently understand as reality, or life in its most general sense.

When presented with this opportunity, with this ability to experience the previously in-experienceable, what will you do with it? More importantly, will it encourage us to live our tangible lives with more insight or cause us to take advantage of the real time we have on earth by living through screens?

What will be our reality?

Technology + Government Control = Negative Online Privacy

Just a few hours ago, I was activating an online textbook and had to accept the terms and conditions policy before I had access; you can bet yourself a dollar I didn’t bat an eye before clicking accept.

Now, I’m sure we can all attest to the fact that when we are faced with those “accept privacy policy and terms and services” box, we all oblige without hesitation; and just like myself, we haven’t actually read the whole policy, if any part at all.

Now, before you roll your eyes and minimize the screen, think again. I’m not trying to lecture you to think before you speak (or post, tweet, like or search); I’m letting you know that as technological developments are on the rise, our privacy is merely diminished. How is this possible? Simple: government control over society.

I can’t predict the future but here’s the bottom line: when it’s all said and done, or should I say all read and checked, we are signing away our rights to privacy in these online environments we join, leaving nothing off limits for the government to destroy in their effort to control online discourse. Sounds crazy?

It’s 2015: evidently, much of society is fascinated with technology, thus it is not uncommon to use technological devices largely to gain access to the multitude of online environments we may be a part of. We use these environments to communicate with others, but as we post our opinions and thoughts about the social, cultural and political aspects of life, we project a self-image. When we go to publish those opinions, it’s only seen by the audience of our choice, within our online environment and free of any serious penalties, right? WRONG. What about freedom of speech? Forget it.

It may not come as a surprise that whenever authority over others is observed, as it has been for centuries, the interests don’t always pertain to those of the subordinate group, but instead they remain with the dominant group. Journalist Glenn Greenwald, the main link to the Edward Snowden case, shared a revelation with the world that illustrates just that. However, what proved to be most unsettling was the degree of corruption performed by secret government agencies upon society. Oh, and we must but not forget, to add technology to this formula; what are you left with? Completely unlimited government power; thanks technology!

So, for every post, tweet, ‘like’ or search, you’ve published, those privacy waivers and security settings become a bit more useless. The greatest kicker of all is that if these comments and projected self-image aren’t satisfactory to the government, you best believe it when I say they will stop at nothing to “control online discourse,” and that includes using ultimate deception and destruction. Scary, I know.

More so, Greenwald discusses how “the ‘targets’ for this deceit and reputation-destruction extend far beyond hostile nations and their leaders, and intelligence services.” Some of these victims have been people merely suspected of “hacktivism”, which is “online protest for political ends.” Even worse, the government agencies admitted to “pushing the boundaries,” even going into social networks and “chat rooms” and even “real space groups.” Hmm…”Strange Case of the Electronic Lover,” anyone?

So, as it seems, the expansion of media and technological developments is constantly progressing, right along with government power and secret agent destruction; covert operation: destroy society, control online discourse and maintain ultimate power is a success. Looks to me like it’s only a matter of time before we have nothing left to say in our online environments.

Perhaps the greatest lesson of all is that as a society rooted in technology (I mean hello people, we have more computing power at our fingertips, referring to our cell phones, than NASA had during the Apollo era!), we must recognize that possibilities become endless, especially when placed in the hands of power.

So fellow archaeologists, it is important we live as if each check of those privacy boxes were public boxes, releasing the rights for everyone to see what we have published. Maybe that will make us think twice next time we go to post, ‘like’, tweet or search in cyber space, unless of course, you want to be the next victim of secret agents’ destruction.

Dig on!

PS To any covert agents reading this, I do hope you enjoyed it!

Digging into Distractions: Why society should consider rejecting technology

There is a repetitive question that continues to emerge on all platforms of conversation: is technology helping us or hurting us? There are countless arguments that support both polar ends to this question but I would like to draw our attention towards the negative end. Thus, exercising the idea that we as a society should consider a slow rejection of technology.

So why do the citizens of society need to start thinning out technology in their daily lives? The list can go and on but let’s start with one fundamental reason: Technology has opened the door to distractions. Tim Wu of the New Yorker explored this topic and was very convincing as to why we need to reject technology.

We are in the generation of multi-taskers and computers feed into this idea making such a reality hard to escape. By wanting to constantly be achieving tasks, it is in our human nature to want to have devices that promote this efficiency. However, this is where the problem becomes encountered. It is through technology, such as computers, that will halt productivity and welcome distraction.

As a current college student, this topic hits home because I know when I sit down at my computer, my main goal is to be productive. The to-do list is spilling over to the next page while the temptations to log onto social media are just a click away. This mirrors the idea that “we need computers for tasks that require sustained concentration, and it is here that machines sometimes degrade human potential,” (Wu, 2013). Computers give students the capability to complete a task in half the time it would say, if you had to hand-write the assignment, but it also gives way to time spenders. Technology puts not only efficiency in jeopardy, but the quality of work as well.

A notification goes off for an email and suddenly the screen is showing an inbox instead of a Word document. Thought concentration becomes lost as do the words for a term paper. Wu suggests “trying to fulfill multiple desires at once is the opposite of concentration,” (2013). If an individual is juggling multiple tasks, the main task does not receive the full attention and execution of quality it deserves. This holds true and thus supports the need to turn away from technology in order to turn towards academic success.

Where does this trend begin? Is there any way to prevent future generations from being tied down to technology? The fear today is that technology is so prominent that is becomes a distraction even inside classroom walls. Just by looking around society, you can see the distractions young adults have with technology even when friends surround them. Always wanting to be connected to the “social” world distracts individuals from living in the present and takes away from real world experiences. It is technology, such as mobile devices, that will catalyze distractions to take place all throughout daily life .

By gradually dismissing the use of technology, we can promote for a better life. A life away from screens will reach for a more concentrated lifestyle instead of a connected one. I think society will be surprised by the increased amount of efficient work that can be accomplished in a shorter period of time when there are less distractions coming from our “frenemy”: technology.