Unit 2 Portfolio

Regardless of for good or for bad, Technology has had a huge impact on our lives over the past few years. It has entirely revolutionized our perspective of the world. Even just five to ten years ago, our everyday tasks were completely different due to the lack of technological advancements we have today. Our society is in a state of constant change and technology is the driving force behind it, as humans it is vital for us to react and adapt to the transformations we have already seen as well as prepare for those to come.

I read an article called Technology in our life today and how it has changed and it stated pretty much exactly what one would think. Technology, recently in particular, has had an unbelievable impact on our lives. The article discussed all aspects of our lives and how technology has had an effect. It begins with the transformation of communication in multiple ways. Of course, there is the most obvious change which is no longer needing to send letters or even emails to communicate with others. Even just within this last decade, to contact certain people one would need to handwrite a letter that could take multiple days to reach the recipient. Now, two people that are virtually anywhere on the planet can be in contact with each other via call or text in a matter of seconds. This is remarkable in the fact that communication with others can be done significantly faster and more efficiently than we have ever seen before.

The next aspect of communication is social media. Social media has entirely conquered our world and almost controls how we go about our every day. A majority of all people under the age of say 40 have multiple social media accounts and they use them for multiple hours every single day. According to a 2018 U.S research survey over 70% of 18 to 24 year olds use both Snapchat and Instagram, the two most popular platforms used by the age group.[1] Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat have multiple billion combined users who actively use these platforms to stay in touch with friends and share their thoughts and activities. Another technological advancement regarding to communication is how teachers communicate and teach their students which is something that I previously covered In Unit 1. Technology has had a much larger impact on education than most people normally think. “In the past, there had to be physical contact for any class to hold”( Technology In Our Life Today And How It Has Changed) and the teaching was strictly bound to the constraints of the classroom. Now, there is a world of information on the internet for students to use to learn on their own and not be reliant on their teachers. Tutoring for any subject imaginable can be done online through multiple different platforms. People can now acquire a college degree from home thanks to the advancements of the internet and technology as a whole. Hundreds of colleges across the country offer online college classes and many even offer full college programs online.

The last aspect covered in this article is dating, but let’s look at it more broadly as in face to face interaction as a whole. People do not talk in person nearly as much as they used to in years past. Neighbors do not spend time with each other anywhere near as much as they once did. People simply prefer to communicate and “hang out” with others via their online platforms. Dating specifically is not the same as it once was. It used to be that in order to find a date one would have to go out in public to meet someone, or perhaps get set up by a friend but times are entirely changed. Millions of people use online dating sites and apps that let them match with prospective dates and learn an awful lot about these people just via their online profiles. One can browse through hundreds of options and decide who they think would be a good match based off looks, personality, sense of humor or whatever qualities they can find online. Our lack of need for face to face interaction with others has ultimately led to a decline in just that. People just simply don’t hang out in person with one another nearly as much anymore and this is one of the greatest consequences of the emergence of technology. Now we have briefly covered some of the massive influences technology has had over the past decade or so, but let’s take a look at where things could still possibly go.

When researching what technological changes we could experience in the next five years, everything from flying cars to Lab-grown chicken came up. Although we would like to know what’s to come, this is clearly impossible and we must rely on our most practical hypotheses for now. Due to the fact that there is an endless amount of possibilities for technological evolution, I will focus my attention on changes we could see in the fields of travel and virtual reality.  These are two areas that are mildly predictable and could ultimately have the greatest impact on our future lives.

Transportation is in the midst of a technology-driven reboot and although we do not fully know what the future entails we can assume future transportation systems will be connected and highly autonomous. 50 years ago, people assumed that by now flying cars and jet packs would be the most common mode of transportation but clearly this hypothesis never fully developed. Of course, this is not the case but we are well on our way to futuristic transportation methods. The two main sectors that I will discuss are Connected & Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) and the highly-anticipated Hyperloop.

Self-driving cars are quickly becoming a reality as more and more companies are beginning to invest in the concept. At the original introduction, people were very hesitant and unwilling to accept the idea but recently the public opinion on the matter has certainly changed.  In a Recent survey 71% of individuals stated they would ride in a partially autonomous vehicle. While only 45% of people currently feel comfortable riding in a fully autonomous car, this number is still significantly higher than in years past.[2] It is difficult to say when or how CAVs will be a common sighting, but many major companies including Uber, GM, Google, and Ford have been making massive investments in the concept and all either currently have some form of autonomous vehicle out or soon will. This will revolutionize transportation in that travel can be safer, faster, easier and overall better. A seven-hour drive will no longer mean seven straight hours of sitting at the wheel staring at the road. This time can now be used to read a book, take a nap, or even get important work done. The opportunity cost of taking a long drive will be nowhere near as substantial as it is today.

The next massive technology driven transportation system that could revolutionize our lifestyle is the Hyperloop. Perhaps the most futuristic of all new transportation technologies, the Hyperloop is a combination of Maglev train and partial vacuum tube that is capable of propelling pods at nearly the speed of sound. The Hyperloop has been a popular idea for years now but only recently has the idea been put to practice. There has not yet been a Hyperloop that has reached the desired speed of 700 mph or one that ranges over a thousand miles but we are well on our way. Elon musk is one of many investors in the industry and he currently has a Hyperloop that is set to open to the public in early December.[3] Although this test tunnel will only have a top speed of 155 mph and span just two miles it shows great promise for the future of the system. Eventually if these introductory systems prove successful, the concept will be applied to connect major cities and possibly even countries. Currently, Musk’s Boring company is in the process of putting together a 15 mile Hyperloop between downtown Chicago and the O’Hare International Airport with a travel time of about 12 minutes, a much faster alternative to any other current option. Perhaps in the near future we will be able to travel to Europe from the U.S in a matter of a few hours via a Hyperloop.

Within the next five or ten years, both the Hyperloop and Autonomous vehicles could entirely change how we get around both locally or perhaps internationally. Not only will travel time be shortened but driving will no longer be a boring waste of time. Driving can be a time to finish an important business report or maybe even catch up on some sleep. Our society will no longer have so much wasted time in traveling and ultimately, we will function more efficiently as we have more time to accomplish our daily tasks.

Arguably the most discussed technological advancement of the future is Virtual/Augmented reality. According to Merriam-Webster Virtual reality is an “artificial environment which is experienced through sensory stimuli provided by a computer and in which one's actions partially determine what happens in the environment. To put it simply, virtual reality allows the user to fully experience a desired environment and truly feel like they are physically there. Virtual reality has the ability to be implanted almost everywhere. It can revise how we shop, learn, watch movies, exercise, and even live life.

Whether it be buying a Jacket or buying a new house, Virtual reality can and will be a major factor. Individuals will no longer have to travel to a store or even travel to a house to make their purchase decision. From the comfort of one’s home, the VR glasses will instantly transport you to a virtual shop where you can walk up and down the aisles looking at different clothing options. Even better, instead of having to travel to different stores, the VR can serve as a virtual mall where all your favorite stores are together. Talk about the evolution of laziness. Watching movies and playing video games are two more things that will be completely revolutionized thanks to Virtual Reality. Instead of sitting back and watching a screen, the User will feel like they are in the middle of the game or movie and get to experience the activities going on around them. The user will get to physically play out the game or watch the movie as if it is happening right in front of them.  VR also has the potential to greatly improve exercising, making it less dull and hopefully incentivizing people to do more of it. One of the largest reasons why people avoid using a treadmill or stationary bike is because running in place with no scenery for an hour is nothing short of boring. With Virtual reality, you can be working out in your basement thinking that you are actually running on a beach in Jamaica. VR simply has that type of power.

Virtual Reality can also revolutionize how we learn in classrooms. It would not be a shock to see textbooks become entirely obsolete thanks to the introduction of VR. As Opposed to sitting in a library reading through a bland history textbook about Spain in the 1500’s, a VR user can experience themselves walking through 1500’s Spain watching historic events take place right in front of them. A Historic battle will become a memory for the user as it will seem like they were there witnessing it unfold in person. Perhaps the greatest benefit VR could bring is the ability to improve quality of life. There are many people on this planet who are not capable of living a normal life. Possibly, they are unable to leave their home and cannot experience everything this world has to offer. Thanks to virtual reality, this will no longer be the case. VR can serve as a way to experience what the able-bodied often take for granted, and that would be a brilliant thing. Whether it be traveling the world, driving a car, or even flying in space, Virtual Reality will allow for those who were once unable to become able.

We are in a fast paced, confusing time in history. We’re surrounded by constant change, mostly at the hands of technological advancements. These last ten years have already brought incredible changes that have altered our ways of life, and the next ten will very likely once again do just that. It is impossible to predict the future but it would be ignorant to think technology won’t affect us going forward. Technology-driven Transportation advancements will shorten travel time while simultaneously making travel safer, easier, and more interesting. Virtual Reality will entirely change how we perform our everyday tasks and can make life more enjoyable all together. It will be intriguing to see where these rapidly changing technological advancements will take us.

“7 Ways Virtual Reality Will Change the World.” BT.com, home.bt.com/tech-gadgets/future-tech/7-ways-virtual-reality-will-change-the-world-11363913841925.

Editors, Forbes Technology Council. “10 Ways VR Will Change Life In The Near Future.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 31 Aug. 2018, www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2018/08/31/10-ways-vr-will-change-life-in-the-near-future/#5a0bf8e33d94.

Hall-Geisler, Kristen. “Rides on Elon Musk's Hyperloop Coming in December.” HowStuffWorks Science, HowStuffWorks, 26 Oct. 2018, science.howstuffworks.com/transport/engines-equipment/rides-on-elon-musks-hyperloop-coming-in-december.htm.

McLellan, Charles. “Tech and the Future of Transportation: From Here to There.” ZDNet, ZDNet, 3 May 2018, www.zdnet.com/article/tech-and-the-future-of-transportation-from-here-to-there/.

Smith, Aaron, and Monica Anderson. “Social Media Use 2018: Demographics and Statistics.” Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech, Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech, 19 Sept. 2018, www.pewinternet.org/2018/03/01/social-media-use-in-2018/.

“Technology In Our Life Today And How It Has Changed.” Aging In Place, www.aginginplace.org/technology-in-our-life-today-and-how-it-has-changed/.

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[1] Smith and Anderson

[2] McLellan

[3] Hall-Geisler