Victorinox
For over 2,000 years, advances in medicine, construction methods, transportation and utilities have grown at an extremely slow rate. It was not until we entered the technology era that all industries exploded at an exponential rate of developmental growth.
Currently, the average household in the United States owns five devices connected to the Internet via Wi-Fi, wired or cellular networks with more than six percent owning more than 15. Worldwide this means there are over 10 billion connected devices.
Today, consumers own phones, tablets, smart watches, smart glasses, fitness gadgets, and the list goes on and on. As technology advances, we have to wonder, will the number of devices we own increase or will it be reduced to a small number of devices that encompass all the others’ features?
Change Is Good
Many technological advancements make everyday life easier. Apple developed Siri for mobile devices so users no longer have to type to complete most tasks on their mobile device. Skype changed the way people hold conference calls with colleagues, allowing them to hold meetings via a mobile device or a computer. And rather than carrying around a portable cd player, music lovers can now listen to tunes on their phone.
Likewise, the tablet PC, allows users to complete task on a thin screen, replacing the bulk of a laptop. Now tablets are on their way out, replaced by “phablets” combining the functionality of a tablet into one device. All of these great products have contributed to reducing the effort to complete a task or by eliminating the need for multiple devices.
Future Vision
Nikola Tesla, one of the greatest minds in history, did a lot of great things for mankind. One of his possibly greatest achievements never saw the light of day. He designed and developed the Wardenclyffe Tower, which, according to him, was created to eventually wirelessly transmit free electricity over vast distances. Could this have eliminated the need for multiple charging cables and charging plugs for all of your portable devices?
On the flip side, technology advances have allowed for a plethora of additional devices available for us to use. We now have Google Glass, smart watches, smart rings, protective cell phone cases with built in photo printers and projection smart bracelets, where the phone screen is projected onto an arm and is used by hand and finger gestures.
We have gadgets to help people become more fit, such as fitness bands, and running shoe smart sensors that are synced to an app track distance and pace. Bluetooth heart rate monitors allow for real-time heart monitoring, and smart posture devices strapped around the mid-section detect slumping and send alerts via a mobile phone.
Inside Story
There are arguments on both sides of the debate about how technology and gadgets have become part of our lives, and now they may become part of our bodies. One controversial way to reduce the number of devices we carry is through implantable technology. This advanced technology was featured on an episode of Shark Tank where an inventor pitched an implantable Bluetooth microphone that is inserted under the skin just below the earlobe. Many laughed, but this type of technology is likely to be reality in the near future.
Just as many other developments in technology once seemed impossible or outrageous, implantable technology is on the horizon, and if and when it becomes widely accepted throughout North America and the rest of the world, people will adapt to this type of advancement, but until then society can expect that the number of devices and gadgets will increase.
Shane Broesky is co-founder and President of Färbe Technik and parent company iShopNation Corporation.
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