Technology Impacts Daily Life

Technology impacts our daily lives whether or not we are consciously aware of it.

Medical Advancements – Do you remember years ago when having surgery of any kind was a major operation requiring a hospital stay? It usually meant that you were left with a huge scar for life. Many surgeries are now done as an outpatient in a surgical center. My husband had cataract surgery with a lens implant this way. I am having arthroscopic shoulder surgery done this way. Basically you go in, have your surgery, and then go home the same day – usually in just a few hours. No more huge scars. In fact with all the new technological equipment they use these days you barely have a scar to show at all.

Robotics – In Japan they have working on human looking and acting robots. Robots that can dance are one thing, but they have robots that actually LOOK like humans and are mimicking their mannerisms. Seriously… Check it out for yourself by clicking on the Robots link – Robots. Think of the possibilities for this kind of technology. It could mean that those who are wheel chair bound could walk again.

Google’s X Lab – They built a brain from 1,000 computers to mimic the human brain. It actually learned what a cat is with minimal help. It was never told “this is a cat”. This is according to an article on Mashable. Not sure how this will impact us going forward, but you can bet it will.

Biometrics in Security – Biometrics are now being used for identification purposes. From iris scanning to fingerprint scanning it’s all to ensure safety and to make sure you are who you say you are. Companies that are doing top level government contracted work for the military are using this type of security.

Smart Phones – It was not all that long ago that teenagers spent hours ‘talking’ on the phone. Now they text more than they talk. People still talk on the phone, but more and more text and email more than they actually talk. It is these very smart phones that enable people to use online tools like Twitter and Facebook to change the world. You can post a video of someone being victimized by a bully and before you know it the video has gone viral and the bully has been exposed. Today one person really can make a difference.

Tablets and Laptops – These are commonly used in schools now, and are considered essential tools. I cannot think of a college student without a laptop.

Internet Access – Your local library probably has free Internet access using computers they provide and / or wifi for use with your own laptop or tablet.

Perhaps you think that technology does not affect you much in your everyday life. You don’t have a smart phone. You use an old computer. Medical advancements have not affected you yet. But think about this: What model year is the car that you drive? The newer cars have electronics that can include GPS. My car does not have GPS but it does have sensors that tell me when it’s time to get it serviced. Do you use a microwave oven? What kind of TV do you have and do you use an entertainment system with it? How many times have you used Google to find something? There are many things we take for granted that are based on technology in some way, shape, or form. I think you can agree that technology does have an impact on our daily lives.

I admit that there are different types of technology. Your definition of technology could differ greatly from mine depending on the context of the conversation. For the purposes of this conversation let’s focus on smart phones, tablets, computers, Internet, biometrics and their use in our daily lives.

In what ways do you think that technology makes your life better or easier? What apps do you use regularly? Do you have a tablet computer? Do you have a smart phone? Do you participate in social media like Twitter, Facebook, and Google+?

Filed in: Apps • Blogging • social media • Technology Tags: internet • laptops • modern medicine • robotics • security • smart phones • technology