Laptops and smartphones are part of life but where will technology take us next?
Credit: Pixabay:JoshuaWoroniecki
It seems that we are destined to see our world overrun with technology, whether we like it or not!
For Mark Zuckerberg, technological innovation is just too good an option for securing future profits and a brand synonymous with forward-thinking and inventiveness to stand still.
His latest brainchild, Orion Augmented Reality (AR) glasses, is a classic example, and the question is, are we willing to embrace this as much as we have the Smartphone? Let’s face it: when the Smartphone first became a thing, we had ourselves asking, “Shouldn’t a phone be, well, just a phone?” It was almost impossible to fathom why we would need so much technology at our fingertips on a daily basis, but now, for many of us, NOT having a smartphone would be unthinkable.
Are we ready to have Augmented Reality in our everyday lives?
So, is it possible that within the next two to three years, we could all be sporting Augmented Reality eyewear and leaving the ‘real’ and ‘virtual’ worlds behind? Well, let me paint you a picture. Imagine being able to check your emails, get directions, or even play a game all without needing to touch your phone. Just a flick of your wrist and a glance through your glasses is all that is required. Now, think about students getting live feedback from virtual teachers or exploring ancient ruins without leaving the classroom – the possibilities are endless.
If this feels like something that ‘will never take off’, consider how even old age traditions have not been safe from technological change. Take tennis at Wimbledon as a classic example. Just recently it was announced that Wimbledon will no longer have human line judges next year. After 147 years of remaining eagle-eyed at the side of each court, they are to be replaced. Instead, this vital role will be carried out by a Live Electronic Line Calling (ELC) System; in other words, technology will take over.
Technology at Wimbledon will decide the fate of players
Of course, this is not the first time the most famous lawn tennis venue has experienced technological advancements. Around 17 years ago, Hawk-Eye was introduced to ensure that critical match decisions were accurate. In fact, since then, an examination of the accuracy of both robots and humans at the 2024 tournament proved that when it comes to decision-making, the high-tech judges are far superior in their level of accuracy. However, this hasn’t stopped tennis fans and line judges themselves from lamenting and expressing great sadness at the move to ELC.
Sally Bolton, Wimbledon’s CEO, said, “We take our responsibility to balance tradition and innovation at Wimbledon very seriously. Line judges have played a central role in our officiating set-up at The Championships for many decades. We recognise their valuable contribution and thank them for their commitment and service.”
Digitised passports are in our future if the European Commission gets go-ahead
Finally, according to the latest announcement from the European Commission, even our passports are not off limits from a technological overhaul. The Commission is pushing for the use of technology to digitise passports by 2030. They believe this will afford travellers a quicker and more secure crossing of European borders.
While the new passport system is said to be voluntary, the European Commission is fully behind this technological development and is committed to encouraging as many travellers to adopt it as possible. For those who do, it should mean saying goodbye to rifling through bags and pockets at border controls and instead just breezing through with a swipe of the phone.
However, the scheme still needs the go-ahead from the European Parliament and the member states in the EU Council.
These are just a few recent examples that demonstrate that, without a doubt, technology is rapidly changing the world as we know it. The question is, though, are we ready?
Read more articles written by Donna Williams
