Session 9

Brief Overview/Summary

The ninth TWC lesson was about Emerging and Future Technologies. In today’s lesson, Prof Shahi shared with us multiple quotes and showed us various videos that present new and emerging forms of technology possible in the near future.

Interesting Observations and Ideas

Prof Shahi started the lesson by introducing to us a quote from George Bernard Shaw that stated: 

“You see things; and you say, 'Why?'

But I dream things that never were; and I say, 'Why not?'”

This quote exemplifies the different perspectives that one can have, and it differentiates the mindset between someone of a ‘rising star’ and someone who is a ‘falling star’. By asking ‘why not?’ one is opening himself to many different possibilities without any limitations. Asking ‘why’ is limiting one’s potential and imagination, and is only keen to find problems and issues in current situations.

Prof Shahi then showed us a video on clay-tonics. It is a new and advanced form of technology that allows one to touch, feel and mould clay to transform ideas and innovation to become reality just by using their hands. This is form of technology can help people create ideas and innovate easily through three-dimensional technology. For example, they can use the creative idea of SCAMPER to edit products for sell. Scamper consists of Substitution, Combination, Alternatives, Modification, Put to other uses, Elimination and Rearrange.

Prof then showed us another quote from one of his favourite “dead men”, Albert Einstein. It stated:

“Imagination is more important than knowledge.

For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”

Similar to the first quote, this quote particularly talks about one inculcating a rising star mentality. If you limit yourself to the issues and knowledge that we currently have, you find yourself limited to what you can do, and you will never open the Pandora’s box of new ideas.

Prof also introduced to us the idea of a crumpled paper versus a plan sheet of paper. A crumpled paper has many creases on it. This signifies the hot spots and issues that prevent people from getting where you want to go, which is the success of an entirely new idea. If you use the mentality of a ‘crumpled paper’ to reach an aim, you face many different problems and concerns. On the other hand, if we start planning and innovating with the mindset of a ‘plain paper’, we are aware of our clear ideas and path which enables us to put ideas onto paper very easily, and it will be easy for us to incorporate ideas to become a reality.

Next up, we watched a video on the invention of plastic electronics by replacing silicon with plastics. These form of technologies are such as bendable electronic books made out of plastic. This makes eBooks even more user-friendly and child-friendly than what it is today, and it also remains environmentally friendly.

Although many have the impression and mentality that the increase in the use of plastics for bendable electronics are not environmentally friendly as it increases the use of plastics, it must be recognised that the plastics used in this form of technology is made of renewable sources, and does not bring any harm to the environment. Furthermore, if such forms of technology is translated for daily use such as newspapers and magazines, we will be able to save paper, decreasing environmental damage.

Drivers of Emerging and Future Technologies

1)   Market opportunity and need

The success of emerging technology depends on the acceptance of the technology in the market. If the market is not interested in investing in such form of technology, the idea will be a flop. For example, the invention of the iPhone is such as huge success because it has gained widespread acceptance and interest in the world. If not for the consumer demand of the product, the iPhone will not be a success and may fail. On the other hand, the Creative MP3 players were released into the market in early 2000. However, due to the market’s preference for the iPod and the lack of consumer demand for it, it became a flop and eventually left the market, making Apple’s iPod one of the best selling MP3 players in the market today.

2)   Fertile ground for new technologies to be developed and tested

With suitable environments, we are able to create technologies and products that were inconceivable and unsought of 10 years ago. This can be done through intense investments in research and development, and the process itself. The advancement of technology today provides opportunities for greater ideas that can be thought of and expanded from the advanced technology we have today.

Every time we open a new door, we explore new environments and we respond to the needs of the new area. This means that every time we conceive a new idea, we explore new possibilities that were never thought of. We can then find solutions and methods to help these new ideas grow, such that it turns something unanticipated and impossible to become something realistic to the world.

3)   Supply can sometimes create demand

Most of the time, people often do not realise they need something until they see it and want it. For example, when the Walkman was first released, many people never thought that they would need or purchase it. However, after looking and experiencing it for a short period of time, many people realized that they actually wanted to own a Walkman themselves. This made the Walkman very popular in early 2000, revolutionising the use of MP3 players. This was also the case of the iPhone that did not receive much acceptance, as people did not feel that it was necessary for them to own a smartphone, and they were contented with their Nokia. It was until it became increasing popular that people found the need to own an iPhone themselves. Such is the case for 3D printing too.

4)   Mass media and advertising

The use of advertisements for public awareness of a new product is key to gain acceptance in the market. Advertisements are very effective in reaching out to the people, and to attract people to purchase their products. Mass media works especially well with kids today. With the increasing interaction between children and electronic products today, kids are being exposed to more form of advertisements and mass media. Also, as kids usually are not able to decipher between a need and a want, they will be very easily attracted to the products that they see in advertisements, and would demand their parents buy it for them. Alongside peer pressure, mass media and advertisements also play an important role among adults.

5)   Confluence of the 4 Smarts

The 4 smarts include people, ideas, money, alliances and partnerships.

Smart people include investors and innovators that contribute to the advancement of ideas and to translate them to reality and paper.

Smart ideas refer to the birth of new products and inventions that contribute to the society, and are successful and well received by the general consumer public.

Smart money refers to the money used for advancement and the investments before the product’s success.

Smart alliances and partnerships refer to the collaborations of people and/or corporations to the launch of new ideas together.

Some Interesting New and Emerging Technologies

1)   Augmented Reality

Augmented reality refers to the direct and indirect real-world entertainment whose elements are augmented by computer-generated sensory input. Various social networking platforms have already input such forms of technology into their sites, such as Facebook. Facebook now allows people to transfer their real life emotions online, and to post them on the social networking site to share with their friends.

2)   Biotechnologies

The advancement of biotechnologies is still in its early stages, and the world has yet to see any viable and large-scale improvements in the industry.

3)   Robotics

Robotics refers to the interface of computer technology with animation of robots. As early as in the 1930s, there have been writings and research in the area of robots. At the same time, rules have also been created to keep the robot reliant and beneficial to human interests. However, today, people are looking at building robots for the use in the military, and now to drones that can fly, monitor and capture information about people used for many different purposes. The one big question that people should be asking is that if we keep arming robots, and the right to harm people, will there come a time where the robots become so intelligent because of information technology, and the human race becomes endangered?

4)   Nanotechnologies

Nanotechnologies refer to the science of very small things. Today, people are looking into the creation of new nanomaterial that assemble and grow by itself. The advancement of such forms of technology can change the industries of medicine, computers and cars.

5)   Surveillance technologies

Countries today use surveillance technologies to spy on each other.

Key Takeaways

1)   There are endless possibilities to the type and number of emerging and new technologies that can arise in the future.

2)   Most emerging technologies are technology-driven, such that the advancement of technology will consequently lead to the advancement and faster innovation of new products and technologies.

3)   With regards to Yali’s question, the uneven distribution of technology and wealth is partly caused by the different country’s driver for new investments, and the stages and impacts that the drivers that they have for the advancement and creation of new technologies.

4)   Both inventors and the general public are equally important to determine the success of a new invention. The response from the general public to the new creation is a determinant to its success.

Issues for Further Discussion

1)   How do people calculate the risks involved in developing a new technology?

2)   Are people generally getting more interested in new technology?

3)   What is the market looking for with regards to new technology?

4)   Has technological advancement been a boon or bane to new innovations and inventions?

Personal Ratings

I would give today’s class a 9/10. It is one of the most interesting classes in the module, whereby we are able to explore all possible ideas under the sun and be creative in thinking about the different advancements and innovation that we can have in the very near future.