Author: Kahri Jones, kjj5053@psu.eud

Students look forward to the promising future of technology

Technology is constantly shaping the world around us. It has changed the way we live our daily lives, for better or for worse. It has reinvented the way we interact with each other; it even allows you to be anywhere, virtually. It has even reshaped the way in which people date, i.e. eHarmony.

It has seamlessly integrated its way into our educational institutions. We are now in the information age. The Internet can easily shed light on any and every subject that you may be in the dark about.

With this accessible information, companies are have turned to social media marketing for even more specialized target audiences. With young infants growing up with tactile flashing screen tablets, older people, ages 55 to 64 years old, are amongst the fastest demographic adopting technology.

Mobile applications such as Swarm by Foursquare, Yelp and Open Table create new interactive experiences with cities. Sure, all of this is no big secret, but where is all this technology headed?

The Internet and technology will continue to progress, it has since the beginning.
It seems safe to say that technology’s direction will continue to make the world around us more efficient, and help offer a more personalized and tailored lifestyle. There are several emerging technological concepts and advancements in the horizon.

Wearable technology assisted by the Internet of things is on the forefront. Picking up where mobile technology left off, new innovation finds it way into smart clothes. Drones have gained recognition over the past few years. Some recall Amazon’s plans to incorporate these pilotless aircrafts to make home deliveries to online orders.

Amazon isn’t the only one to employ the use of a drone. Even Hollywood producers are rigging cameras to drones in order to shoot big budget films. Currently, the Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, has imposed harsh regulatory guidelines, which seems to only hinder the development of the Amazon Prime Air service. It is up to Amazon and other drone companies to reach an agreement with the FAA that will satisfy the public.

Freshman Stephanie Henderson approves of the air traffic fleeting service as long as her items are accurately and safely delivered.

“I can’t wait to be able to order anything and receive it the same day. I’m sure that all the bugs will be fixed before its commercial use,” Henderson said.

The novelty of new technology can often seemingly be mostly positive. There are some questions that are raised about possible implication that it may present.

Although 3D printing may appear as a manufacturing miracle, there are still some implications. The same tool that can assist a plastic surgeon in providing a prosthetic body part can also aid a criminal on the black market. The first 3D printed gun was recently fired. Many can see that 3D printing and its ability to create guns and other weapons pose a concern for the debate of gun laws.

Self-driving cars are expected to make its way into the automobile industry in the near future, with prototypes by BMW and even Google. BMW recently previewed its F 015 Luxury in Motion research car in Las Vegas.

The technology’s basis of automation is made possible by complex sensors and computer processing, which replaces the work of a human. People foresee additional productive free time during commutes and even the decline of automotive deaths.

One student nostalgically remembers a certain Nintendo gaming console from the 1990s.

“I’m excited to see today’s innovation of virtual reality gaming experience. I once had a Virtual Boy by Nintendo,” Frank Lipscomb juxtaposes video game design of the past and future. “It will seem primitive for the next generation of (video) gamers.”

Recent trends have seen companies return to their interest in virtual reality. We can only anticipate and wonder what Facebook has in mind for its users since acquiring Occulus Rift, a virtual reality company.