Lesson 9

Today's lesson was about Emerging and Future Technologies which is the topic on which I did my individual oral presentation on!

Basically, this lesson had a large scope and allowed our imagination to run free about what could be come of the most useful or interesting emerging technologies today. Prof started off with some videos such as a video on claytronics and also a video on plastic technology which particularly intrigued me - it showed how we could make use of plastic for the many things that we do in our daily lives such as adjusting a price tag of product at work using a remote control, having plastic chips attached to your contact lenses and have the internet connected to your sight all the time, program the curtains at home to change color when you have visitors over etc. It was a really insightful video and I feel that if this technology could be implemented in future, the world will be a more convenient yet safe place to live in as not everything will depend on electricity and energy sources. Instead, plastic can be made use of to create wonderful technology.

Prof also showed another video on augmented reality which showed how a mobile phone can give you all the information you need by just pointing it at the object/location/person that you are interested in. Prof mentioned the idea of 'Live' Facebook which was interesting as well. Imagine if you just look at a person and all the information about him/her just appears in your mind. That is also actually pretty creepy! I believe with the rapidly advancing of the technology today, this is not impossible! In fact, I think people would be willing to dedicate large pools of resources into developing this as it provides convenience and efficiency but at the same time may spark off privacy issues as well.

Prof also posted the question as to whether IT systems can be smarter than humans - can they be creative? I believe that humans are not as complex that we think we are and systems can actually be so much smarter than us! I brought up the example that there is this system that IS students use for coding called Netbeans and the software actually predicts the mistakes that the user makes and prompts you to correct it. However, I believe Prof brought up a good point that systems cannot emote like humans and hence that may be a limitation, but they can, however, control how they simulate the emotions they portray to us.

The last speaker for the day, Hannah, shared on Tooth Regeneration Technology which I was really passionate about! Reason being, I am really afraid of dentists, the pain and the drilling sounds and the smell of the dental clinics! The whole idea of going to a dentist just freaks me out. Hence, when I heard about this technology from Hannah, I was really glad and expressed that I will be really receptive towards it. Also, I believe this technology will benefit others who fear the dentist like me, and also those who are image conscious. I feel that the painless technology using gel which regenerates and forms a new tooth will be a really good way to encourage people to get their teeth checked regularly. One disadvantage, though, could be that the gel covers your decay and may cause repercussions.

I personally rate this session 10/10 as many interesting ideas were shared and I learnt about many useful new technologies! (:

Lesson 8

This week's lesson was about Energy and World Change and one of the quotes particularly caught my attention - "Conserve your planet, it's the only one you've got". How true! People and industries are using up the world's resources like no tomorrow because they are indifferent about the consequences. Since the backlash of the depletion of resources will only effect decades later, the current generation is not THAT concerned since it will not affect their lives. However, we often fail to realise that our descendants, the future generation who will be affected, is going to be living on the same Earth as us. And this planet had already been ruined by us.

Prof started off by showing us a really interesting video about Germany's Solar Experiment which depicted Germany making use of resources that they need to make all sorts of things happen and they afford this through the aid of bank loans with a fixed return rate. I feel that this is a really encouraging video as it shows that at least someone somewhere in the world is making an effort to make a change to reverse the energy depletion in the world.

The first speaker, Joe, spoke about Smart Grid in South Korea which talks about the South Korean government investing in a Korean citizen who made use of smart grid in his home to conserve and generate energy. The system cost 2 billion euros but has an annual savings of 500 million euros and hence only takes 4 years to cover the initial cost before it starts making money and saving energy for the Earth. I think this is a good initiative that South Korea is taking as it is one of the first in Asia. Furthermore, with South Korea taking a lead with such initiatives in Asia, other countries like Singapore, Japan etc may follow suit too.

The second speaker, Ishita shared about 'The Tar Sands' which was an interesting topic as I have never heard about it before. Tar sands are an alternative to crude oil and exists in abundance, however, it brings about many disadvantages like heavy pollution and damage to the habitat of people living near the tar sands mines. The controversial question discussed was whether Tar Sands is an immediate and effective alternative to the gulf oil, despite the disadvantages it carries? Personally, I feel that it is an immediate alternative but not an effective one as it will just create more problems for the environment and planet if it is used as a long term source of oil hence it may alleviate the situation temporarily but is definitely not a long term solution.

I rate this session 9/10 as the guest speakers shared on very interesting topics and I learnt about many initiatives around the world to save energy and the planet!

Individual Topical Review Paper Draft

Technology and its Effects on Information Dissemination

Executive Summary

In this paper, I will be talking about a specific innovation, which is the emergence of information dissemination through Instant Messaging and the extensive use of 3G – how they are used as viral methods to pass information and their impact on people and industries in the current generation and possible effects on the future generations. I will touch on the effects of this innovation on our productivity, our form of communication, accessibility of information, our reliance of technology and some emerging technologies that are related. I will also elaborate on the impacts of this innovation and evaluate whether the changes it has brought about are more positive or negative.

Introduction – Specific Innovation

Instant Messaging & 3G

What is innovation? It is defined as renewing or changing something, resulting in the creation of better or more effective products, processes, technologies or ideas. The innovation that I have chosen to discuss in this paper has contributed heavily in the creation of more effective business and healthcare processes, technologies and also the dissemination of ideas. It is the introduction of instant messaging and the 3G networks.

With regards to Instant Messaging, I will be focusing on the mass developments of Instant Messaging from mid 1990s onwards, where it all began with Internet-based messaging services like ICQ and MSN. Following that, many instant messaging services have since been introduced to the market, such as, Short Message Service (SMS), Whatsapp, Skype, Facebook Chat, Blackberry Messenger, eBuddy Messenger etc.

As for 3G, my focus is on the use of 3G in smartphones, tablets and other devices for communication between people. Because of the extensive use of 3G, people are growing to be over-reliant and everything is done on their smartphone or tablets. Some industries also make use of instant messaging and 3G in their business processes. For example, hospitals send reminders about appointments to patients through instant messaging methods such as SMS, and some doctors actually conduct video call consultation for their patients. Furthermore, video calls and instant messaging also increases the efficiency of business processes as they can now hold videoconference meetings on the go anytime and anywhere using 3G on their smartphones.

Rationale for selecting this innovation

How did it change the world?

The introduction of instant messaging and 3G to the world has made information dissemination between people today much more convenient and efficient, encouraging the exchange of ideas and facilitates interpersonal communication. Instant messaging allows messages to be sent across quickly to people who may be anywhere around the globe and 3G allows people to connect through video calls and the sharing of multimedia files like images, videos, web pages, maps, etc.

Not only is the passing of information made more convenient, business processes and healthcare services are made more efficient and easily accessible as well – video conferencing and instant messaging allow business people to communicate more directly without compromising on their speed and video call consultation services allow patients to receive accurate medical advice without the hassle of travelling to the clinic of hospital, which is crucial and extremely beneficial to patients who are physically disabled.

However, technology is often a double-edged sword, and this innovation is no exception. The convenience, speed and accessibility that instant messaging provides make it the number one choice of communication method for many and some of these people make use of the lack of face-to-face confrontation through instant messaging to avoid awkward or difficult situations. This causes communication between people to lose its physical touch and makes us socially inept during occasions such as networking sessions, presentations, public speaking etc.

Today, people are also growing to be over-reliant and dependent on these communication technologies that they tend to source for all the information they need through these mediums, rarely do people still refer to newspapers, maps or even libraries for information, they simply refer to Google on their smartphones.

Furthermore, there are also health implications caused by these innovations, as people are constantly glues to their mobile devices while being oblivious to the harmful effects of radiation that is inflicted onto them.

Historical Perspective

Say if we rewind to 50 years ago, there were no such thing as instant messaging or 3G network, you could not send a message to your friends within a second or two nor could you share a picture or video with someone distant or online. Imagine, if you needed to get a message across urgently to your friend who is at home, you had a choice between calling her, or manually sending the message, in which you will have to either write her a letter, put it in an envelope and post it, or travel to meet her to pass on the message. Both methods are time-consuming and require you to travel out of your home to do it. Hence, passing information to one another was definitely not ‘instant’ in the past.

Furthermore, it was virtually impossible to share multimedia objects instantly with someone who was not physically near you in the past. If you wanted to share a picture with someone, you had to first develop the picture and then either mail it or share it directly when you meet up with him or her. The same goes for videos, music files, etc.

Not only the methods were different, even the devices that we used to pass information to one another has undergone great changes since the times of Pigeon Post. We used candlestick telephones, rotary dial telephones, push-button telephones and then large portable mobile phones, which were already considered advanced technology during those times. Also, mobile phones back then only served one function and that was to make calls, and the only buttons the phones had - were the numbers.

Also, when people needed to source for information or had to research about something, they went to libraries to find and read books, refer to encyclopedias, maps and bought newspapers to peruse. Alternatively, they also listened to the radio and watched television for current affairs, or they could rely on the word of mouth for news, which was not very accurate. These were all the methods that people had in the past to retrieve information.

Current Situation

Fast forward 50 years to today, as technology become more advanced, our devices become smaller and easy to handle. We have simple, lightweight and portable mobiles phones which evolved into mobile phones with more functions than just calling and sending text messages, and now finally smartphones, which is just simply a small, portable multi-purpose device which supports countless functions like instant messaging, email, camera, social media applications, music player, internet surfing, photography etc.

What used to be a culture among our parents’ generation like writing letters and postcards has been eroded, teenagers or even young adults these days hardly or never write letters to anyone. Even face-to-face communication has diminished due to the convenience of instant messaging through phones and on the Internet. Communication between people today is more short, speedy, and efficient; instant messaging allows messages to be sent across quickly. People prefer the convenience and speed to the hassle of traveling out of their homes and handling social situations. Through instant messaging, they do not have to show their emotions and feelings. As a friend once mentioned to me, “I could be typing ‘HAHAHA’ on my phone, but I’m not even smiling”.

Today, we are also able to share multimedia objects a lot more easily than the past. Technology like the Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) allows the exchange of pictures, videos and music between anyone who has a mobile phone. The 3G network now facilitates the uploading and downloading of almost all types of files from the internet, hence, people are able to access other things that their friends or family have posted online, instantly. Some instant messaging applications also include the function of allowing the user to share different multimedia objects, for example, WhatsApp and BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), two really popular instant messaging services today, allow users to send voice notes to others who are using the same service. Instead of sending a text message, one can simply record his message using the voice note function and send it, which takes convenience from instant messaging to a whole new level.

We know that the mediums that people utilize to source for information has changed rapidly through the years, however, not only did the mediums changed, the methods which industries and people pass information through are also being constantly upgraded or replaced. In the past, when people wanted information, they read newspapers, books, etc. However, if you were to ask a teenager for the headlines today, he would very probably Google it on his smartphone. If you needed directions, you would very likely use your phone’s Global Positioning System (GPS) service, those from the younger generation probably do not even have a map or street directory in their cars anymore. The introduction of 3G has changed the way people look for information, tremendously.

Proposed Approach to Development of Paper – Gist of arguments and key points

Main points of discussion:

1.     How has these technology-induced changes in information dissemination and information dissemination mediums impacted our lives?

·       Revolutionized the passing of information between people by making it faster and more convenient, making interpersonal communication easier and more interesting, also allowing a smoother exchange of ideas. This increased pace of sending information to one another provides efficiency to daily activities and the solution to emergencies or crises. For instance, if an emergency crops up and you need to urgently inform your superior at work or teacher in school, you could send a short text message or email which will reach the other party within a few seconds. Vice versa, if an accident occurs at work or school involving a family member, the message can be quickly brought to you via instant messaging and you are able to attend to your loved ones as soon as possible

·       Made communication between people who living in different countries a lot easier and facilitates not just the exchange of messages or calls but also allows people to share details about their lives by sending pictures or videos with just an easy click on their smartphones. This made people more at ease when leaving their homes for a business trip or school exchange for a long period of time as they are assured that they can still keep in close contact with their family and friends using these technologies

·       Business processes are also made more efficient by these technologies as the 3G technologies make holding meetings easier and quicker. Video conference calls allow businessmen to communicate with their colleagues, partners, clients on the go via video chat on their smartphones, which saves a lot of time and trouble, as they do not have to travel to their offices to hold a meeting. It may also save them lots of money as well as being able to make critical decisions at the right time might save the company from suffering a huge loss

·       Healthcare services are made more efficient and highly accessible as well. Instead of having to travel to the clinic or hospital for consultation services, patients can now opt for video call consultation services, which enable them to receive accurate medical advice from the comfort of their homes. This innovation is extremely beneficial to patients who are physically disabled as it gives them the convenience without compromising on their physical well being. It also serves as a good precaution in times of emergencies.

·       However, technology isn’t always all good, and this innovation is no exception. It provides such convenience, speed and accessibility that people naturally make it their number one choice of communication method. Furthermore, these people make use of the lack of face-to-face confrontation through instant messaging to avoid awkward or difficult situations in real life. This causes communication between people to lose its physical touch and makes us socially inept during occasions such as networking sessions, presentations, public speaking etc.

·       Also, people are also growing to be over-reliant and dependent on these communication technologies that they tend to source for all the information they need through these mediums, rarely do people still refer to newspapers, maps or even libraries for information, they simply refer to Google on their smartphones.

·       There are also health implications caused by these innovations, as people are constantly glues to their mobile devices while being oblivious to the harmful effects of radiation that is inflicted onto them.

2.     Are these changes positive or negative?

Key points and relevant arguments

Positive impact:

·       Convenience and efficiency of communication

o   One clear benefit of technology’s influence on communication is that it has allowed us to communicate more conveniently and get messages across more efficiently

o   This is done by constantly expanding the number of ways that people can communicate through, and improving on the speed of delivering messages across through these new mediums

·       Overseas communication made easier

o   Applications like Whatsapp make communication across countries much easier than in the past

o   High roaming charges limited people to make short and succinct calls and texts to their family and friends who are overseas

o   Now, with instant messaging applications, all you require is a 3G connection on your mobile phone in your own country, you can chat live with anyone at any part of the world

·       Constantly-updated and easily accessible news allows people to be more informed about current affairs (double-edged sword)

o   In the past, access to current news were only made available through newspapers, radio and magazines

o   Now, almost everything is made accessible from the internet and hence having a smartphone makes understanding the current affairs a lot more convenient and easy for people

o   However, it also swings the negative way because this increased accessibility makes people ‘lazy’

o   Instead of making an effort to purchase a copy of newspapers to read, people simply ‘google’ for the related articles that they are interested in

o   Instead of doing research and going to the library to source for books, people rely on Wikipedia – resulting in a waste of resources because everything’s on the ‘net’ nowadays

Negative impact:

·       Loss of emotional touch through communication

o   Instead of face-to-face communication, letters, or phone calls, most people, tempted by the convenience of the technology, communicate via text, instant messaging mediums, emails, or even Facebook messages.

o   Most of these new mediums encourage short and concise messages which causes the loss of a personal touch to the message

o   As a result, people are more estranged to each other because of the lack of in-depth communication

·       Over-reliance on technology

o   Today, we rely heavily on technology to get messages across to one another – SMS, Whatsapp, BBM, MSN etc

o   It has become so exaggerated that children below the age of 12 are getting their hands on iPhones and iPads, when some people of my age or even older do not even own one

o   These days, some do not even know what are the procedures required to post a letter

o   Will the practice of mailing letters face extinction in face of the threat of technology in the future generations to come?

3.     What are some of the emerging technologies that are predictable and how would they possible impact us?

Emerging technologies

·       Online lectures (already existing but not prevalent yet)

·       Internet TV (Sony)

References:

1.     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Innovation

2.     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instant_messaging

Lesson 7

In today's lesson, we touched on the other areas of BioBusiness in the world, such as the agricultural and environmental aspects. Some issues that were focused on were achieving a sustainable environment, bio-materials, GM foods and the injection of hormones into animals.

We watch the 'Humans Disease' video which Prof has actually posted on the Facebook page earlier on. I watched it both times and I constantly felt that there were element of truth in this video. We are becoming the bane to our own existence, by ruining the planet that we live on. Some people blame it on ignorance, but I believe there are more people who know about the situation but are yet not doing anything about it than people who have no knowledge about it or do not have the resources to do anything to help. Honestly, I am guilty of the former. I am aware of the seriousness of the global warming situation, the pollution in our atmosphere, and I know that that I can help by small actions like recycling plastic bottles and not letting the tap or shower run when not using the water and saving electricity when not needed. However, I feel passive towards the cause and the most I do is reuse my plastic bags and recycle cans when I'm at home. I'm sure there are many others like me and this is why I agree with the video that we, humans, are becoming our own disease.

During the lecture, I was surprised when Prof mentioned that spider silk is actually 5 times stronger than steel!! And if you unwind the silk spun, it is long enough to go around the world. Sometimes, nature provides us with so much more than we expect and humans, without exploring these natural ways, choose to destroy our environment through activities like deforestation, mining, pollution by the industrial areas and depleting the already limited natural resources.


I particularly enjoyed Lin Yi's presentation on the injection of growth hormones into animals, especially cows. Firstly, I feel that it is extreme cruelty to inject such hormones into animals' bodies just to boost the profits that can be made out of them. In the first place, killing them for food is bad enough, now people are even manipulating their growth so that more money can be made out of the poor animals??? This makes me feel really disgusted by mankind. Is money really so important that we can bear to inflict more suffering on another living thing? Imagine the situation and roles were reversed and hormones are injected into us to make us grow faster just so that they can eat us? How would we feel? I'm sure many others feel the same way about me but this problem cannot be solved unless everyone has the ability to boycott the produce by such practice, and this requires a big effort to be made. I hope that in future when I am in the working industry and have more financial independence, I will be able to generate a cause to stop this cruel act. No matter how small the effects are, at least it will be a start to put a stop to it!

Overall, I rate this lesson 8/10 as it was interesting and comfortable to follow the pace.