So while laying in bed I started to contemplate on the true technology of the kinect and how it is a breakthrough not only in the gaming world but in as a technology all together. Then I started to ponder on how the kinect correlates with the Bodies and Technology. Then it hit me, the Kinect is one of the only technologies that relies on your whole body to fulfill its purpose. With out you or any other body it is a useless technology. So when I looked at like that, the next time I played the Kinect I felt empowered. Just like the car, the computer, the bike, the washer machine, most of technology is useless without the presence of human beings. But still something was still unsettling when I was thinking about the Kinect as a technology not just a game.
I had to shake it off, there was no way I was going to become one of those people who believe that technology is getting out of hand. I personally believe that more good will come from this then bad. All though it is just a game it has inspired people all over the world to use it in other helpful ways. For example there are surgeons in Canada who use the Kinect to help look through there MRI’s. (And I will touch more on this in my final paper)
But still I couldn’t help but wonder, if it inspired people all over the world, and about 75% of the people are up to no good, then that means some pretty bad ideas had have been born. In The Article “Technostalgia”, Gill summarizes the 2 of the Terminator movies, saying that humans lose themselves in technology which allowed the machines to take over. Gill also states the reason we were able to overcome in the movie was because we remembered who were as humans and we have many things that machines could never have, like the will to survive. That sort of startled me. Thinking about the Kinect in the government, it is only a matter of time before we have an army of robots controlled by soldiers sitting back thousands of miles away in front of a “Kinect like” sensor that tracks there movements and allows them to control the machines. Yea, of course that sounds awesome. No more human casualties. Soon there will be no need for humans at all and the machines will be controlled by other computers back at the home base. Hmmmm Do you see where I am headed with this?
But being the optimist that I am I have to remain positive. My positive aspect of it is that even though I believe technological destruction is bound to happen… I will enjoy it while I can! So please enjoy the small video I put together of My friends, cousins, and parents playing the Kinect at my house. Warning: Mild Language.
Barry Bizzel, Silicon Valley http://www.businessinsider.com/kinect-gesture-recognition-technology-helping-surgeons-2011-3
Gill. "Technostalgia"
The video clip of the Canadian surgeon using Xbox Kinect to look through the MRI does remind me for the movie Minority Report we watched in class. Tom Cruise character was moving the images on the monitor by hand. I think in the future we will be able to use our minds to move items on a computer monitor or even military machines. That might be a good or bad thing depending on how that technology is used. It is going be interesting on how far the development of this technology goes.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting concept. Its interesting to note that this might allow for no more human casualties at war, but what is strange is how many men and women find hope in their lives through military service. That while there life may be spared we no longer offer as a country that opportunity for these men and women with no home support to graduate college without debt. I don't know just thinking through it. Perhaps, there is too much emphasis in keeping a pulse and not enough on knowing the purpose of that pulse. Machines may overwhelm the job market in the near future but I believe that humans have enough logic in the frontal lobe to adapt to these changes. It never ceases to amaze me how many limitations we put on the earth, its resources, and the ability of humans to adapt to every situation.
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