Ubiquitous Computing
Beginning the “In an iPod World” course, I felt as if I may be at a disadvantage with regard to my technological ability and knowledge. However, class discussion and course readings opened my eyes as to the extent that I use technology daily, whether advertent or inadvertent. Glancing around my dorm room, I notice various forms of technology such as my television, lamp, wristwatch, printer, laptop, alarm clock, fire alarm, sprinkler system, air conditioning unit and card swipe lock to name a few. My utilization of these technological resources occurs on a daily basis. Without one of these, my life would be set back in some capacity or another. Thus, my life is currently dependant upon intricate computing which consumed many resources including land, labor and capital.
Despite the efforts of technology experts and proponents, ubiquitous computing does and will face challenges. Kalle Lyytinen and Youngjin Yoo’s article entitled, Issues and Challenges in Ubiquitous Technologies, and The Computer for the 21st Century by Mark Weiser both highlight many of the social hurtles computing must overcome. Before I read the article, I asked myself whether or not society would accept the idea of ubiquitous technology with open arms or with much skepticism. Both articles discuss that an individual’s habits are very difficult to break which creates a barrier for technological overhaul. This is true, as I look at my life. I feel as if people are very comfortable with their daily routine and any change in that routine will certainly cause some doubt and cynicism as to whether a new way is more productive than the norm.
Another component of the question I posed earlier may be that ubiquitous technology may become part of one’s everyday life regardless of one’s willingness to succumb to it. For example, as we walk into a bank, school or grocery store, we would not expect the establishment to be lit by candlelight, but rather we expect to see light bulbs as the sole lighting source. This is just one example of how technological advancements are imposed upon societal thinking whether or not an individual makes a concerted effort to utilize the technology. The articles for this week seem to skim over this idea, maybe due to the fact that it is a somewhat obvious notion. However, it is one that I feel deserves some mention when discussing the societal challenges that ubiquitous computers face.
The Guruduth Banavar and Abraham Bernstein article entitled, Software Infrastructure and Design Challenges, caught my attention. The piece opens with a scenario concerning Jane, a CIO, and her daily activity with ubiquitous computing. The idea of the piece made me think about the time and cost effectiveness of ubiquitous computing. She encountered many obstacles and tasks that she needed to respond to immediately and through her implementation of technology she was able to react in an effective manner. Task dynamism, device heterogeneity and social computing each enabled her to save time and money by eliminating unnecessary trips, meetings, mail and phone conversations.
After reading the articles and through personal observation, it is now evident to me that ubiquitous technology is no longer an element of the future, but rather an element of the ‘here and now.’ According to the Lyytinen and Yoo article, ubiquitous computing is a phenomenon that will “enable, mediate, support and organize our daily activities.” As I discussed earlier, all of the technology in my dorm room performs each of those functions (1. enabling 2. mediating 3. supporting 4. organizing). Taking the assumption that ubiquitous technology will continue to grow and prosper in the future is an assumption that neglects the negative aspects that this type of computing may have on our world. For example, what effect will ubiquitous computing have on national security and personal privacy? These questions and those alike need to be addressed as we delve into this age of technological advancements. Perhaps articles on such issues will be assigned as I continue my quest into the “iPod World.”
Comments
Posted by: Youngjin Yoo
Posted on: September 8, 2005 12:24 AM
You raise an interesting possible application of ubiquitous computing. Could it prevent natural disaster like Katrina? Or could it assist the rescue and recovery efforts? What would it look? How would you design rescue and recovery operation differently if you can assume that you have ubiquitous computing environments available?
Posted by: Youngjin Yoo
Posted on: September 8, 2005 12:26 AM
I forgot to ask you, can you post a short note describing how you set up the category? I will link to your posting.