Technology as Babysitters

Picture this: your kid is screaming their head off over wanting that new fancy toy in the middle of the store and there is nothing that is calming them down. Enter the smartphone or tablet with Minecraft of Candy Crush. This type of pacifier has more computing power than required to put humans on the moon. As long as it works, it really doesn't matter. These wonderful computers also occupy kids while the parents just sit by quietly waiting for the batteries to run out. Does anyone else see something wrong with this picture? When these smart devices came on the market, they were shiny and the future of computing looked bright. I mean we could now see the person we were talking with over internet phone services. Now it is just business as usual since the novelty has worn off and they are your kids' virtual playground. In my day, we had actual playgrounds and we ran around playing games and saw each other in person. Any suggestions before kids forget what it is like to play outside?

Reinventing Aging

There are so many different technologies that can help redefine the way people age which are available. Despite their availability, technology has not been widely adopted by older people or their families. The reasons are easy enough to intuit: Seniors are technology-phobic, or afraid of being stigmatized; they don’t know what products are available or where to find them; or they do know, but the gadgets themselves are too expensive. There is a pretty good handle of the science of the technologies but the really problem that needs solving is a gaining of understanding of how people that age view themselves and the technology that is supposed to be helping them. Some of the technology are communication services such as cell phones and alert systems. There are even gaming apps that help with different cognitive functions. Many people have not considered this issue but it going to hit like a tidal wave in about 2050 with the aging population.