In March, MIT professors introduced new technology that WILL revolutionize the way we interact in nearly any day-to-day living situation. Whether it is buying toilet paper at the supermarket, buying a book in a bookstore, flying into LAX, or even wanting to know what time it is even though you may have forgotten your watch at home.
Yes, this technology will change our lives and it could be sooner rather than later. At just $350 for the device, the Sixth Sense gives one the ability to change their phone into an interactive projection screen that allows the user to use their hands as the prime navigational tool.
Want to know if the baked beans you’re looking at is cheaper at Costco than they are at Target when you’re at Target? No problem, just touch the beans and let the Sixth Sense do it’s thing. Want to know what your favorite contributor to Amazon.com said about a book that you’re currently purusing at Barnes & Noble? No worries, the Sixth Sense pulls the info up in no time.
Don’t believe me? Check it out for yourself
http://www.ted.com/talks/pattie_maes_demos_the_sixth_sense.html
I posted a video that I think is going to make your drop continue to drop. http://perspextive.wordpress.com/2009/06/19/meet-milo-ps3s-nightmare/
My initial response to this was “how cool!” then I started wonder just “how.” As marketers, the government, and the industry continue to figure out how to balance out privacy laws, technology like this is going to remain questionable.
I am speaking specifically to the host of tags that will appear on the shirt when in close proximity of someone. I have a host of questions that I know you can’t answer, but are important to consider:
1. Are the words visible to everyone or just the person with the device.
2. How are the tags access?
3. Can someone opt out of the tagging program?
I did some more research to find some information or question raised by this technology. Out of the 38 Yahoo pages searched, all I could find was information released and regurgitated by MIT. This is surprising.
As technology continues to advance, no matter how cool and creative, we must question how far technology will go and how far will privacy laws bend. I just attended a meeting, in which there was a brief survey distributed at registration. It included questions like, “do you have a blod? If so what is the address?,” Are you on any social networking site? If so, which one.”
When we went to the meeting, they had our social information listed on the slides. I felt very uneasy about my professional circle mixing with my social circle. I can see the same uneasiness being present with the tags.