Early Learning of Technology for Generation Z

Literacy doesn’t just refer to be ability to read anymore. It refers to the ability to understand and communicate through various mediums, such as: email, phone, blogs, texts, tweets etc. Having an understanding on how something works is possibly more important than actually being able to do the work yourself. Understanding where we are means understanding where we came from, looking through a capsule of time between generations and what was needed in each education system and how instill it.

Generational Differences

Baby Boomers: those born between 1944 and 1964. Have watched the entire world evolve from having a close group of friends you play with and having a tight close knit community around you to people not even knowing their neighbors’ names. It’s got to be a bit dis-satisfying to see the impersonalization happen to your world and community. Skeptical of technology and while they may use it, they do not typically use it to its full capabilities.

Gen X: those born between 1965 and 1979. Still grew up without borders, being able to run free during summer months and study hard while school was in session, the last age of oblivious innocence. Are accepting and skeptical of technology.

Gen Y, aka Millennials: those born between 1980 and 1995. Grew up with the expansion of the internet and connectivity. They saw technological evolution from the start and watched it develop over the years. They still remember how to use ‘old school’ technology like fax machines and dot matrix printers. They generally accept technology and use it.

Gen Z: anyone born after 1995. These people are growing up without the privilege of anonymity. They believe everything should be instant and are confused by the idea of having to research something. Patience is a hard fought virtue that is hard to understand in a world of instant gratification of just about everything, but hard work! They fully accept technology just as they accept the air around them.

Education by Generation

Baby Boomers education was better than their parents and being able to do better than your parents was the goal. More people graduated high school and sought post high school education than ever before. Colleges and Universities grew because of it. The learning style however did not. It was respecting your teacher or professor, do not question them, learn, pass, graduate and get a job. There were obviously some who challenged the system, but they were likely shunned and or kicked out of school for radical ideas.

Gen X’s education was the beginning of the transformation. More people from this generation challenged the status quo of their very existence in the educational system. Meaning they fought for changes beyond what the previous generations had done. They went from using typewriters to computers and embraced the changes set before them. They were more fiercely independent than their parents before them.

Gen Y’s education is the highest among all generational groups. Their worldwide knowledge is greater than any other generation. However, this global knowledge comes global competition.

Gen Z’s educational preferences are already showing new trends, as noted in Forbes magazine, this generation is beginning to take college classes and they aren’t interested in sitting through lectures and just memorizing dates and phrases. They want an immersion of their education, something hands on, where they can communicate and contribute to a group and learn via experiencing versus reading and taking tests.

Skill Sets for the Modern World

Beyond the basic math, science and history, one must learn to progress through the education system, it’s becoming more apparent that more exposure is needed when it comes to technology. Not just using technology but understanding how it works and how to create new technology. Understanding programming or coding is easier the earlier you learn it. If you use any type of technology, you are using a program. The science behind the simple user interface isn’t as complicated at you may think. Understanding that the world is dynamic and being able to constantly adapt is a crucial skill for anyone entering the workforce.

The most generic form of people know of and hear about is that programming is a bunch of 0’s and 1’s that create a code to tell computers what to do, but it’s much simpler than trying to read 0010 0110 1100. It is a simple algorithm of logic or yes or no questions and answers. Every program out there starts out with a basic question followed by essentially a yes or true response or a no or false response. Everything in coding builds off of those two very simple things. Understanding logic is key to understand programming.

Changing Education

Gen Z is changing and challenging the education system as we know it. They are learning common core math, which is an insane concept if you learned the ‘old school’ way. Yet they are learning better in immersion into an activity vs listening to a lecture. While parents and teachers are canvassing for smaller class sizes, they are also fighting to teach beyond the standardized test requirements. These students grew up with immediate access to information that used to only be available after sifting through books and research papers in libraries, and they know they do not have to memorize everything in order to perform tasks.

Changing Play - Changing Learning

With the ever changing world around us, understanding how simple programming works is imperative to understanding how to communicate. Pushing to have more technology in classes such as coding available at an early age is crucial helping kids of today succeed. They learn the basics of programing which helps them learn because they can start and customize for their personal learning level. It does not have to reflect their age, but their level of comfort with technology. Gen Z kids are just comfortable with technology, it just happens. They are not afraid of it, they do not think they will break it and because of this, it is a great way to engage them in learning.

Kids of yesteryear used to have to go out and find someone to play with, however Gen Z kids can log on and play with friends anywhere in the world. Giving them a larger social network to choose from. They are not locked into playing with whoever lived on the same street as we were. Giving them an opportunity for exposure to different cultures and different countries around the world when they have one thing in common, like an online game.

Schools today not only utilize computers, but some even issue computers and or laptops to all students. This ensures that all the students all have the same learning platform, giving students the same technology basis to start from. Having technology like this means they can engage the students more so than just lecturing students on how to do something, they can work in a virtual sandbox where they can actually do the things they are learning about.

The greater understanding students have of technology, presumably programming, they understand how to make things work and how things have worked in the past. Teaching in a virtual sandbox allows kids to learn that making mistakes isn’t the end of the world and sometimes it can lead to a bigger learning experience, most adults today still have yet to learn this vital life lesson.

Recap

Each generation has made an impact on education. The Boomers grew the post high school institutions to the large communities they are today. Gen X began to challenge the ‘system.’ Gen Y experienced the change of instant information and Gen Z is having a greater impact in decisions about ‘how’ they learn.

Each generation has been the more educated than the last. We’ve learned that embracing technology and understanding how it works has more than benefits than just learning how to ‘code.’ Each generations ability has enabled the next for growth and progress. Learning how to engage with the virtual world is just as important as learning how to engage with the community around you.

Groundbreaking tech advances expected to take place in the coming years

The 20th century was the most violent century in the history of humankind. It was also the most innovative century in human history, a fact that still gives our species hope amidst the daunting crises we now face. The 2020s will be a pivotal decade. Fortunately, technologies are coming down the pike that will reshape society for the better. Below, we’ll highlight five tech advances that will make an enormous impact on society.

Groundbreaking tech advances expected to take place in the coming years

(1) Electrified self-driving vehicles 

Electrified self-driving vehicles are poised to disrupt both the oil & gas and auto industries. Don’t believe us? Let’s start with the coming EV revolution – according to the International Energy Agency, the global electric vehicle fleet is set to grow from 3.1 million to over 125 million by 2030. This is a conservative estimate – if governments around the world begin to take climate change seriously, 220 million EVs could be roaming roads by 2030.

While gasoline-powered ICE cars will still be around in 2030, their numbers will soon start declining, if they haven’t already started doing so. According to a survey conducted by the American Automobile Association, 20% of respondents plan on making an electric vehicle their next purchase.

Bloomberg projects electric vehicles will reach price parity with ICE vehicles as soon as 2022. This will displace oil consumption to the point where the world will be pumping two million barrels per day more than it needs. And that’s just the start.

Now, let’s talk about autonomous vehicles. As we speak, level 5 (or completely autonomous) concept cars already exist. BMW claims they’ll have a level 5 on the road by 2020, and Tesla production cars may make the jump to level 3 autonomy (car in control, with the driver able to take over in an emergency) soon as next year.

This puts the world on track for level 5 autonomous cars by the end of next decade. Unless you want to, there will be no need to own a car  – you’ll simply be able to call one and have them drive you wherever you need to go.

With increasing numbers of urbanites ditching their rides, the number of cars on the road will stall and then plummet. The vehicles that remain will become increasingly autonomous and electric. Cars are presently responsible for 28% of American greenhouse gas emissions – if this shift occurs, it will help mitigate the ongoing rise in global temperatures.

(2) Brain-to-brain communication

Passing notes in class is so 20th century. However, smartphones are hard to conceal. Soon, however, your teenagers will be able to transmit thoughts to their crush directly, and nobody will be the wiser.

Sound impossible? Thanks to groundbreaking research conducted earlier this decade, a day may soon come when this Star Trek-esque advance will become science fact. A few years ago, researchers from the University of Washington managed to send a simple ‘hello’ from the mind of one research participant through the internet to a colleague’s 8,000 kilometres away.

Once honed, this advance will have a wide range of applications. Communication with those silenced by strokes, brain injuries, and birth defects will be possible. Emergency workers will be able to communicate easily in chaotic situations. Couples will be able to discuss a movie without angering fellow theatre patrons.

However, serious ethical issues will need to be addressed. Will students be able to cheat on exams without their teacher knowing? Will debating politicians be fed lines by fixers off-stage, Manchurian Candidate-style? Will you able to read the thoughts of others? It will be interesting to see how this technology evolves in the coming decades. 

(3) Hyperloop trains

Hatched from the mind of master inventor Elon Musk in 2012, the Hyperloop is a transport system that promises to change how we move about the world. An airless tube that serves as a conduit for passenger-carrying modules, it is claimed this futuristic mode of transport could eventually hit cruising speeds of over 1,200 kilometres per hour.

What does this mean in real-world terms? This would allow someone to travel from San Francisco to Los Angeles in only a half-hour – much faster than driving (5 hours 43 minutes) or flying (1 hour 25 minutes).

After a few years of research and development by universities like MIT and the Technical University of Munich, the first real-world prototypes are now under construction. Hyperloop Transportation Technologies is presently constructing test tracks in China and France, with plans to build additional prototypes in the United Arab Emirates and Ukraine.

Sir Richard Branson recently unveiled plans to build the UK’s first Hyperloop from London to Edinburgh, while Elon Musk himself is about to open a concept tunnel underneath Los Angeles within the next year.

If the Hyperloop manages to live up to the hype, it will massively disrupt short and medium haul flights, to say nothing of car, bus, and legacy train services. Even if it is not powered by fossil-fuel free electricity, this innovation will greatly reduce the carbon intensity of travel.

According to analysis conducted by the Department of Transportation in the United States, Hyperloop travel could be up to six times more energy efficient than comparable short haul air routes.     

(4) Vertical farms

As our climate continues to change, agricultural land will come under stress. Drier conditions, flash floods, record heat, and sudden frosts will all wreak havoc on crop yields. In addition to mitigation tactics like desalination and genetic engineering, the construction of vertical farms will be key to feeding our planet as the 21st century progresses.

What are vertical farms? They are indoor agricultural facilities where crops can be grown in a climate-controlled environment. Light is provided by arrays of full spectrum LED bulbs, while water comes from hydroponic systems. According to the creator of a vertical farm prototype in Japan, these facilities use 30 to 50 times less water than traditional greenhouses – great news for those about to inherit an H2O-constrained world.

It’s important to note that these facilities are still in their infancy. Commercially available LEDs are only 28% efficient at present – however, with lights that boast 68% efficiency currently in development, vertical farm products may approach cost parity with field crops by the end of the next decade.   

(5) Bioengineered meat

It’s getting increasingly uncomfortable to be an omnivore these days. They’ve had to deal with ethical challenges for years, but now, it’s become a well-known fact that meat production is a major carbon emitter.

According to a United Nations report, the raising of livestock (poultry included) is responsible for 18% of all CO2 emissions. With drastic action now required to avoid runaway climate change, a rapid shift away from field-raised meat is necessary.

Fortunately for the steak lovers among us, researchers have been working for decades to find a way to make meat in the laboratory. The first cultured meat experiments were conducted by NASA in the early 2000s. However, it wasn’t until the early 2010s when serious efforts began to create the world’s first lab-made burger.

Delivered in 2013, this patty cost $300,000 to make. By 2017, though, the procedure had become far more cost-effective, bringing the price of a lab-made hamburger down to about $11. At this rate, we can expect to find flavourful, cost-competitive lab meat in grocery store meat coolers by the middle of next decade.

When this happens, the demand for meat from factory farms will fall drastically, lowering carbon emissions as omnivores move to a guilt-free source of animal protein.

Fasten your seat belts – it’s gonna get wild

It took one hundred years for the telephone to become universal. The smartphone went from zero to over 70% penetration in a decade. The rate of technological progress is accelerating exponentially – wherever it leads us, the coming years certainly won’t be boring ones.

Big Markets for Outsourcing Coding

In the early 2000’s outsourcing was a very negative word that meant people were losing their jobs in the US. Today outsourcing doesn’t have the same meaning it did back then. Outsourcing can mean hiring freelancers to handle projects instead of adding additional workloads to your existing employees.

One of the biggest market for outsourcing has been in India. They have more skilled people each year capable of working remotely and that meet companies needs for IT work, like coding. Indian IT graduates are usually proficient in their English and provide low cost for high demand requirements when it comes to coding.

Freelance coders from India are able to handle much of the work sent to them by their US clients, there are definitive impacts outsourcing has had on the global economy.

India’s Competitive Advantage

When you think about paying for a coder $6.80 USD per hour it might seem shocking, considering the US federal minimum wage is $7.25! However India has a lower cost of living. This lower cost of living with the globalization of freelance coding gives India a direct advantage over doing business with other business in the states or in Europe. It costs less to get coding work done remotely in India versus domestically.  

Outsourcing Impact on India

India has greatly benefited from the globalization of the information technology jobs. Where once India had no major export to offer the world, they now have an export of remote labor that can be used worldwide. They have an undeniable advantage over competitors for the US outsourcing market.

When a client in the US makes a request, India’s workday starts when the US’s workday ends, India can have one day turnaround for its US clients. This means that instead of having US coders work long hours, evening shifts, or overtime, you can have work done overnight and come back and it is done and for less money!  

Protectionism Impact on India

Protectionism is the use of economic policies to limit the amount of imports from one country to another. Under the Trump administration, they are viewing outsourcing as a one-way impact, and how it impacts the states and the states only. This has sent a message to India to be aware that if policies change it could dissipate their current competitive advantage they have for their highest export, remote labor. If labor is restricted or other sanctions are enacted this could impact the employment of everyday people in India and people trying to get work visas in the states.  

Freelance Coders

You do not need to work for an organization to do coding, you can freelance your coding skills. Coders can register with sites like: Freelancer.com, Upwork.com and HireCoder.com and work anywhere in the world and have clients anywhere in the world. This platform allows individuals or businesses to search out the skills they need for a specific task, like coding, they can negotiate and hire someone to get the job done.

Along with an hourly rate being lower than US coders, businesses save by not having to pay for employee expenses like payroll taxes, insurance and the overhead of providing an office space for employee coders. Coders from India are able to freelance out their skills and earn better income than if they worked for a company in India, and still provide a cost advantage over US freelance coders.  

Global Impact

Thus far, most all of those involved are benefiting from the existence of outsourcing coding. Coding that is simple and the requirements can easily be explained can be exported to India by US companies. Coders here state side, handle more complex coding issues, thus they are certainly not out of work, but regularly handle more in-depth coding requirements than what is outsourced. In fact there are still jobs that are not being filled state side for coders! There are more opportunities than there are capable coders. Companies are able to save money by not paying their in-house coders to do tasks that can be done through outsourcing.

Years back people believed that all IT jobs could be handled through outsourcing to India, but corporations soon learned that while they were saving money, they were spending money on other things. It took longer to get the requirements of complex projects handled, thus much of this work came back to the States to be handled by US trained coders.

Why are there so many software developers in India?

India is the second most populated country in the world and with that many people around there is fierce competition for livelihood. Even with the family structure evolving in India, adults seek the advice of their parents. In Indian society parents want their children to be successful, and being successful to many of them is to either become a doctor or a software engineer.

Family Structure

Traditionally the Indian family structure is of multiple generations living together, while modern society is steering away from this structure it is still widely accepted as the norm. Even after children are grown they will still seek the advice and approval of their parents. Seeking approval can lead these young adults into careers they are not interested in just to prove to their parents that they are successful. Since the family structure of Indian families that of multiple generations living under one roof, those who are capable of working are supporting more than themselves. They are supporting the elderly, the sick, the disabled and the children. That is a lot of pressure from your family and extended family to be a good provider. This can also lead young people to pursue an education in software development because it pays better than other jobs available in India. These individuals are saddled with the responsibility of supporting their entire extended family.

Competition

When companies are working on budgets and they need software developers the cost can be exuberant. Knowing that you can get a software developer from India for a fraction of the cost seems like a no-brainer. While it may be less expensive you might get what you pay for. Statistically Americans are overall more educated than Indians according to United Nations studies. In 2015 India ranked 92nd out of 145 countries in their overall education. While Indians were 11% better at math and logic than Americans, American were over 50% better at software development.

Economics of India

India missed the boat when it came to technological advances for many years and some people believe that these young people need to learn to code at a young age to be successful. India is not highly ranked in any industry, leaving their national infrastructure needing vast improvements. They are pushing people to learn software development, but they are leaving all other industries by the way side. For a country to be strong economically they need to have a wide variety of skills that can be outsourced as a service or products to other nations worldwide. If they continue to force young people into one of two career paths much of their existing economic system will be in dyer need of educated people to innovate and manage it.

The Beef

A common stereotype in the technology industry is that your US based job can easily be outsourced to India and for cheap. This is true, yet not true. Can the job be outsourced, well yes. But is it cheap? It depends on what standard you looking at. Will the software development be done for less money, yes. You may however need to have a highly qualified IT person verify that things are being done right and done well. A lot can be lost in translation even if speaking in ‘code’ is all the same language. The barrier can lead to lost time and misunderstandings and then to software problems.

The Come Back

Indians have also made a positive impact on Silicon Valley as well. While there are bad Indian software developers out there, there are also many good ones too! One of the best ways to tell between a good Indian software developer and a bad one is their education. If they attended college in America, they are likely more skilled and qualified at their job, than if they went to school in India.

Recap

When looking to get a project completed it is always best to know the background on the company or individual you are hiring. If you want your project to be perfect, you will need to pay for the perfect software developer, and they should have an education from America versus India. It is a simple way to verify what skill level you will be hiring without having to hire them and then find out. This is not saying a qualified person with an Indian education cannot do a good job, but it is a simple way to weed out possible poor software developers.

If you are on a very tight budget and the work doesn’t have to be perfect, you can definitely save some money by working through developers in India. You might have to rework it a couple times, but you will likely still come under budget.

Technically Speaking These Jobs are HOT!

Unemployment is low, I mean really low. Across the country there are more jobs than there are people to fill them. While this can fabulous news for employees, it’s not so great of news for employers. Trying to fill all the open positions is challenging and usually the excess work gets put on current employees or goes undone and one of the fastest growing employment markets is in technology.

In the interconnected world through remote work and data share capabilities employees can work from anywhere in the world and fulfill jobs in different states or even countries.

Analytics

Business analytics, data analyst, data scientist whatever the company calls it, it is the same thing. Taking tons of raw data and turning it into useful information for management, investors, and potential investors. Without these numbers being pulled together routinely and systematically companies fly blind through their fiscal year wondering if things they are doing are adding value or detracting it.

According to salary.com there are over 267 job titles with the match of analyst. Top Analytical Job titles: Business Analyst, Project Analyst, and Data Analyst.

Developers

Website developers, Mobile Developers, Software Developers etc if you can code and create something that is useful to a company for its technological presence your talents are in short supply.

According to salary.com there are only 19 job titles for types of developers. Top developer job titles are: Web Developer, Software Developer, and Software Engineer.

Security

The threat of cyber attack is real and companies are keenly aware of their technological vulnerability.  Companies work through many different scenarios to try and prevent threats to their corporate database. Passwords being changed constantly, having rolling pins from a fab for each employee with secure access to information and 24/7/365 surveillance of their intellectual property. Having someone working to protect your business from attack may be vital to keeping your business going and safe.

According to salary.com there are over 141 job titles for types of security jobs. Top security jobs are: Data Security Analyst, Information Security Manager, and Security Administrator.

Management

CIO, CTO, CSO etc. if the position is in charge of a technology department of some kind they are in high demand, from managers, directors to top officers in the company these individuals taking on the challenge of managing technology teams and ensuring the work is being done well comes with a high price tag for those willing to take on the responsibility.

According to salary.com there are over 688 jobs titles for Technology Management positions. Top jobs titles are: Information Technology Director, Chief Technology Officer, and Chief Security Officer.

Help Desk

Customer service experts, support desk, help desk, whoever you employ to take calls from customers who are having ‘technical difficulties’ these people are invaluable to your organization. They have to not only be customer friendly but technologically with it. They have to be able to talk people through programming, installing and do so under extreme stress from the customers on the other line. They have to be patient and understand that without their role in the organization returns of products or services would shoot through the roof!...

According to salary.com there are only 31 job titles that match help desk. The top job titles for these positions are: Help Desk, Help Desk Support, Support Coordinator and Support Analyst.

The companies with these openings are all over the country; there isn’t one area that has full employment for their technology jobs. This being said, employees know that if they want to move on to another job with another organization they likely can. The low unemployment rate can help employees gain certain benefits like working remotely or high wages from their employers. Their employers know that it cost time and money to replace them and if the employee is asking for a concession for their continued employment it is likely the company will try and oblige.

Holograms on Your Phone?

Have you ever wanted to or given a virtual high five? Well you might be able to actually give your friend or family member a real one with the new LEIA 3D technology that is still being developed. How cool would that be!? You could physically reach out and touch someone on the other end of a call!

This new developing technology can enhance life as we know it for those living far apart from one another, anyone watching shows or playing games, making presentations for work, or simply getting directions to your destination.

Holographic technology from LEIA Corp, a spin off from Hewlett-Packard, is working to bring this new exciting experience to you. Allowing you to immerse yourself in 3D without the use of expensive equipment or bulky glasses. LEIA Corp believes that with this technology they will improve daily experiences to a more personal and beautiful experience.

LEIA Corp Mission and Partner

LEIA Corp founders of LEIA 3D are on a mission to make life more beautiful and to enrich everyone’s life. LEIA Corp was founded in 2014 by David Fattal, now the CEO, Zhen Peng, now the CTO, and Pierre-Emmanuel Evreux now the CFO. LEIA partnered with Altice Group a technology and media corporation for a launch in Europe in 2016.

How it is created

LEIA 3D uses diffractive lightfield backlighting to enhance an existing LCD screen into 3D. Users will be able to switch seamlessly between the standard viewing and 3D viewing, without the use of glasses. While you won’t yet see a floating hologram above your phone’s screen, it will make the user experience more enhanced and personal with 3D.

Where it could be used

3D holograms could be used in cars for enhanced directions, on TV screens for a more interactive viewing of movies and video games. They could also be used in businesses for presentations to engage their audiences. Instead of always saying, “ Now if you can imagine this here…” your business could actually show the clients rather than have them imagine.

Who is using it now

Android has a smart phone, Hydrogen One by Red which is between $1,00-$1,600 depending on which version is purchased set to release this summer with AT&T and Verizon.

LEIA Corp is constantly developing their LEIA 3D, and it is exciting to think of all the possibilities that may come with the development of this new technology!

How AI is Affecting the Medical Field

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is currently one of the hottest trends in the world. AI can be found across industries, and in almost everything we use or create that has a tech element. AI is, to put it simply, the simulation of intelligence processes by machines – particularly computer systems. However, this hot technology is constantly evolving, and poses several risks to the world as we know it.

What are the risks that come with AI?

AI is taking over the tech world, and is being incorporated in many tools, systems, and software we use every day. However, many people are becoming skeptical and imploring that the tech industry takes a closer look at AI and the risks it poses. Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX and Tesla in Silicon Valley, is one of the biggest neigh-sayers when it comes to AI.

Musk seems to believe that AI poses the startling question of whether machines will, eventually, take over the world. By programming human-like technology into almost everything we use, it’s opening the door to some unsettling possibilities. Musk, in particular, is concerned that something “evil” will be created entirely accidentally.

“We’re already cyborgs,” he says in an interview with Vanity Fair. “Your phone and your computer are extensions of you, but the interface is through finger movements or speech, which are very slow.”

Musk believes that AI is only a few years away from being able to partially incorporate with our brains – whether that’s through medical devices or personal technology. And that thought is, indeed, terrifying when you think of the potential ramifications.

How can AI improve or impact the medical field?

Although creators and innovators the world over will need to be cautious as they continue to build AI tools that directly impact the lives of people, AI isn’t all doom-and-gloom. In fact, it is having a significantly positive impact on the medical field. As of now, AI in the medical field is built as an assist to human doctors and nurse practitioners.

It allows for a thorough fact-gathering and analysis for more accurate diagnostics. It’s also creating systems that reduce the possibility for human error – ensuring appropriate and safe care is always being given by human doctors and nurse practitioners to patients. AI also opens up the opportunity for cost-efficient medical care. By reducing the total number of human employees that hospitals, doctors, and medical spaces need to pay to do admin work, the medical field is able to refocus their budget toward specialists and incredible medical professionals who are saving lives every day.

Finally, AI is helping to create a safer, more precise operating room. With minimally invasive surgeries becoming increasingly necessary as we are increasingly hard on our bodies, surgical robots are able to provide assistance in making precise, small incisions and surgical maneuvers. This can help to reduce patient pain, simplify and speed up medical processes, and help medical teams to complete minimally invasive surgeries quickly and correctly so they can move a patient from surgery to recovery efficiently. This helps doctors and medical teams perform faster, better surgical procedures on every level – which means more patients can be treated in the same time span.

How far are we from a point when we have a robo-doctor?

Scientists are already working to combine AI with robotics. In fact, researchers in Texas have long been working on a robot that has a mind of its own. Although this may seem like some kind of science fiction movie come to life, it’s not surprising. The tech industry’s obsession with AI has sped up many researchers’ quest to incorporate it in new, exciting ways.

But how far are we from having robo-doctors? The answer might surprise you. Right now, most robots are built with simple AI. They’re programmed to do nothing more than administrative tasks. However, the fact that some robotic technology has been programmed with AI within the medical space already, opens up the possibility that we’ll be seeing “robo-doctors” in the medical arena sooner than we think.

In fact – some healthcare robots in 2017 were built with artificial intelligence that allowed them to perform domestic nurse functions like reminding you to take medication, or coaching patients through challenges associated with illness. So – we may be looking at robo-doctors taking over smaller medical tasks or working alongside human doctors sometime in the near future.

Will machines truly take over?

It’s impossible to look into the future and know what’s going to happen. However, most people believe that because machines won’t always “get it right” and because of obvious ethical concerns, people will need to stay connected to most processes – particularly in the medical field. However, we can expect to see AI being incorporated into our systems – including medical services – in new and exciting ways.

10 Things We Just Don’t Do Anymore

Each decade has its own set of social norms. For example, in the 80’s, it was socially acceptable to wear crazy shoulder pads and have big hair! In all seriousness, though, these “social norms” that we all accept during certain periods of time also translate into actions – or, things we do. Over time, these things that we do get replaced with other socially “normal” things to do. Usually, it’s because technology or accessibility increases or makes certain businesses obsolete. Don’t believe us? Look at these ten things everyone used to do all the time that we just don’t do anymore.

1. Renting Movies

Businesses like Blockbuster, Redbox, or Family Video might still be seen – but this is incredibly rare. With the ability to stream television and movies online to any device essentially takes the need for brick-and-mortar movie rental locations away. While it used to be normal to head to the video store to pick out a movie or two to watch that weekend, we don’t do this anymore.

2. Buying VHS Tapes

Buying VHS for any reason is the way of the past. Yet, for a long time, this was the only way to watch movies at home, to save family videos, or to record a show on TV you didn’t want to miss. How many people do you know who still have an old stack of VHS’s gathering dust in a closet somewhere? Now-a-days we’re not even sure where you’d be able to find VHS tapes for sale? This method of entertainment viewing has gone the way of the dodo

3. Transfer Money at a Bank

Even just a decade or two ago, transferring money at a bank was the only way people transferred money either locally or abroad. Unfortunately, banks often carry hidden fees with each transfer and sometimes don’t provide the best exchange rates available. Now, most people use online-only transfer services like TransferWise to transfer money. These online organizations have low or no fees, are always transparent with how much they’re charging you for each transfer, and always offer the most up-to-date exchange rates. No wonder most people don’t go to the bank for money transfers anymore

4. Memorizing Phone Numbers

Before we all carried one form of smart phone or another, the only way to ensure that you’d be able to get ahold of someone was to memorize their phone number. Many people carried pocket-sized phone books just in case they needed to jot a new acquaintance’s number down. The need to memorize phone numbers is no longer pressing – our smart phones save phone numbers and can even assign names and information to each contact based on content that’s gathered from your email or other mobile applications. Much easier than memorizing each important phone number in your life!

5. Sending Letters

While it’s still nice to receive a hand-written note occasionally, it’s more common to shoot someone a text or send an email if you need to communicate with them. Writing and sending hand-written letters is considered a lost artform now – with many groups who focus on reinstating the old-idea of pen pals cropping up around the world.

6. Carrying a Pager

Before cell phones were a part of everyday life, pagers were the only way to let someone know you needed to get a hold of them if they were out and about or not near a landline phone. We don’t know anybody who carries a pager anymore.

7. Recording TV Shows on VHS

If you missed a show you wanted to see, you use to record it on a VHS tape. Now, we can save it to our recording device on our TV or stream it online after the fact.

8. Go to the Mall Frequently

Last minute Christmas gifts? A new pair of running shoes? Whenever you needed something, you’d head to the mall. While malls are still around, most people do their shopping online. With most stores offering free expedited shipping, there isn’t really a need to drive out and shop in person.

9. Carry Cash

People use to carry cash or spare change in case they needed to make a phone call at a phone booth, pay someone back for a meal, contribute to a coworker’s birthday cake fund, etc. However, there isn’t really a need to carry cash anymore. Quick pay services are now available through banking applications or third-party applications such as Venmo.

10. Keep a Map Handy

Everyone use to keep a map in the car or house to help them navigate around. But with maps on our phones and other devices physical paper maps aren’t as common as they once were. Most people don’t even know how to read them!

Isn’t it crazy how many things we use to do that we just don’t do anymore? It’s amazing how much things change over the course of just a few years. While some of these traditions might have been convenient, and we may miss some of the old ways of doing things, it’s also nice to move forward into a new, more tech-motivated time!

Top 10 Futuristic Tech Products that will Blow You Away

Today’s world is becoming increasingly tech-focused. As a result, there are many new products that are currently being released, or are in the process of being created soon. These new tech products will certainly change life as we know it. They are useful in many different industries – from transportation to healthcare to home building. It’s exciting to look at these new pieces of tech and to think: If this is “new” now, what will the future be like? How much more technologically advanced can we become?

1. New and Improved Prosthetics

Prosthetics are now being created that can move and adjust just as your normal limb would. But what if a prosthetic existed that could hypothetically take the place of your actual limb? The prosthetics that are currently being invented are sensitive to touch and heat, just as your ordinary hand, arm, foot, or leg would be. They are intended to feel and exert different pressure levels, as well.

2. Hovercrafts

It feels like every time you turn around there is a new update to transportation – whether it’s a fancy new car with voice activated technology, or a high-speed underground train that will effectively replace air or car travel. However, hovercrafts could very soon be on our horizon, as well. These vehicles aren’t exactly hovercrafts. Instead, they’re a vehicle that allows for low-altitude flight for fast and efficient travel. They’re said to ride like a motorcycle for both on and off-road experiences. We don’t know about you, but that sounds like a pretty awesome version of a hovercraft to us.

3. Jetpacks

Jetpacks will no longer be something you see in sci-fi movies. Of course, right now they’re only available to qualified buyers, but we assume that before too long they’ll be available for the masses.

4. Self-driving Trucks

Self-driving trucks have been on the horizon for a while now, and they could potentially have a dramatic impact on the transportation industry and the world economy.

5. Coffee Energy

We’ve heard of wind energy, we’ve heard of corn being used for energy – but coffee energy? If you think about it, it makes sense. Coffee beans are an enormous source of untapped energy. Bio-Bean is working to use clean tech to process recycled, used coffee grounds into biofuels and biochemicals. Not a bad idea!

6. Advanced Transplants

Transplanting organs is a common medical practice. But what about an entire portion of your body – like your head? It sounds crazy, but Sergio Canavero is a neurosurgeon from Italy strongly believes that head transplants are in the very near future. He believes that the technology is there, and that through the use of a special blade and polymer, doctors and surgeons could work to perform head transplants and regrow spinal cord nerves.

7. AR or VR in Home Building and Construction

Some of the best architects in the world are still locked in to building in their home country, or else relocating to a faraway location for their next project. This won’t be the case anymore with augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) in the world of building and construction. Professional architects, builders, and construction firms, will soon be able to work virtually in real time using VR or AR headsets.

8. Increasingly Advanced Robo-Advising

Robo-advisors have already evolved at an astonishing rate. They started as a lowly form of investment management or portfolio rebalancing. Now they can create customized investment strategies for individuals based on increasingly complex algorithms. Soon they will likely be able to provide all forms of financial planning – from retirement savings advice to debt management to tax mitigation for high income earners.

9. Floating Farms

There is only so much physical space on this planet – and yet our population continues to grow. Farmers are essentially stuck. They can’t feasibly expand their farm land without also reducing the amount of living space for people. It seems like an impossible dilemma – how do you continue to feed a growing population while limiting the amount of space there is to grow food and keep animals? The answer may be found in floating farms. The architecture would be complex, but this would essentially mean farms would exist in the sky and be operated by a solar panel.

10. Worldwide Internet Access

Big wigs such as Elon Musk and Richard Branson are currently working to provide free wi-fi to the world. This would essentially level the playing field when it came to access of information, tech advancements, and much more. It would also make global communication much easier.

The world is evolving, and technology is evolving with it. It is so exciting to see new technologies being developed. Even more intriguing still is to see where these new technologies will take us as a global culture.

7 New Medical Technologies That Will Amaze You

Medical technology has always been cutting edge as it develops over time. We’re constantly feeling amazed by the new products, medicines, and capabilities that seem to be announced every other day. It’s especially exciting as we look ahead to a future where these new technologies could limit injury, cure disease, ease pain, and simplify medical procedures – like complex surgeries.

The following breakthroughs in medical technology are sure to amaze you. We want to live in a world where these new technologies are used regularly and with success – especially should we ever need them in case of a medical emergency!

Check out our list of the seven most incredible medical technologies:

1. Virtual Reality

Virtual reality seems to be all the rage when it comes to video games or other, less serious, uses. However, virtual reality devices are now being developed to help medical students better learn different procedures. This new way of using VR is incredibly exciting, especially because the medical students entering the field now will be trained and ready to use all the new types of technology that are being released and learned by more seasoned medical professionals. VR will help them get a leg up and enter the workforce with a more complete education.

View companies dealing with medical VR here.

2. Food Scanners

While not quite as exciting as Virtual Reality tools for medical students, food scanners from companies like Tellspec could literally save lives. What’s even better? They can be used by everybody – even you! These scanners connect to a mobile app and help you to scan food in a bowl or on a plate to load a detailed report on the food’s health statistics and ingredients. For people who are trying to get healthy, this tool will help to simplify their fitness journey. But for people with severe or life threatening allergies, this tool is a total game changer. They’ll be able to completely eliminate the potential to eat something that could cause them harm.

3. 3D Bioprinting

Bioprinting is a fascinating process. Right now, companies are already printing organ tissues for testing and soon they’ll be able to print full organs. The medical industry will probably first use those printed organs for testing, but someday soon we could be looking at printing organs for transplant purposes. This would completely alter the way organ donor processes work, and could save so many lives.

4. Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality is similar to Virtual Reality, but it would have a slightly different purpose. Augmented Reality would probably still be used as an educational tool, but it would help medical students practice dissections or surgeries without requiring practice organs and it would completely skip the stinky formaldehyde scent that they should deal with while in lab. It’s a win-win! More info with examples.

5. Bioabsorbable Stents

For those of you who aren’t familiar, a stent is used to treat a coronary artery blockage. Usually after surgery, metal stents are left in for the rest of a patient’s life. Sometimes these stents cause future blood clot problems, or post-surgical complications, which can be a dramatic problem for heart surgery patients. However, bioabsorbable stents are changing how things are done. The bioabsorbable stent is designed to simply disappear, or reabsorb, into the surgery patient’s body after surgery. It’s made of a naturally dissolving polymer, and over the next two years or so it is absorbed back into the body kind of like dissolvable sutures.

6. Robotic Surgery

This technology is already being used in some modern surgeries. Essentially, it removes the need for the surgeon to be in the surgery theatre with their patients. The entire operation is done using robotic tools that are controlled from a separate space. This helps eliminate human error in surgery, and it also provides a more sterile environment for the surgery to take place, both of which are very good things. Example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intuitive_Surgical.

7. Wireless Brain Sensors

This amazing bio absorbable device will help doctors to measure different temperatures and pressures within the human brain without having to schedule a removal surgery for the brain sensors since they reabsorb into the human body. Fewer surgeries is always a good thing because that means fewer complications and fewer chances for a problem to occur as a result of the surgery – especially with one as important as a brain surgery!

Modern science is miraculous, and technology just keeps expanding and improving to keep pace with our constantly changing, complex medical needs. This technology has so much potential to save lives, and to extend both the length and quality of our lifetimes in this world. If any of these technologies seemed applicable to your medical situation, keep an eye out for them to become more mainstream in the medical world, or ask your doctor if they’d be a possible option for your specific medial case moving forward.

How Technology Impacts Electronic Appliances

Technology has been changing our life rapidly in the last 20-25 years.

All our appliance are using better technology and are manufactured to be suitable as a Smart Home devices.

Once Upon a Time

I remember that when I was young, when my dad invited a handyman to repair our oven or refrigerator, the handyman knew how to handle all the appliances at the house. They were all working based on mechanical mechanism. Now all the new appliances are working as a small computer, based on electronic mechanism, like the touch technology we use in our smart phones. Today you need a computer geek for repairing your home appliances.

Smart Home Is Knocking on Our Doors

How will our future house will look like? How would our future kitchen will be designed?

Soon, all of us will be able to control our refrigerator, our oven, dishwasher and even our laundry machine by a Smart Home system. Every electronic appliance in our house will be based on a smart computer and we will be able to control it using our voice.

The industry is going towards smart product. This process is like the one the communication industry experienced - the smart phones revolution.

Smart houses are already existing and all electronic devices are connected to a Wi-Fi or to a similar technology. This way it allows its residents to be able to use all the appliances without any effort at all.

A good example for that is Alexa Smart Home system. Below you can find the total revenues in the last couple of years, and the revenue expected in the years to come:

Year	Revenue ($M)
2014	$24
2015	$384
2016	$1,336
2017	$2,222
2018	$4,150
2019	$6,615
2020	$11,132

http://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-echo-alexa-add-11-billion-in-revenue-by-2020-2016-9

As you can see, this phenomenon of Smart Homes is spreading fast, and is expected to accelerate in the near future. However, at the meanwhile, until we will be able to use it, we can think of trying standalone semi-smart devices and not as a whole Smart Home system.

Do Not Jump the Gun

There is a vast variety of product and companies. Different kind of qualities and prices. A lot of room the get confused thanks to the overwhelming technology and spend more money and time than we actually need.

How to Choose the Best Appliances for Me?

What can you do to save money when thinking about getting new appliances with advanced technology? Follow these recommendations:

Buy new products with manufacturer warranty:

The technology behind these appliances is developing fast. Buying a product with the newest technology will allow you to get the most out of it. It is important to note that sometimes it is worthwhile to try a previous version as well.

New appliances with new technology are based on economic and more “green” systems and will help you save other costs like electricity and water.

New appliances usually have a manufacturer warranty for 1-5 years, which can bring you a little peace of mind.

Consult an expert before buying a new device to suit it for your needs. You can find an expert at the shopping center near your home or online. Make sure you can differentiate between a salesman and an expert.

Ask someone you trust like friends, neighbours or colleagues

If your mother has it, your neighbour has it, and all you friends from the office have it, it is probably working well or at least it’s not too bad. When you’ll start asking people you’ll find out need that you didn’t think of.

Read reviews and compare between different companies

Do an online research and try to understand which device is the right one for you. Investing 5-10 minutes looking for the right device, at the right place, manufactured by the right company can save you a lot of money and time, now and in the future.

Use home warranty companies

Home warranty companies are offering different types of insurance plan for your home appliances and more. It will save you time and hassle in the future, even after the manufacturer's warranty is over. ReviewHomeWarranties.com is a great place to start looking for the best home warranty plan.

Buy appliances online - refrigerators, gas fireplace, electric water heater tank, air conditioner, microwave and more are usually can be found cheaper when bought online.

Short Summary

Buying new appliances in our days can be quite confusing. It is obvious that in the near future all appliances and devices will be controlled by a smart system. It will influence the way we manage our home. However, at the meanwhile, until those smart systems will be more reachable, we can use standalone semi-smart devices.

When one wants to purchase these appliances, he or she should follow the steps mentioned above - compare and review, do an online research and purchase the device online, consult experts and friend and use a home warranty plan for your peace of mind. This way you’ll be able to save time and money and a lot of headache in the future.

How Technology is Disrupting Lifestyle in 2016:

The recent surge in technology related to the internet is that society is struggling how to maintain a balance between these wonderful innovations and their quality of life that was at one-time technology-free.

Here are several ways that technology has interrupted lifestyle in ways that one would not expect:

It Interrupts Business: This is rather entertaining at first glance, but, technology ironically does interrupt business. If a cell phone rings during an important business meeting or if the entry level employees are playing on social media instead of working, then this disrupts the flow of commerce. What makes the debate fascinating is that these technologies were invented with the purpose of making life easier; however, they have also had repercussions due to just how accessible all of these innovations are to the consumer.

It Interrupts Education: Schools have had major issues with cell phones, tablets, and laptops because legally, they cannot touch them. That being said, these devices are distracting students from the purpose of attending school in the first place. In colleges, many professors have made a no laptop policy, for example, but then the students are hiding their smartphones. The price of being connected all the time is a great one because we never have a break from the technology sector.

It Disrupts Family Life: This is the major one because one’s work, in theory, never leaves them. By allowing e-mail to be in smartphones, we have opened up a portal that many would like to close because one never leaves the stress of the office. While this has allowed more global professional positions to be possible due to increased accessibility, it has also disrupted family time since the office now never leaves the employee. There have been many debates how to combat this, but ultimately, the price has already been paid by adding e-mail to smart phones.

It Disrupts Government Institutions and Laws: The classic example with this is Uber. Uber has been very disruptive to unions for taxi drivers around the globe. Granted, this is a change that we all wanted due to the unsatisfactory service provided by taxis for decades, it still causes governments to have to answer to the union’s complaints. This is why Uber has been outlawed and protested so many times; however, in the end, Uber ends because the consumers want Uber.

Privacy Laws: Technology has also had a major implication on privacy laws. Particularly in the legal profession, there have been many cases regarding the drafting of case law or legislation related to digital privacy rights and issues. This is going to be a major issue going forward that the local governments are going to have to navigate because it disrupts the previous issues we had with confidentiality and privacy.

Granted, these technological developments have been sensational. What becomes the issue is how the institutions of society is going to catch up to combat the issues caused by all of these wonderful innovations.

Apps have been a wonderful addition to the technological world that also are a great asset to those who are not that technologically gifted.

Here are my recommendations of the seven best Apps for non-techs:

Vivino: Vivino is an incredible App for wine lovers around the world. What Vivino does is that is allows you to take a photo of your favorite wine label and store it for later use. The App also shows you different food pairing recommendations with that particular wine. Additionally, the photo you will take shows you the average price and which years are the best to try. Lastly, you are able to add your friends to share the wines. Essentially, Vivino is the Facebook for the wine lover and it is a great idea!

Cash: Cash is a great way to get your money quickly from point A to point B. For example, if you were paid in one bank account and need to pay an automatic payment in another bank account. Cash allows you transfer money to yourself or to a friend immediately. This App also has no transaction fees, which saves on ATM fees and banking fees in general.

Uber: Even though Uber is controversial, its utility for the non-techy savvy individual surely is not. Uber is becoming available all over the world and has a variety of car quality options for you to chose from. What Uber also does is allow you to split a taxi ride with your friends that includes the tip. Essentially, Uber limits the cash from the entire transaction, which makes it much easier to get where you need to go without making sure that you have exact change.

Lyft: Lyft, although a similar idea to Uber, is also great for the non-technologically savvy person. Lyft many times is more affordable than Uber because they have regular discounts on their rides that they text you about. Additionally, Lyft has a ride share option that allows those carpooling to work to save a great deal on their transportation. Lyft is a fast-growing competitor of Uber that is absolutely worth a try.

Spotify: Spotify is available all over the world and allows the user to have access pretty much any song in the world for only $9.99 per month. With the Premium membership one can make playlists, listen to any album, and have a radio station. Spotify also allows you to explore new music as well. That being said, Spotify has also revolutionized going to the gym because the App has a pace monitor for runners that selects the music based on the pace one is running. This App is truly sensational and it is easy to use for someone who is not tech-savvy.

OfferUp: OfferUp is the ultimate way to sell items that you may not want; however, it is particularly beneficial for furniture when you are moving. For example, if I listed my sofa on OfferUp for $100, people could make bids on it. If you like the price, you accept and the person comes to get the sofa. OfferUp is entirely free and connects buyers and sellers in a delightful way.

Yelp: Yelp is a wonderful App for two reasons. The first, is that you can look up any ethnicity of food in the locale where you are and see where the best restaurant is. Additionally, if you are unsure what kind of food you want, you can look up restaurants near you and see what you are interested in. This is great for the traveler in a new city looking to try something different, but is also great for the local looking to expand their horizons.

Apps are a wonderful addition to the technological world. Many of these Apps are targeting those who are not very advanced with technology. Thus, it is recommended to see how these Apps could benefit you in your day-to-day life and you may be quite pleasantly surprised.