“Future Vision"

I spend a lot of time reading about technology; what the big guys are doing, the little guys, and pretty much anything I can get my RSS feeds to grab for me. But when I saw MS Future Vision I was immediately confused. I like the idea of AR being able to tell me where an appointment is, or a board in my kitchen that is tied to my monthly calendar; I even like the idea of “intelligent surfaces”. What confuses me is that the family that was represented here didn’t REALLY seem to be interacting. At least, not the way I want my life to be.

Let me break it down. It’s great that the parent is travelling, seemingly on a business trip. She arrives at night, and is seen in the hotel room during the day “interacting” with her daughter remotely. Here’s where I get confused: This video depicts interaction as being remote. I actually travel a fair chunk and I do video call with my kids- but it isn’t something that I enjoy doing. I keep my travelling to a minimum, as I don’t like being away.

Additionally, what bothered me was the idea that the other parent, who is home, is interacting less with the daughter than the remote parent. Again, there is an overtone that “remote” connection is just as good as being there.

Some may argue that since the parent has to travel, any interaction is a consolation to not being able to interact at all. Sure, this seems valid, however technology should not define the interaction, it should purely exist to augment it. Idealistic, maybe, but instead I believe that we should be with our children, with our families. Yes, I know, the video doesn’t negate being with our families since we really are “there” virtually, but what it does for me is provide a new definition of family interaction- one that confuses me.

Maybe this is a traditionalist view, maybe an overreaction, but what it made me realize is that a TV, iPad, iPhone, kids games, etc. are only technologies that can enhance my children’s development and not define that development, and this goes for me as well.

Just one man’s opinion about a quickly changing world.

"Going outside is highly overrated."
Ernest Cline, Ready Player One