One of the more exciting elements of design is the invention and or prototyping of innovative technology. In class we watched a video of how prototyping was being used to predict the future of interactive computer technology. This process can be, and is, applied to many other products and industries as an essential tool for modeling the companies new products. This process can be critical in determining what direction the company will head in. One of the world leaders in creating cutting edge technology is Festo. According to their website, Festo is a worldwide leading supplier of pneumatic and electrical automation technology. In laymen terms they design some really sweet robots. While the creation of these prototypes are essential for modeling what the future of a specific technology will look like, at what point is a company creating technology for technology sakes. By this I mean that while the creation of an interactive wall is awesome is it really necesary or usefull. Finding ways to succesfully utilize, market, and finally sell new technology can be just as time consuming as creating them. In many cases something created for one purpose, but actually used for something different. Just look at the internet. The internet was origanally created as a means for communication in the army, it now dominates our lives. In other circumstances a technology must combined with another technology in order to be productive. In the case of the interactive wall it might be able to be combined with a imagining technology like the one in Rachel's post in order to be used for advertising, mall directions, etc. Check out this video of the wall and think about what ways this technology could be effectively utilized.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVz2LIxrdKc
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yes a lot of people in engineering and design are creating technology for technology's sake, because "creating" a market for something is really not that much of a problem in a world full of people (and by people i mean compulsive consumers); but that is the point almost, it's done because it CAN be done. how many people today "need" an iPhone, or a better (4G!) phone? (because you're plain old 3G could not GPS you and render an artificially imaged picture of you while you are pooping or something). just look at the ISS (International Space Station) its costing like over a $100 billion dollars.. yes, a hundred BILLION, (something like, what, twice the net worth of africa?) and its pretty cool looking and does some pretty amazing stuff.. but nobody knows what the purpose of it really is yet. other than to use it to throw origami planes into the atmosphere. but its there.
ReplyDeleteGood ol' 100 billion dollar space station. Much more important than say, helping world hunger, or controlling the aids epidemic.
ReplyDeleteHelping world hunger is that giving people food or taking it away?
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