It is indeed astounding, what the Internet enables us to
do today, and the drastic changes it had brought into all of our lives. And nevertheless,
the Internet has continually been evolving and advancing so rapidly (even in
this present moment) that many of us may wonder if there is an end to the
development of technology.
COM 125 has opened my eyes to information and even
knowledge that was previously unfamiliar to me. As we inch towards the end of
the module, likewise I find myself now readily willing to open up my mind to
bigger and more imaginative possibilities of the future and how it will be
shaped by the Internet. Learning of the history of Internet and all that it
entails i.e. Web 1.0, 2.0, the future 3.0, as well as the birth of various
technologies (as a result of the Internet) has definitely broadened my perspectives
towards the impact and power of digital technology. The kind of transformation that the Internet
has triggered on the way society functions from past to present transcend
through ages and for my part, can be expected to astonish the world time and again
in the future even when we think they have seen it all and nothing can surprise
us anymore.
We are bound to be proved wrong.
The Internet has no boundaries. And like mentioned
before, it is here to stay.
So, what is in store for the Internet in the future?
Apparently, there is a term which describes the future
Internet- Industrial Internet. According to an article on GigaOM, the
Industrial Internet is an open, global network which not only connects people
and data, but machines as well. It
seems to encompass the concept of Web 3.0, and perhaps even more. The
Industrial Internet is claimed to be “aimed at advancing critical industries
that power, move and treat the world.” The world is increasingly integrating
technology and more specifically, the internet, into nearly every aspect of our
everyday lives. Needless to say, we are living in a time where Artificial
Intelligence appears to be dominant, and it is highly likely that this would be
the main drive for the future of Internet. The Internet is predicted to have
the analytical intelligence to interpret, modify, and even create its own
message to be delivered to the people, on top of its basic function of
providing information for the masses. To put it simply, the Internet will be
one with us as the future approaches; content becomes machine-generated and
machines will have the ability to understand, think, respond, and essentially
communicate with its users.
Let me be creative for once and think of the many
different ways the Internet could possibly influence us in the future…
1. Virtual
shopping experience
People can then skip the hassle of making their way down
to malls when they have an urge to shop for clothes, shoes, or just about
anything. All of which can be done from the comfort of our through the
Internet. What about the fit, one may ask. Here is what the future may offer-
digital scanning of individuals become possible, with accurate measurements of
the body and realistic visual representations of the merchandise. One can
easily “try on” clothes as he or she deems fit and take as long as they want
without the added pressure of a possible waiting queue. Not only that, it will be possible to FEEL the
fabric and material of the various products you may want to buy! How is that
possible? Haptic technology; it is currently highly sought after by researchers
who can see the potential success of it in the future.
2. Our
bodies as a direct source of connection to the Internet
Can you
imagine how convenient it would be for everyone if we could just use the
Internet everywhere and anywhere, at any time and place without any need for routers,
internet cables, personal hotspot, or any connectivity ports of such? As the
subheading above suggests, yes I am thinking of the possibility of our own
bodies functioning as a part of a communication network. Imagine accessing the
Internet with a mere touch on any surface! Should this be realized, we can pay
our bills, transfer money, surf the web, send messages and even do our work
without any additional gadgets and just with our own bodies. We are our own technology! This form of direct interaction with machines may
sound a little far-fetched, but given rapid advancement, nothing seems
impossible anymore, does it? J
3. Using
the Internet anywhere, and by that I really mean ANYWHERE.
Given that imagination #2 above comes true, then
this would definitely be possible too. If we are able to connect OURSELVES to
the Internet, it probably makes sense too, if we were able to surf the Web
using ANY devices, equipment, and even common objects and home appliances!
Here is a video which touches on the future of
Internet and a few examples of how it may impact our lives forever. I found it really interesting as I have always
thought and wondered about some of the things it talked about!! J
The above mentioned are purely few of the abundant possibilities
that the future of Internet can bring us. There are so much more that remained unthought-of
and various ideas and concepts yet to be discovered. Most importantly, there is
a need to equip ourselves with knowledge and continually thirst for innovation
in order to progress and advance as a whole society. The technology itself is
amazing, but the human minds are the key to these revolutions (which men have and
will experience again) and I see it imperative that we do not become slaves to
them.
AND THIS, IS JUST FOR LAUGHS HEHEHE
Sources:
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