Technology has become a part of everyday life for people across the world, and it is impossible to deny the fact that the digital world is going to take over the future. There are many key elements that go into the treatment of social media and the digital world, including the proper ways to maintain your persona online and how to use technology in a beneficial manner. Last week in class, we talked about the overall impact of new technology on the modern world, and how this technology can be used advantageously to benefit and learn in new ways we had never thought of before.
The future of training and recreating scenarios potentially lies on the hands of virtual reality and augmented reality. Considering that there are many scenarios in the workplace that are impossible to recreate, training via VR could be the new norm of the future. For example, a trainee in the surgical field can only experience so much on a two dimensional level, which would never really give them a feel for what it is like to be in an operating room. Chief technology officer for Wipro K.R. Sanjiv says that “hazardous occupations are similarly difficult to simulate, with most current 2-D simulators failing to give a feel of the surrounding atmosphere”. Trainees are able to use AR and VR training in order to practice essential skills without placing their lives at risk. Considering that VR devices are upwards of $3,000 per unit, it is important to understand that these training devices will only provide a limited experience, for the VR only touches upon the senses of vision and hearing. However, the extremely wide-range of employee-training apps proves that “VR and AR technology will be important to the corporate enterprise of the future”.
Aside from the pricey, high-tech methods of VR training that are associated with big corporations, anybody with just an iPhone can experience the VR world. Google Cardboard has been invented as a cost-efficient, entry-level take on mobile virtual reality. This idea is as simple as strapping your phone into a cardboard viewer and putting it on your face, allowing for a simple yet immersive 360° experience. Costing only $15 from the Google Store, the Google Cardboard can allow the entry-level VR users to experience simple things like stargazing or tours. Contributor for Macworld Andrew Hayward profiled a few virtual reality apps that are worth checking out for the Google Cardboard. Some of these apps include Proton Pulse and Vanguard V, which are simple VR arcade-style games that give the user an intro to the world of virtual reality. Google has proven that anyone can experience the world of virtual reality without spending large amounts of money on expensive equipment, with more than 10 million people worldwide having experienced the Google Cardboard aspect of virtual reality.
Virtual reality can also upgrade and improve existing facilities, which was shown at the world’s best airport located in Singapore, the Changi airport. The introduction to augmented reality to the ground crew at this airport could potentially lead to shorter wait times for passenger flights. Each member of the ground crew at the Singapore Changi airport received a pair of smart glasses for their job, which can be used to provide instructions and simplify many tasks in order to increase the efficiency of their work. For example, the use of this technology can be shown when a glasses on a ground handler loading cargo can see and scan the QR codes on the luggage and cargo, which instantly allows the user to see the details including loading sequence, weight, and position in the aircraft. The cameras in these smart glasses also allow the staff of control centers to monitor the workers and see what they are seeing in real time. The incorporation of smart glasses at this airport could potentially shorten loading times from an hour to 45 minutes, which in turn lessens the waiting time for the passengers and shortens the transit time of the aircraft. These smart glasses and the introduction of augmented reality in the workplace can drastically improve work efficiency and overall productivity.
Last week in class, we were introduced to Mrs. Jamie Donally, a former math teacher who is also an advocate for the augmented reality world. Jamie told our class the importance of AR as well as the advantages that it can provide inside and outside the classroom. Augmented reality can be used to enhance the classroom experience and provide students with a deeper understanding of many different topics. AR has the power to turn a normal classroom experience into an engaging and interactive experience, with virtual examples and gaming elements added in order to support textbook material. This experience can increase learning and overall classroom performance in anyone who incorporates it into their cirriculum. The use of augmented reality can provide a positive effect on your digital footprint, for the impacts that it can have on the learning and working world are endless. Chapter 8 of Josh Ochs’ novel, Light, Bright & Polite, talks about the importance of keeping a good digital footprint and how to improve it if need be. In order to improve your digital footprint, Ochs recommends starting by refining your look on the web. Maintaining a good curb appeal on the web is one of the keys to having a good digital footprint. A user should browse through search engines and fill the pages up with positive links and good comments to build a good reputation. Not only will this improve your digital footprint, your appearance online will look better as well. It is important to understand that anything posted to social media reflects on your web curb appeal, so anything that is posted should have a positive relation to your online persona. Avoiding negative comments and any bad references is important to keeping a good look online for obvious reasons. Overall, it is important to use digital tools to your advantage and maintain a good reputation online and keep a positive digital footprint.
Jake Cahill
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