Module 4 Assignment: Power of Disruptive Technologies

The Power of Disruptive Technologies: 
A Look at Google Glass & SixthSense Technologies

Disruptive technologies are newer technologies that have the same functions of an existing technology. However, its functionality is more efficient, therefore displacing the existing technology. This phenomenon of disruptive innovation was first coined by Clayton Christensen’s research which was later publicized in 1997 (Clayton Christensen Institute, n.d.).  Its theoretical nature explains how new technologies transforms an existing technology. In addition, David Thornburg (Laureate Education, 2014) suggests that disruptive technologies have the capacity to address the second quadrant of McLuhan’s tetrad in regards to emerging technologies obsoleting other technologies.

In our society today, wearable technologies, such as Google Glass and MIT’s SixthSense, have become a disruptive technological force that enables us to augment the physical world around us.

The infrastructure of Google Glass resembles the features of smartphones.  This hands-free device is designed to use voice command similar to many mobile computing devices.  Although the public experiment of Google Glass was currently brought to a halt on January 19, 2015, implications of its abilities are far from leaving the market. Currently, Tony Fadell, former Apple executive and Nest Founder, is now overseeing the project (Burns, 2015).  

With the SixthSense device you are able to use hand gestures to interact with information by bringing the digital world to the physical world. Digital information becomes tangible through a mobile computing device that has an embedded camera and projector enabling people to do things such as draw, take pictures, and watch videos.

These devices have extreme benefits for people to interact with the world around them.  In reference to the third quadrant of McLuhan’s tetradic model, I believe it also have the potential to bring back the social experience from  people engaging behind a monitor and encourage us to be more engage with our surroundings. As technology continues to emerge, I look forward to newer innovations disrupting the current models of the Google Glass and the SixthSense, within the next five years allowing us to augment our world with digital information.

Both of these disruptive technologies have the power to obsolete mobile computing devices and will have a positive impact in education. The social implications of these technologies will allow educators to create first-hand experiences to share with students, enhance flipped instructional model, as well as engage students in the world around them for an extreme learning experience. I believe wearable technologies will disrupt teaching methodologies in the future creating another paradigm shift in instructional practices.

References:

Burns, M. (2015, January 19). Today is the last day to buy google glass. Retrieved from http://techcrunch.com/2015/01/19/today-is-the-last-day-to-buy-google-glass/

Clayton Christensen Institute. (n.d.). Disruptive Innovation. Retrieved from http://www.christenseninstitute.org/key-concepts/disruptive-innovation-2/

Laureate Education (Producer). (2014a). David Thornburg: Disruptive technologies [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

TED India. (Producer). (2009). The thrilling potential of SixthSense technology [Video file]. Retrieved January 22, 2014, from http://www.ted.com/talks/pranav_mistry_the_thrilling_potential_of_sixthsense_technology.html

Module 3 Assignment: Rhymes of History

Rhymes of History: Before there was Skype there was the Picturephone

When examining emerging technologies, it is important to understand underlying forces that help shape its existence by evaluating how they emerged and how they might impact our world. There are numerous forces that cause new technology to be developed. Many of today’s new technology are a fresh emergence of another technology, from the past, to which its impact was felt many years later. This force is known as rhymes of history and continues to drive the emergence of technology today.

David Thornburg (Laureate Education, 2014j) defines a rhyme of history as the effect or impact of a new development that rekindles something from the past. This retrieval of the past can also be seen in McLuhan’s tetradic model when examining emerging technology. It is not so much the technology itself, but the effect of that technology being rekindled. In today’s society, video conferencing applications, such as Skype and Google Talk, are very beneficial for ongoing productivity in education, business, and personal aspects of one’s life. In the last decade, this buzz of using video conferencing has recently gained more popularity.  However, I was very surprised to discover that these video conferencing applications, which are commonly used by tablets, cell phones, and other computing devices, rekindled the first model of the Picturephone, introduced in 1964. I know, I know.  What in the world is a Picturephone?  We all are familiar with the popular 60’s cartoon, The Jetsons.  One familiar technology that stood out was the use of video conferencing throughout the cartoon series.  To our surprise this technology was not a just fantasy of the future, but rather an emerging technology that was already being introduced to the world by ATT, at the World’s Fair, around the same time the cartoon was airing. The Picturephone was a telephone, with a video display, that was capable of a face-to-face communication in real time. Although, the Picturephone was a colossal failure for its time, it has evolved for 50 years and has enhanced today’s communication in our society.

More information about the Picturephone:

Bell Laboratories Records of the PicurePhone

Debut of the First Picturephone 

Picturephone: How Bell Lost a Half a Million

References:

Engineerguy. (2014, July 14). PicturePhone: how bell telephone lost a half billion, but nearly created the internet. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzdCKBZP4Jo

Laureate Education (Producer). (2014d). David Thornburg: Evolutionary technologies [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Laureate Education (Producer). (2014j). David Thornburg: Six forces that drive emerging technologies[Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.