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Remember your parents used to scold you for sitting to close to the television? They would tell you that the screens would rot our brains and are bad for your eyes. When cellphones were introduced, everyone claimed that the radiation from them was damaging our brain cells. With new technologies introduced these days, things aren’t much different as new technologies come with new concerns. So what is the impact of technology on our health, really?

One of the most common concerns associated with the evolution of technology: ‘Do digital devices really impact our eyesight?’ According to The Vision Council the answer to this question is yes. ‘Many individuals suffer from physical eye discomfort after screen use for longer than two hours at a time.’ Our eyes did not develop to read tiny texts on tiny screens with bright lights. Some worry that the use of digital devices may also affect your head, neck, and shoulders, depending on your posture as you use different devices. However, the impact on our physical health does not stop here. Fatigue, lack of exercise and distraction are all harmful effects that are caused by the excessive use of social media on devices.

On the other hand, technology has also encouraged some to be more concerned with their health. We are entering a new era in which counting our steps via tech tools has become popular. Smart tech has made fitness a lot more fun for some that could really impact health in a positive way. Take for example the mobile application called ‘Sweatcoin’. Sweatcoin is a digital currency you ern by being active. Any time you walk or run outside, it tracks your steps and pays you in sweatcoins (SWC). For every 1,000 steps you take, you earn just under 1 SWC. After accumulating enough SWC, you are then able to redeem them for items like sport watches, Amazon credits, music downloads, e-Books or gift certificates to various retailers.

Another positive impact of technology is that is has been revolutionizing healthcare for the present and future of humanity. Recently, doctors in in Minnesota used 3D printing and virtual reality to safely and effectively separate conjoined twin infants. Before the implementation of these types of technologies, those conjoined twins may not have survived.

The point is, even if technology has impacted our health in some negative ways, it has also provided some incredible positive opportunities and revolutions for the long-term improvement of our health.

What do you think? Is technology’s impact on our health negative or positive from your perspective? Or is there a grey area?

 

Sources:

https://www.thevisioncouncil.org/content/digital-eye-strain

https://www.digitaltrends.com/health-fitness/what-is-sweatcoin/

https://sysomos.com/2016/10/27/can-social-media-affect-health/

 

 

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It’s very cool. Aim your smartphone camera at an object and suddenly other things seem to materialize out of thin air on your screen. The idea of augmented reality, allowing users to lay visual data over their natural environment, has been receiving a lot of hype since 2015, when the gaming app Pokomen Go succeeded in creating the feeling to travel between the real world and the virtual world of Pokemon. This ‘traditional’ use of AR technology in gaming has been developing over time as new possibilities and advantages have popped up in other industries, particularly in retail industries.

Nowadays, companies are constantly looking for ways to make sure that they are the one doing the disrupting instead of being disrupted. Meaning, businesses are going to great lengths to learn more about technology that can improve their bottom line.
Take for example Ikea Place. This App allows customers to enhance their experience through AR technology. It enables customers to place Ikea products in their own kitchens and living rooms before buying it. Another example is the ‘Digital Box’ in Lego stores. This marketing tool enables children to hold a virtual representation of a toy and discover the model from different angles by turning it around with their hands.

As you can see, more and more organizations are embracing the potential of AR. Despite many great possibilities that AR offers, there are still some challenges the technology is expected to face. According to Szymczyk, CEO of Zugara, Inc., one of the first companies that works with AR back in 2008, one major challenge would be the requirement to download an app to use the software This also means that it will likely stay in the mobile arena. It would take a full market adoption in order to implement AR in our daily lives. Another challenge AR is facing is having enough data to support practical usage of the technology. Businesses need access to more data to create compelling AR products.

Though, the augmented reality technology still lacks some efficiency in terms of practical use, I believe that soon this technology will make great process in practical business arenas in a way that could change our lives.

Sources:
1. https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/9245-augmented-reality-for-business.html
2. https://www.pwc.be/en/news-publications/insights/2017/the-evolution-of-augmented-reality.html
3. https://www.inc.com/yazin-akkawi/4-industries-that-augmented-reality-will-take-over-in-2018.html
4. https://www.cio.com/article/3243032/virtual-reality/5-practical-ways-ar-can-be-used-in-business-today.html