Over the past few decades, technology has changed the way we communicate, eat, sleep, go around, and live, for that matter. Besides, technology has provided tools and resources that make our lives easier and provide helpful information.
New technologies have enabled smartwatches, other mobile devices, and computers to become lighter and more powerful. The revolution of modern technologies has made our life better, easier, faster, and more fun. But it isn’t always the case; technical approaches also have affected our ingenuity or the way we think and create for the good or worse.
On the one hand, we now have the power to go beyond the moon and become a multi-planetary species soon. But, on the other hand, the nonstop flood of information is changing our brains for the worse. For example, many research studies show that a continuous screen and less reading time affect the conductivity of different parts of our brains. With that said, here are five ways how technology has changed our ingenuity and how it is shaping the future.
1) Learn
It is not for nothing that they say that we live in the information age. With a few clicks, we can look up words, translate a sentence and get the latest news from distant lands. Yet, while this seemingly unrestricted access to information was once considered a positive side effect of the Internet, today, we speak of an information overload that can overwhelm and misinform. A critical approach to unknown sources is, therefore, essential.
Regarding continuing education, many reputable educational opportunities are available on free e-learning platforms. In addition, more and more universities are also offering online courses aimed at working people. Besides, with the help of platforms like EDX, Udemy, and Zoom, learning has gone online. Now you can even pursue your bachelor’s and master’s degrees online from anywhere in the world.
2) Work
The beginning of digitization was first felt in the world of work and employment. This is not at all surprising. The free market economy is all about efficiency and productivity, so digital novelties such as computers, electronic databases, and websites selling products immediately caught on. In order not to be left behind by the competition, many companies had to adapt quickly, so nowadays, there is hardly a business without an online presence.
However, the digitized world of work did not only bring financial advantages. It also allowed employees to work more flexibly, such as from within their own four walls. Moreover, thanks to email traffic and video conferences, today’s home office is not just for the self-employed.
Digitization also created many new jobs and branches of industry, such as online marketing, software and web development. The concept of the home office also progressed rapidly during the pandemic. Prithwiraj Choudhury, a Harvard Business School professor and expert in future work, recently stated that a decade from now, offices would become more of a picnic space to meet and greet colleagues as the work would be done remotely. So, technology has already changed how we think about employment and the office, and it keeps changing.
3) Entertainment
Even when it comes to entertainment, a lot has happened in recent times. This is particularly true for gaming and gambling. With the gambling industry now fully online, thousands of slots and table games are always within touching distance. Besides, online casinos offer 24/7 selective entertainment, regardless of whether you’re sitting on the couch at home or killing time at the airport. All you need is a cell phone, and you can simply sign up at one of the best Swiss online casinos by Casinority Switzerland and place your bets on the go.
The same goes for movies and music, as apps like Spotify and Netflix have taken over cinemas and stereos, offering a more personalized selection of songs, movies, and TV series.
4) Communication
Now, many apps make it easy to communicate with instant audio and video messages. But, of course, this is not only used in the working world. Friends and family living on other continents can quickly meet and see each other virtually. And social media has a significant impact on how we communicate with each other. While in the old days, you had to write letters or look up someone’s landline number to wish them a happy birthday, today we send a quick message using services like Facebook Messenger or Instagram.
Although the Internet connects in many ways, experts warn that online communication cannot wholly replace face-to-face communication. This is mainly because there are no non-verbal signals online, i.e., body language is missing. For the future, though, companies are considering taking our bodies online with technologies such as AR.
5) Live
Whether we notice it or not, our lifestyle has also changed in recent years. While the “smart home” used to be smiled at and viewed as a gimmick for people with an affinity for technology or lazy people, it is now part of modern living. With intelligent devices centrally controlled by mobile phones, we can save a lot of money and resources. That’s why more and more homeowners are switching to innovative heating systems that heat efficiently and thus protect the environment.
Smart power strips that switch off automatically when a device is not in use save additional electricity. Incidentally, many of them already own smart household appliances. The best examples are induction cookers or programmable dishwashers.
For the future, companies are thinking of producing pre-built homes that will be transported to the location. Besides, 3D printers are already printing houses in an entirely different way, and the future definitely belongs to them.