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Politics and privacy, private-sector influence and big tech, state competition and conflict, author biography, how is technology changing the world, and how should the world change technology.

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Josephine Wolff; How Is Technology Changing the World, and How Should the World Change Technology?. Global Perspectives 1 February 2021; 2 (1): 27353. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/gp.2021.27353

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Technologies are becoming increasingly complicated and increasingly interconnected. Cars, airplanes, medical devices, financial transactions, and electricity systems all rely on more computer software than they ever have before, making them seem both harder to understand and, in some cases, harder to control. Government and corporate surveillance of individuals and information processing relies largely on digital technologies and artificial intelligence, and therefore involves less human-to-human contact than ever before and more opportunities for biases to be embedded and codified in our technological systems in ways we may not even be able to identify or recognize. Bioengineering advances are opening up new terrain for challenging philosophical, political, and economic questions regarding human-natural relations. Additionally, the management of these large and small devices and systems is increasingly done through the cloud, so that control over them is both very remote and removed from direct human or social control. The study of how to make technologies like artificial intelligence or the Internet of Things “explainable” has become its own area of research because it is so difficult to understand how they work or what is at fault when something goes wrong (Gunning and Aha 2019) .

This growing complexity makes it more difficult than ever—and more imperative than ever—for scholars to probe how technological advancements are altering life around the world in both positive and negative ways and what social, political, and legal tools are needed to help shape the development and design of technology in beneficial directions. This can seem like an impossible task in light of the rapid pace of technological change and the sense that its continued advancement is inevitable, but many countries around the world are only just beginning to take significant steps toward regulating computer technologies and are still in the process of radically rethinking the rules governing global data flows and exchange of technology across borders.

These are exciting times not just for technological development but also for technology policy—our technologies may be more advanced and complicated than ever but so, too, are our understandings of how they can best be leveraged, protected, and even constrained. The structures of technological systems as determined largely by government and institutional policies and those structures have tremendous implications for social organization and agency, ranging from open source, open systems that are highly distributed and decentralized, to those that are tightly controlled and closed, structured according to stricter and more hierarchical models. And just as our understanding of the governance of technology is developing in new and interesting ways, so, too, is our understanding of the social, cultural, environmental, and political dimensions of emerging technologies. We are realizing both the challenges and the importance of mapping out the full range of ways that technology is changing our society, what we want those changes to look like, and what tools we have to try to influence and guide those shifts.

Technology can be a source of tremendous optimism. It can help overcome some of the greatest challenges our society faces, including climate change, famine, and disease. For those who believe in the power of innovation and the promise of creative destruction to advance economic development and lead to better quality of life, technology is a vital economic driver (Schumpeter 1942) . But it can also be a tool of tremendous fear and oppression, embedding biases in automated decision-making processes and information-processing algorithms, exacerbating economic and social inequalities within and between countries to a staggering degree, or creating new weapons and avenues for attack unlike any we have had to face in the past. Scholars have even contended that the emergence of the term technology in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries marked a shift from viewing individual pieces of machinery as a means to achieving political and social progress to the more dangerous, or hazardous, view that larger-scale, more complex technological systems were a semiautonomous form of progress in and of themselves (Marx 2010) . More recently, technologists have sharply criticized what they view as a wave of new Luddites, people intent on slowing the development of technology and turning back the clock on innovation as a means of mitigating the societal impacts of technological change (Marlowe 1970) .

At the heart of fights over new technologies and their resulting global changes are often two conflicting visions of technology: a fundamentally optimistic one that believes humans use it as a tool to achieve greater goals, and a fundamentally pessimistic one that holds that technological systems have reached a point beyond our control. Technology philosophers have argued that neither of these views is wholly accurate and that a purely optimistic or pessimistic view of technology is insufficient to capture the nuances and complexity of our relationship to technology (Oberdiek and Tiles 1995) . Understanding technology and how we can make better decisions about designing, deploying, and refining it requires capturing that nuance and complexity through in-depth analysis of the impacts of different technological advancements and the ways they have played out in all their complicated and controversial messiness across the world.

These impacts are often unpredictable as technologies are adopted in new contexts and come to be used in ways that sometimes diverge significantly from the use cases envisioned by their designers. The internet, designed to help transmit information between computer networks, became a crucial vehicle for commerce, introducing unexpected avenues for crime and financial fraud. Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, designed to connect friends and families through sharing photographs and life updates, became focal points of election controversies and political influence. Cryptocurrencies, originally intended as a means of decentralized digital cash, have become a significant environmental hazard as more and more computing resources are devoted to mining these forms of virtual money. One of the crucial challenges in this area is therefore recognizing, documenting, and even anticipating some of these unexpected consequences and providing mechanisms to technologists for how to think through the impacts of their work, as well as possible other paths to different outcomes (Verbeek 2006) . And just as technological innovations can cause unexpected harm, they can also bring about extraordinary benefits—new vaccines and medicines to address global pandemics and save thousands of lives, new sources of energy that can drastically reduce emissions and help combat climate change, new modes of education that can reach people who would otherwise have no access to schooling. Regulating technology therefore requires a careful balance of mitigating risks without overly restricting potentially beneficial innovations.

Nations around the world have taken very different approaches to governing emerging technologies and have adopted a range of different technologies themselves in pursuit of more modern governance structures and processes (Braman 2009) . In Europe, the precautionary principle has guided much more anticipatory regulation aimed at addressing the risks presented by technologies even before they are fully realized. For instance, the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation focuses on the responsibilities of data controllers and processors to provide individuals with access to their data and information about how that data is being used not just as a means of addressing existing security and privacy threats, such as data breaches, but also to protect against future developments and uses of that data for artificial intelligence and automated decision-making purposes. In Germany, Technische Überwachungsvereine, or TÜVs, perform regular tests and inspections of technological systems to assess and minimize risks over time, as the tech landscape evolves. In the United States, by contrast, there is much greater reliance on litigation and liability regimes to address safety and security failings after-the-fact. These different approaches reflect not just the different legal and regulatory mechanisms and philosophies of different nations but also the different ways those nations prioritize rapid development of the technology industry versus safety, security, and individual control. Typically, governance innovations move much more slowly than technological innovations, and regulations can lag years, or even decades, behind the technologies they aim to govern.

In addition to this varied set of national regulatory approaches, a variety of international and nongovernmental organizations also contribute to the process of developing standards, rules, and norms for new technologies, including the International Organization for Standardization­ and the International Telecommunication Union. These multilateral and NGO actors play an especially important role in trying to define appropriate boundaries for the use of new technologies by governments as instruments of control for the state.

At the same time that policymakers are under scrutiny both for their decisions about how to regulate technology as well as their decisions about how and when to adopt technologies like facial recognition themselves, technology firms and designers have also come under increasing criticism. Growing recognition that the design of technologies can have far-reaching social and political implications means that there is more pressure on technologists to take into consideration the consequences of their decisions early on in the design process (Vincenti 1993; Winner 1980) . The question of how technologists should incorporate these social dimensions into their design and development processes is an old one, and debate on these issues dates back to the 1970s, but it remains an urgent and often overlooked part of the puzzle because so many of the supposedly systematic mechanisms for assessing the impacts of new technologies in both the private and public sectors are primarily bureaucratic, symbolic processes rather than carrying any real weight or influence.

Technologists are often ill-equipped or unwilling to respond to the sorts of social problems that their creations have—often unwittingly—exacerbated, and instead point to governments and lawmakers to address those problems (Zuckerberg 2019) . But governments often have few incentives to engage in this area. This is because setting clear standards and rules for an ever-evolving technological landscape can be extremely challenging, because enforcement of those rules can be a significant undertaking requiring considerable expertise, and because the tech sector is a major source of jobs and revenue for many countries that may fear losing those benefits if they constrain companies too much. This indicates not just a need for clearer incentives and better policies for both private- and public-sector entities but also a need for new mechanisms whereby the technology development and design process can be influenced and assessed by people with a wider range of experiences and expertise. If we want technologies to be designed with an eye to their impacts, who is responsible for predicting, measuring, and mitigating those impacts throughout the design process? Involving policymakers in that process in a more meaningful way will also require training them to have the analytic and technical capacity to more fully engage with technologists and understand more fully the implications of their decisions.

At the same time that tech companies seem unwilling or unable to rein in their creations, many also fear they wield too much power, in some cases all but replacing governments and international organizations in their ability to make decisions that affect millions of people worldwide and control access to information, platforms, and audiences (Kilovaty 2020) . Regulators around the world have begun considering whether some of these companies have become so powerful that they violate the tenets of antitrust laws, but it can be difficult for governments to identify exactly what those violations are, especially in the context of an industry where the largest players often provide their customers with free services. And the platforms and services developed by tech companies are often wielded most powerfully and dangerously not directly by their private-sector creators and operators but instead by states themselves for widespread misinformation campaigns that serve political purposes (Nye 2018) .

Since the largest private entities in the tech sector operate in many countries, they are often better poised to implement global changes to the technological ecosystem than individual states or regulatory bodies, creating new challenges to existing governance structures and hierarchies. Just as it can be challenging to provide oversight for government use of technologies, so, too, oversight of the biggest tech companies, which have more resources, reach, and power than many nations, can prove to be a daunting task. The rise of network forms of organization and the growing gig economy have added to these challenges, making it even harder for regulators to fully address the breadth of these companies’ operations (Powell 1990) . The private-public partnerships that have emerged around energy, transportation, medical, and cyber technologies further complicate this picture, blurring the line between the public and private sectors and raising critical questions about the role of each in providing critical infrastructure, health care, and security. How can and should private tech companies operating in these different sectors be governed, and what types of influence do they exert over regulators? How feasible are different policy proposals aimed at technological innovation, and what potential unintended consequences might they have?

Conflict between countries has also spilled over significantly into the private sector in recent years, most notably in the case of tensions between the United States and China over which technologies developed in each country will be permitted by the other and which will be purchased by other customers, outside those two countries. Countries competing to develop the best technology is not a new phenomenon, but the current conflicts have major international ramifications and will influence the infrastructure that is installed and used around the world for years to come. Untangling the different factors that feed into these tussles as well as whom they benefit and whom they leave at a disadvantage is crucial for understanding how governments can most effectively foster technological innovation and invention domestically as well as the global consequences of those efforts. As much of the world is forced to choose between buying technology from the United States or from China, how should we understand the long-term impacts of those choices and the options available to people in countries without robust domestic tech industries? Does the global spread of technologies help fuel further innovation in countries with smaller tech markets, or does it reinforce the dominance of the states that are already most prominent in this sector? How can research universities maintain global collaborations and research communities in light of these national competitions, and what role does government research and development spending play in fostering innovation within its own borders and worldwide? How should intellectual property protections evolve to meet the demands of the technology industry, and how can those protections be enforced globally?

These conflicts between countries sometimes appear to challenge the feasibility of truly global technologies and networks that operate across all countries through standardized protocols and design features. Organizations like the International Organization for Standardization, the World Intellectual Property Organization, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, and many others have tried to harmonize these policies and protocols across different countries for years, but have met with limited success when it comes to resolving the issues of greatest tension and disagreement among nations. For technology to operate in a global environment, there is a need for a much greater degree of coordination among countries and the development of common standards and norms, but governments continue to struggle to agree not just on those norms themselves but even the appropriate venue and processes for developing them. Without greater global cooperation, is it possible to maintain a global network like the internet or to promote the spread of new technologies around the world to address challenges of sustainability? What might help incentivize that cooperation moving forward, and what could new structures and process for governance of global technologies look like? Why has the tech industry’s self-regulation culture persisted? Do the same traditional drivers for public policy, such as politics of harmonization and path dependency in policy-making, still sufficiently explain policy outcomes in this space? As new technologies and their applications spread across the globe in uneven ways, how and when do they create forces of change from unexpected places?

These are some of the questions that we hope to address in the Technology and Global Change section through articles that tackle new dimensions of the global landscape of designing, developing, deploying, and assessing new technologies to address major challenges the world faces. Understanding these processes requires synthesizing knowledge from a range of different fields, including sociology, political science, economics, and history, as well as technical fields such as engineering, climate science, and computer science. A crucial part of understanding how technology has created global change and, in turn, how global changes have influenced the development of new technologies is understanding the technologies themselves in all their richness and complexity—how they work, the limits of what they can do, what they were designed to do, how they are actually used. Just as technologies themselves are becoming more complicated, so are their embeddings and relationships to the larger social, political, and legal contexts in which they exist. Scholars across all disciplines are encouraged to join us in untangling those complexities.

Josephine Wolff is an associate professor of cybersecurity policy at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Her book You’ll See This Message When It Is Too Late: The Legal and Economic Aftermath of Cybersecurity Breaches was published by MIT Press in 2018.

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Essay on How Technology Changed Our Lives

Students are often asked to write an essay on How Technology Changed Our Lives in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on How Technology Changed Our Lives

The advent of technology.

Technology has revolutionized our lives in many ways. It has made tasks easier, faster, and more efficient. We use technology in our daily activities, from cooking to communicating.

Communication and Technology

Technology has drastically changed the way we communicate. With the advent of smartphones and the internet, we can now connect with anyone, anywhere, anytime.

Education and Technology

Technology has also transformed education. It has made learning more interactive and accessible. With online classes, students can learn from home.

Healthcare and Technology

In healthcare, technology has improved diagnosis and treatment. It has made healthcare more effective and convenient.

In conclusion, technology has greatly changed our lives. It has made our lives easier, faster, and more efficient.

250 Words Essay on How Technology Changed Our Lives

Technology has revolutionized our world, transforming every aspect of our lives. It has brought about a digital revolution, making tasks easier, faster, and more efficient. From communication to transportation, health to education, technology has permeated every sphere of human life.

Impact on Communication

The advent of smartphones and the internet has revolutionized communication. We can now connect with anyone, anywhere, anytime, breaking geographical boundaries. Social media platforms, video conferencing, and instant messaging apps have not only made communication instantaneous but also fostered global connections and collaborations.

Transformation in Transportation

Technology has also drastically changed transportation. With GPS technology, navigation has become easier and more precise. Electric cars and autonomous vehicles are on the rise, promising a future of sustainable and self-driving transportation.

Healthcare Advancements

In healthcare, technology has brought about advancements like telemedicine, wearable devices, and AI-driven diagnostics. These innovations have improved patient care, made health monitoring easier, and increased the accuracy of diagnoses.

Educational Innovations

The education sector has also seen significant changes with e-learning platforms, virtual classrooms, and digital resources. This has made education more accessible, interactive, and personalized.

In conclusion, technology has indeed transformed our lives, making it more connected, efficient, and innovative. As we move forward, it will continue to shape our future, opening new possibilities and challenges. It is up to us to harness its potential responsibly, ensuring it serves as a tool for progress and prosperity.

500 Words Essay on How Technology Changed Our Lives

The advent of technology has revolutionized human life, transforming the world into a global village. It has impacted every facet of our existence, from communication to transportation, health to education, and entertainment to business.

Revolutionizing Communication

One of the most profound changes brought about by technology is in the field of communication. The invention of the internet and smartphones has made it possible to connect with anyone, anywhere, at any time. Social media platforms, emails, and video calls have removed geographical barriers, fostering global collaboration and understanding.

Transforming Transportation

The transportation industry has also been profoundly impacted by technology. Innovations like GPS and satellite technology have made navigation easier and more accurate. Electric and self-driving cars, still in their nascent stages, promise to revolutionize our commute, making it safer and more sustainable.

Advancements in Health and Medicine

In the field of health and medicine, technology has been a game-changer. Advanced diagnostic tools, telemedicine, robotic surgeries, and personalized medicine have improved patient care and outcomes. Additionally, wearable technology and health apps have empowered individuals to take charge of their health.

Revamping Education

Education is another sector where technology has left an indelible mark. Online learning platforms, digital classrooms, and educational apps have democratized education, making it accessible to all. The recent pandemic has underscored the importance of technology in education, with schools and universities worldwide transitioning to remote learning.

Entertainment and Leisure

The way we consume entertainment and leisure activities has also been transformed by technology. Streaming platforms, virtual reality, and online gaming have changed our entertainment landscape, offering personalized, on-demand, and immersive experiences.

Impacting Business and Economy

Lastly, technology has significantly influenced business operations and the global economy. E-commerce, digital marketing, and remote work have redefined traditional business models, promoting efficiency and inclusivity.

In conclusion, technology has dramatically altered our lives, reshaping the way we communicate, travel, learn, stay healthy, entertain ourselves, and conduct business. While it presents challenges, such as privacy concerns and digital divide, the benefits it offers are immense. As we move forward, it is essential to harness technology responsibly and ethically, ensuring it serves as a tool for progress and inclusivity.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

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How has technology changed - and changed us - in the past 20 years?

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• Since the dotcom bubble burst back in 2000, technology has radically transformed our societies and our daily lives.
• From smartphones to social media and healthcare, here's a brief history of the 21st century's technological revolution.

Just over 20 years ago, the dotcom bubble burst , causing the stocks of many tech firms to tumble. Some companies, like Amazon, quickly recovered their value – but many others were left in ruins. In the two decades since this crash, technology has advanced in many ways.

Many more people are online today than they were at the start of the millennium. Looking at broadband access, in 2000, just half of Americans had broadband access at home. Today, that number sits at more than 90% .

This broadband expansion was certainly not just an American phenomenon. Similar growth can be seen on a global scale; while less than 7% of the world was online in 2000, today over half the global population has access to the internet.

Similar trends can be seen in cellphone use. At the start of the 2000s, there were 740 million cell phone subscriptions worldwide. Two decades later, that number has surpassed 8 billion, meaning there are now more cellphones in the world than people

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At the same time, technology was also becoming more personal and portable. Apple sold its first iPod in 2001, and six years later it introduced the iPhone, which ushered in a new era of personal technology. These changes led to a world in which technology touches nearly everything we do.

Technology has changed major sectors over the past 20 years, including media, climate action and healthcare. The World Economic Forum’s Technology Pioneers , which just celebrated its 20th anniversary, gives us insight how emerging tech leaders have influenced and responded to these changes.

Media and media consumption

The past 20 years have greatly shaped how and where we consume media. In the early 2000s, many tech firms were still focused on expanding communication for work through advanced bandwidth for video streaming and other media consumption that is common today.

Others followed the path of expanding media options beyond traditional outlets. Early Tech Pioneers such as PlanetOut did this by providing an outlet and alternative media source for LGBTQIA communities as more people got online.

Following on from these first new media options, new communities and alternative media came the massive growth of social media. In 2004 , fewer than 1 million people were on Myspace; Facebook had not even launched. By 2018, Facebook had more 2.26 billion users with other sites also growing to hundreds of millions of users.

While these new online communities and communication channels have offered great spaces for alternative voices, their increased use has also brought issues of increased disinformation and polarization.

Today, many tech start-ups are focused on preserving these online media spaces while also mitigating the disinformation which can come with them. Recently, some Tech Pioneers have also approached this issue, including TruePic – which focuses on photo identification – and Two Hat , which is developing AI-powered content moderation for social media.

Climate change and green tech

Many scientists today are looking to technology to lead us towards a carbon-neutral world. Though renewed attention is being given to climate change today, these efforts to find a solution through technology is not new. In 2001, green tech offered a new investment opportunity for tech investors after the crash, leading to a boom of investing in renewable energy start-ups including Bloom Energy , a Technology Pioneer in 2010.

In the past two decades, tech start-ups have only expanded their climate focus. Many today are focuses on initiatives far beyond clean energy to slow the impact of climate change.

Different start-ups, including Carbon Engineering and Climeworks from this year’s Technology Pioneers, have started to roll out carbon capture technology. These technologies remove CO2 from the air directly, enabling scientists to alleviate some of the damage from fossil fuels which have already been burned.

Another expanding area for young tech firms today is food systems innovation. Many firms, like Aleph Farms and Air Protein, are creating innovative meat and dairy alternatives that are much greener than their traditional counterparts.

Biotech and healthcare

The early 2000s also saw the culmination of a biotech boom that had started in the mid-1990s. Many firms focused on advancing biotechnologies through enhanced tech research.

An early Technology Pioneer, Actelion Pharmaceuticals was one of these companies. Actelion’s tech researched the single layer of cells separating every blood vessel from the blood stream. Like many other biotech firms at the time, their focus was on precise disease and treatment research.

While many tech firms today still focus on disease and treatment research, many others have been focusing on healthcare delivery. Telehealth has been on the rise in recent years , with many young tech expanding virtual healthcare options. New technologies such as virtual visits, chatbots are being used to delivery healthcare to individuals, especially during Covid-19.

Many companies are also focusing their healthcare tech on patients, rather than doctors. For example Ada, a symptom checker app, used to be designed for doctor’s use but has now shifted its language and interface to prioritize giving patients information on their symptoms. Other companies, like 7 cups, are focused are offering mental healthcare support directly to their users without through their app instead of going through existing offices.

The past two decades have seen healthcare tech get much more personal and use tech for care delivery, not just advancing medical research.

The World Economic Forum was the first to draw the world’s attention to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the current period of unprecedented change driven by rapid technological advances. Policies, norms and regulations have not been able to keep up with the pace of innovation, creating a growing need to fill this gap.

The Forum established the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Network in 2017 to ensure that new and emerging technologies will help—not harm—humanity in the future. Headquartered in San Francisco, the network launched centres in China, India and Japan in 2018 and is rapidly establishing locally-run Affiliate Centres in many countries around the world.

The global network is working closely with partners from government, business, academia and civil society to co-design and pilot agile frameworks for governing new and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) , autonomous vehicles , blockchain , data policy , digital trade , drones , internet of things (IoT) , precision medicine and environmental innovations .

Learn more about the groundbreaking work that the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Network is doing to prepare us for the future.

Want to help us shape the Fourth Industrial Revolution? Contact us to find out how you can become a member or partner.

In the early 2000s, many companies were at the start of their recovery from the bursting dotcom bubble. Since then, we’ve seen a large expansion in the way tech innovators approach areas such as new media, climate change, healthcare delivery and more.

At the same time, we have also seen tech companies rise to the occasion of trying to combat issues which arose from the first group such as internet content moderation, expanding climate change solutions.

The Technology Pioneers' 2020 cohort marks the 20th anniversary of this community - and looking at the latest awardees can give us a snapshot of where the next two decades of tech may be heading.

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World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

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How Technology Has Changed Lives? Essay

Introduction, works cited.

Since the turn of the century, the rate of technological advancement has been escalating at an alarming rate. Technology has influenced almost every aspect of people’s lives. Technology has changed lives in terms of the efficiency of service delivery, communication, social processes, education, and business development, among others (Katz 100).

Technology has enabled people to do several things such as paying bills, shopping, looking for direction, studying, getting entertainment materials, holding meetings, and interacting with others over the internet.

Technology has necessitated the creation of online music stores, which are slowly replacing traditional music shops. In contemporary society, people are downloading as well as storing music on their phones, computers, and other technological devices.

If people continue to embrace technology, they have a higher chance of experiencing a high-quality life. However, people are relying too much on technology to meet their needs. Experts argue that overdependence on technology has made a lot of people lazy because they won’t struggle to have things done (Katz 113). People visit stores across the world to buy their favorite music records.

Running a music store is a good economic activity because it helps to create jobs. Also, it enables people to access music from different artists (“The Future of the Music Industry” par. 2). A good example of a successful online music store is iTunes.

People physically visit stores to buy music records. Most people consider a visit to the music store as an opportunity to adventure, go out on a date, or even listen to the latest music released in the market.

However, this experience is slowly being wiped away by technological advancements, which have made it possible for people to access music through online stores (“The Future of the Music Industry” par. 3). People no longer need to visit record stores to have the music they want. Instead, they have a whole new experience over the internet.

Technological devices have made it easier for people to have access to music by downloading them from online stores. In the contemporary world, people download their favorite music on their phones and computers.

Although most musicians are selling their music through online stores, their offline market is still vibrant (“The Future of the Music Industry” par. 4). Musicians consider online stores as cost-effective because all they need to do it upload their music, and people will start downloading it. Most products and services are available online because business developers and entrepreneurs are targeting the growing online community.

With more people buying and listening to music online, the future of record stores is very unstable. The ability of musicians to attract a larger audience has been boosted a lot by the online stores (“The Future of the Music Industry” par. 6). If musicians continue selling their records through online stores, their earning will increase tremendously.

Unfortunately, there are certain stores that allow people to download music without paying for it. It is very unethical for people to do that because they often get the revenue out a musician’s work without their knowledge (“The Future of the Music Industry” par. 6). Although most of the music sold in online stores is copyrighted, there are people who manage to pirate and make a living out of it.

Availability of digital tools such as YouTube also threatens the demand for television as the main source of entertainment (Katz 160). Although people are viewing music videos online through YouTube, they have not abandoned their television sets.

People watch television to enjoy their favorite programs. However, the fact that the same content is available online for people to view whenever they want has left the future of television as the main source of entertainment uncertain (Katz 171).

Technological advancements are threatening the existence of physical entities because people in contemporary society are accessing most products and services online. The availability of online services is threatening the existence of entities such as banks, music stores, post offices, libraries and theatres, among others. Indeed, technology has changed people’s lives.

Katz, Mark. Capturing Sound: How Technology has Changed Music . California: University of California Press, 2010. Print.

The Future of the Music Industry: How Technology Affected Consumer Trends . 2013. Web.

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Technology over the long run: zoom out to see how dramatically the world can change within a lifetime

It is easy to underestimate how much the world can change within a lifetime. considering how dramatically the world has changed can help us see how different the world could be in a few years or decades..

Technology can change the world in ways that are unimaginable until they happen. Switching on an electric light would have been unimaginable for our medieval ancestors. In their childhood, our grandparents would have struggled to imagine a world connected by smartphones and the Internet.

Similarly, it is hard for us to imagine the arrival of all those technologies that will fundamentally change the world we are used to.

We can remind ourselves that our own future might look very different from the world today by looking back at how rapidly technology has changed our world in the past. That’s what this article is about.

One insight I take away from this long-term perspective is how unusual our time is. Technological change was extremely slow in the past – the technologies that our ancestors got used to in their childhood were still central to their lives in their old age. In stark contrast to those days, we live in a time of extraordinarily fast technological change. For recent generations, it was common for technologies that were unimaginable in their youth to become common later in life.

The long-run perspective on technological change

The big visualization offers a long-term perspective on the history of technology. 1

The timeline begins at the center of the spiral. The first use of stone tools, 3.4 million years ago, marks the beginning of this history of technology. 2 Each turn of the spiral represents 200,000 years of history. It took 2.4 million years – 12 turns of the spiral – for our ancestors to control fire and use it for cooking. 3

To be able to visualize the inventions in the more recent past – the last 12,000 years – I had to unroll the spiral. I needed more space to be able to show when agriculture, writing, and the wheel were invented. During this period, technological change was faster, but it was still relatively slow: several thousand years passed between each of these three inventions.

From 1800 onwards, I stretched out the timeline even further to show the many major inventions that rapidly followed one after the other.

The long-term perspective that this chart provides makes it clear just how unusually fast technological change is in our time.

You can use this visualization to see how technology developed in particular domains. Follow, for example, the history of communication: from writing to paper, to the printing press, to the telegraph, the telephone, the radio, all the way to the Internet and smartphones.

Or follow the rapid development of human flight. In 1903, the Wright brothers took the first flight in human history (they were in the air for less than a minute), and just 66 years later, we landed on the moon. Many people saw both within their lifetimes: the first plane and the moon landing.

This large visualization also highlights the wide range of technology’s impact on our lives. It includes extraordinarily beneficial innovations, such as the vaccine that allowed humanity to eradicate smallpox , and it includes terrible innovations, like the nuclear bombs that endanger the lives of all of us .

What will the next decades bring?

The red timeline reaches up to the present and then continues in green into the future. Many children born today, even without further increases in life expectancy, will live well into the 22nd century.

New vaccines, progress in clean, low-carbon energy, better cancer treatments – a range of future innovations could very much improve our living conditions and the environment around us. But, as I argue in a series of articles , there is one technology that could even more profoundly change our world: artificial intelligence (AI).

One reason why artificial intelligence is such an important innovation is that intelligence is the main driver of innovation itself. This fast-paced technological change could speed up even more if it’s driven not only by humanity’s intelligence but also by artificial intelligence. If this happens, the change currently stretched out over decades might happen within a very brief time span of just a year. Possibly even faster. 4

I think AI technology could have a fundamentally transformative impact on our world. In many ways, it is already changing our world, as I documented in this companion article . As this technology becomes more capable in the years and decades to come, it can give immense power to those who control it (and it poses the risk that it could escape our control entirely).

Such systems might seem hard to imagine today, but AI technology is advancing quickly. Many AI experts believe there is a real chance that human-level artificial intelligence will be developed within the next decades, as I documented in this article .

Technology will continue to change the world – we should all make sure that it changes it for the better

What is familiar to us today – photography, the radio, antibiotics, the Internet, or the International Space Station circling our planet – was unimaginable to our ancestors just a few generations ago. If your great-great-great grandparents could spend a week with you, they would be blown away by your everyday life.

What I take away from this history is that I will likely see technologies in my lifetime that appear unimaginable to me today.

In addition to this trend towards increasingly rapid innovation, there is a second long-run trend. Technology has become increasingly powerful. While our ancestors wielded stone tools, we are building globe-spanning AI systems and technologies that can edit our genes.

Because of the immense power that technology gives those who control it, there is little that is as important as the question of which technologies get developed during our lifetimes. Therefore, I think it is a mistake to leave the question about the future of technology to the technologists. Which technologies are controlled by whom is one of the most important political questions of our time because of the enormous power these technologies convey to those who control them.

We all should strive to gain the knowledge we need to contribute to an intelligent debate about the world we want to live in. To a large part, this means gaining knowledge and wisdom on the question of which technologies we want.

Acknowledgments: I would like to thank my colleagues Hannah Ritchie, Bastian Herre, Natasha Ahuja, Edouard Mathieu, Daniel Bachler, Charlie Giattino, and Pablo Rosado for their helpful comments on drafts of this essay and the visualization. Thanks also to Lizka Vaintrob and Ben Clifford for the conversation that initiated this visualization.

Appendix: About the choice of visualization in this article

The recent speed of technological change makes it difficult to picture the history of technology in one visualization. When you visualize this development on a linear timeline, then most of the timeline is almost empty, while all the action is crammed into the right corner:

In my large visualization here, I tried to avoid this problem and instead show the long history of technology in a way that lets you see when each technological breakthrough happened and how, within the last millennia, there was a continuous acceleration of technological change.

The recent speed of technological change makes it difficult to picture the history of technology in one visualization. In the appendix, I show how this would look if it were linear.

It is, of course, difficult to assess when exactly the first stone tools were used.

The research by McPherron et al. (2010) suggested that it was at least 3.39 million years ago. This is based on two fossilized bones found in Dikika in Ethiopia, which showed “stone-tool cut marks for flesh removal and percussion marks for marrow access”. These marks were interpreted as being caused by meat consumption and provide the first evidence that one of our ancestors, Australopithecus afarensis, used stone tools.

The research by Harmand et al. (2015) provided evidence for stone tool use in today’s Kenya 3.3 million years ago.

References:

McPherron et al. (2010) – Evidence for stone-tool-assisted consumption of animal tissues before 3.39 million years ago at Dikika, Ethiopia . Published in Nature.

Harmand et al. (2015) – 3.3-million-year-old stone tools from Lomekwi 3, West Turkana, Kenya . Published in Nature.

Evidence for controlled fire use approximately 1 million years ago is provided by Berna et al. (2012) Microstratigraphic evidence of in situ fire in the Acheulean strata of Wonderwerk Cave, Northern Cape province, South Africa , published in PNAS.

The authors write: “The ability to control fire was a crucial turning point in human evolution, but the question of when hominins first developed this ability still remains. Here we show that micromorphological and Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (mFTIR) analyses of intact sediments at the site of Wonderwerk Cave, Northern Cape province, South Africa, provide unambiguous evidence—in the form of burned bone and ashed plant remains—that burning took place in the cave during the early Acheulean occupation, approximately 1.0 Ma. To the best of our knowledge, this is the earliest secure evidence for burning in an archaeological context.”

This is what authors like Holden Karnofsky called ‘Process for Automating Scientific and Technological Advancement’ or PASTA. Some recent developments go in this direction: DeepMind’s AlphaFold helped to make progress on one of the large problems in biology, and they have also developed an AI system that finds new algorithms that are relevant to building a more powerful AI.

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The Relevance of Social Networks to Public Sector Agencies

Vanadium fever, the new 'green gold', openmind books, scientific anniversaries, plants, the root of the earth’s health problem, featured author, latest book, change: 19 key essays on how the internet is changing our lives.

As a tool available to a reasonably wide public, the Internet is only twenty years old, but it is already the fundamental catalyst of the broadest based and fastest technological revolution in history . It is the broadest based because over the past two decades its effects have touched upon practically every citizen in the world. And it is the fastest because its mass adoption is swifter than that of any earlier technology.

It is impossible today to imagine the world without the Internet: it enables us to do things which only a few years ago would be unthinkable, and impinges on every sphere of our lives.

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The music industry in an age of digital distribution, first the media, then us: how the internet changed the fundamental nature of the communication and its relationship with the audience, the internet's influence on the production and consumption of culture: creative destruction and new opportunities, the internet: changing the language, distributed innovation and creativity, peer production, and commons in networked economy, how is the internet changing the way we work, the internet and business, the way of the dodo, how the internet has changed everyday life, the internet and education, designing connections, the internet, politics and the politics of internet debate, the impact of the internet on society: a global perspective, cyber attacks, who owns big data, the internet of things: outlook and challenges, knowledge banking for a hyperconnected society, "ch@nge" comes to madrid: health, banking and connections that will change our lives, do you already know what the latest openmind book is about are you ready for ch@nge, francisco gonzález presents the latest openmind book: ch@nge, openmind launches the book “ch@nge” in madrid, david gelernter presents "cyberflow", iñaki vázquez: the origins of the internet of things, mikko hypponen: who owns the internet, evgeny morozov: internet and politics, federico casalegno: connections, neil selwyn presents "internet and education", mexico hosts the launch of the openmind book "ch@nge", openmind reflects on the social influence of the internet in the home of mit, thomas malone explains how the internet is changing the way we work, presentation at mit: how the internet is changing our lives, distributed innovation and creativity, peer production, and commons, lucien engelen and the medicine of the future, "the challenge is to turn data into information, and then into knowledge", dan schiller: geopolitical information, zaryn dentzel and the social media "ch@nge", paul dimaggio and cultural industry on the internet, edward castronova: games and the internet, sustainability, smart cities and "sensor citizens" in spain, peter hirshberg and the new communication environment on the internet, patrik wikström: the transformation of the music industry, david crystal: the language of the internet, we recommend "to save everything, click here", by evgeny morozov, do you want to stay up to date with our new publications.

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How Tech Has Changed Our Lives In The Last 10 Years

Several tech experts weigh in on the technologies of the past decade that had the greatest impact on society.

ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:

From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Ari Shapiro. And...

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)

MICHELE NORRIS: I'm Michele Norris.

MELISSA BLOCK: I'm Melissa Block, and it's time now for All Tech Considered.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

SHAPIRO: That is how the first All Tech Considered of the decade began on January 4, 2010. Sad to say, Michele and Melissa are not here in the studio with me this Christmas Day. A lot has changed since then - hosts of this program and technology.

In a minute, we'll look ahead to the next decade in tech. Before we do, let's revisit this one. We asked three experts to pick what they see as the most significant ways tech has changed our lives since 2009. The most obvious advancement was the smartphone. They were around in 2009, but now 81% of Americans own one. And technology reporter Omar Gallaga says they've almost become an appendage.

OMAR GALLAGA: I was in a restaurant over the weekend, and, you know, just across from me, a woman's phone was going off every five seconds. You know, I heard a chime or an alert - you know, different alerts out of her phone every - and I'm, like, how is she functioning as a human in this world? You know, she didn't even notice that those alerts were going off. I mean, that's how much a part of her life they must be, so...

SHAPIRO: And it's not just the phones. Gallaga's daughters, who are 10 and 12, have tablets. He says kids these days just go through life differently from a decade ago.

GALLAGA: When you see kids at the doctor's office looking at magazines, and they're trying to, like, you know, scroll the page (laughter), the print page - like, yeah. Yep, that's an iPad kid right there.

SHAPIRO: Next, we turn to Erin Hatton. She is an associate professor of sociology at the University at Buffalo. And for her, the most significant change of the decade is something that would not have been possible without the smartphone - it's the gig economy, enabled by apps like Uber, TaskRabbit and Airbnb. Hatton says they've redefined what it is to be a worker.

ERIN HATTON: I think that this work has started new conversations between workers and across sectors in rethinking what it means to be a worker and potentially rethinking what kinds of benefits and protections we attach to work.

SHAPIRO: Beyond our daily lives or our work, tech in the last decade has also shaped what we believe to be true. Sometimes we know we're being faked, like in Martin Scorsese's movie "The Irishman." Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci, who are both in their 70s, look much younger thanks to technology. In some scenes, they're in their 40s.

(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "THE IRISHMAN")

JOE PESCI: (As Russell Bufalino) What's the problem, kid?

ROBERT DE NIRO: (As Frank Sheeran) I don't know. It sounds funny - stops and starts and loses power.

PESCI: (As Russell Bufalino) I can give you a hand.

SHAPIRO: It's believable. Of course, there is a darker side of this technology, too. Michael Fink is a professor of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California, and he says it's easier than ever before to manipulate videos and make it seem like something happened when it never did.

MICHAEL FINK: The software has become so powerful that things can be altered, changed, modified so quickly that people would think, oh, my god. That has to be real. It just happened. And that's not true. The reality is fungible. It can be used by dark forces - let's put it that way - people with absolutely nothing but malevolence at the core of their being. And it's scary.

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How Technology is Changing Our Lives

Introduction.

The era of technological innovation has resulted in constant changes across different spheres of life. Education is one of the primary areas that have been directly affected by changes in the machine age. This situation has given rise to a race between education and technology. The everchanging technological front is continually altering the job market and the hiring requirements among many employers. This situation has compelled many young people to pursue an education that aligns with current labor demands in a technologically-biased employment sector. Pervasiveness in the use of smartphones and social media has also been seen as a primary cause of distressful mental states among youth. This state of affairs has resulted in increased suicidal cases, especially among female adolescents. In light of this knowledge, the essay provides objective arguments on how technology is continuously changing the way of life.

The Race Between Education and Technology

There is a significant variation in the way experts think about the effects of technological innovation on the labor market in the future. Claims that current trends in industrial technology will transform the nature of work stand out because the world is already experiencing pervasive developments in automation and artificial intelligence (Brown & Keep, 2018). In view of this scenario, many job-seekers with advanced education meet challenges searching for new opportunities due to the replacement of human labor with machines.

Nonetheless, there is a feeling that the current educational system is lagging behind technological innovation; hence, it fails to supply the labor market with the required higher-level skills. Anticipations about future digital development and its influence on learning will undoubtedly change views on new educational and economic policies that are needed to shape future industries. Brown and Keep (2018) classify opinions on the expected future direction of the labor market into labor scarcity, job insufficiency, and end of work.

Labor scarcity is growing with the current pace of innovation and the increased use of machines to execute basic tasks. Today, technological advancement is a primary driver of aggregate economic growth and long-lasting enhancement of living standards (Brown & Keep, 2018). While technological progress has burgeoned in the last three decades, shortcomings have been experienced in cases where machines replace human labor. Automation and artificial intelligence are two scientific developments that have resulted in a significant reorganization of economies and social structures. More robust technologies are continuing to encroach areas where human abilities have been indispensable, gradually rendering cognitive skills in the workplace less useful (Brown & Keep, 2018).

The pace of discoveries in numerous bunches of scientific breakthroughs in machine learning is quickly creating a need for revolutionizing the education sector. Curriculums should be developed to align with technological progress in a bid to match modern labor demands. The race between education and technology has led to a disruption of labor markets, income inequality, and social conflict. The future of employment is characterized by the demand for workers with advanced skills, which implies that education will be the driver of economic and social policy (Brown & Keep, 2018). Although there are expectations that new positions and professions may emerge, there will be a need to develop more advanced skills to align employability characteristics with the future labor market.

Effect of Smartphones and Social Media Use on Mental Health among the Youth

The development and explosion of smartphones had led to increased use of social media among youth in recent years. In the United States, it is evident that two out of every three teenagers own or have access to a smartphone (Turkle, 2014). The increased dominance of these mobile devices among the youth has resulted in ripple effects across every aspect of their daily lives, ranging from social interactions to mental health. Teenagers and young adults aged between 16 and 24 years have been revealed as the most active users of social media (Abi-Jaoude et al., 2020). The benefits of socialization platforms include the enhancement of friendships and the circumvention of loneliness. However, there is substantial evidence showing that the overuse of social media leads to severe effects on self-esteem and satisfaction among the youth.

Snowballing cases of mental distress and treatment for related health conditions have become common among youth in North America. This situation resonates with the increased use of smartphones and access to social media by children, adolescents, and young adults. Abi-Jaoude et al. (2020) report that the number of teenagers with either developed or developing mental conditions is increasing across many states in the United States. For instance, psychological distress among teenagers rose from 34% in 2015 to 39% in 2019. This characteristic accounts for the pervasiveness of suicidal ideation (8.1%), attempts (4.3%), and non-suicidal self-injury (8.8%) among children and adolescents aged between 14 and 17 years (Abi-Jaoude et al., 2020). The mushrooming use of smartphones and social media is a primary cause of mental distress among the youth.

Access to online socialization platforms influences individual perceptions and shapes interpersonal relationships based on comparisons and depraved interactions, such as cyberbullying (Abi-Jaoude et al., 2020). Various studies have also shown that students who spent a lot of time on social media platforms such as Facebook stand higher chances of becoming envious or developing perceptions that other peers in their social circle were better off than them. The fear of missing certain events on social media has also been associated with mental distress among the youth.

Technology Use by Parent and Family Educators

Continued innovation in information communications technology (ICT) has continued to play a unique role in shaping family lives in the twenty-first century. The proliferation of smaller, mobile, multifeatured, and fashionable gadgets have revolutionized how people gather and share information. Walker (2019) reveals that 90% of adults worldwide have access to the internet. A growing number of futurists believe that the internet, like electricity, will be available everywhere by 2025. The possession of smart devices by families is growing larger every year. Some reports indicate that the ownership of smartphones in the U.S. rose from 35% in 2011 to 85% in 2018 (Walker, 2019). Tech-savvy tools for outreach, learning, tailored instruction, and new information have become essential in disseminating parent and family education.

Technology integration is not a new phenomenon informal education. Professional teachers use adaptive expertise to keep abreast of scientific innovations in family education. The use of integrationist models plays a critical role in ensuring that family educators are well-equipped with supportive tools to deliver knowledge that meets current demands in technology-driven life circles. Novel ICT is continuously integrated into practice using creativity-stimulation software to bridge the gap between pedagogy and educational needs at the family level. A 2016 survey indicated that 42.3% and 31.5% of educators in the United States had average and advanced proficiency, respectively, in the use of educational technology. 6.9% were rated as experts, 9.8% were beginners, and 8.6% had were unacquainted.

The development and use of technology have become inevitable in the execution of tasks. Many changes have been seen in family education, employment, and socialization. Although the era of machines has come with many benefits, numerous pitfalls have led to job scarcity in cases where robots replace human labor. This situation has called for the need to adopt integrational models to assimilate technology in teaching. Overuse of technology has also increased mental disorders among the youth, a condition that is causing depression and suicidal characteristics.

Abi-Jaoude, E., Naylor, K. T., & Pignatiello, A. (2020). Smartphones, social media use and youth mental health. CMAJ , 192 (6), E136-E141.

Brown, P., & Keep, E. (2018). Rethinking the race between education & technology. Issues in Science and Technology, 35 (1), 31-39.

Turkle, S. (2014). How computers change the way we think. McGraw-Hill Companies.

Walker, S. K. (2019). ‘It depends’: technology use by parent and family educators in the United States. Education Sciences, 9 (4), 293.

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The Impact of Digital Technologies

Technologies can help make our world fairer, more peaceful, and more just. Digital advances can support and accelerate achievement of each of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals – from ending extreme poverty to reducing maternal and infant mortality, promoting sustainable farming and decent work, and achieving universal literacy. But technologies can also threaten privacy, erode security and fuel inequality. They have implications for human rights and human agency. Like generations before, we – governments, businesses and individuals – have a choice to make in how we harness and manage new technologies.

A DIGITAL FUTURE FOR ALL?

Digital technologies have advanced more rapidly than any innovation in our history – reaching around 50 per cent of the developing world’s population in only two decades and transforming societies. By enhancing connectivity, financial inclusion, access to trade and public services, technology can be a great equaliser.

In the health sector, for instance, AI-enabled frontier technologies are helping to save lives, diagnose diseases and extend life expectancy. In education, virtual learning environments and distance learning have opened up programmes to students who would otherwise be excluded. Public services are also becoming more accessible and accountable through blockchain-powered systems, and less bureaucratically burdensome as a result of AI assistance.Big data can also support more responsive and accurate policies and programmes.

However, those yet to be connected remain cut off from the benefits of this new era and remain further behind. Many of the people left behind are women, the elderly, persons with disabilities or from ethnic or linguistic minorities, indigenous groups and residents of poor or remote areas. The pace of connectivity is slowing, even reversing, among some constituencies. For example, globally, the proportion of women using the internet is 12 per cent lower than that of men. While this gap narrowed in most regions between 2013 and 2017, it widened in the least developed countries from 30 per cent to 33 per cent.

The use of algorithms can replicate and even amplify human and systemic bias where they function on the basis of data which is not adequately diverse. Lack of diversity in the technology sector can mean that this challenge is not adequately addressed.

THE FUTURE OF WORK

Throughout history, technological revolutions have changed the labour force: creating new forms and patterns of work, making others obsolete, and leading to wider societal changes. This current wave of change is likely to have profound impacts. For example, the International Labour Organization estimates that the shift to a greener economy could create 24 million new jobs globally by 2030 through the adoption of sustainable practices in the energy sector, the use of electric vehicles and increasing energy efficiency in existing and future buildings.

Meanwhile, reports by groups such as McKinsey suggest that 800 million people could lose their jobs to automation by 2030 , while polls reveal that the majority of all employees worry that they do not have the necessary training or skills to get a well-paid job.

There is broad agreement that managing these trends will require changes in our approach to education, for instance, by placing more emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and maths; by teaching soft skills, and resilience; and by ensuring that people can re-skill and up-skill throughout their lifetimes. Unpaid work, for example childcare and elderly care in the home, will need to be better supported, especially as with the shifting age profile of global populations, the demands on these tasks are likely to increase.

THE FUTURE OF DATA

Today, digital technologies such as data pooling and AI are used to track and diagnose issues in agriculture, health, and the environment, or to perform daily tasks such as navigating traffic or paying a bill. They can be used to defend and exercise human rights – but they can also be used to violate them, for example, by monitoring our movements, purchases, conversations and behaviours. Governments and businesses increasingly have the tools to mine and exploit data for financial and other purposes.

However, personal data would become an asset to a person, if there were a formula for better regulation of personal data ownership. Data-powered technology has the potential to empower individuals, improve human welfare, and promote universal rights, depending on the type of protections put in place.

THE FUTURE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media connects almost half of the entire global population . It enables people to make their voices heard and to talk to people across the world in real time. However, it can also reinforce prejudices and sow discord, by giving hate speech and misinformation a platform, or by amplifying echo chambers.

In this way, social media algorithms can fuel the fragmentation of societies around the world. And yet they also have the potential to do the opposite.

THE FUTURE OF CYBERSPACE

How to manage these developments is the subject of much discussion – nationally and internationally – at a time when geopolitical tensions are on the rise. The UN Secretary-General has warned of a ‘great fracture’ between world powers, each with their own internet and AI strategy, as well as dominant currency, trade and financial rules and contradictory geopolitical and military views. Such a divide could establish a digital Berlin Wall. Increasingly, digital cooperation between states – and a universal cyberspace that reflects global standards for peace and security, human rights and sustainable development – is seen as crucial to ensuring a united world. A ‘global commitment for digital cooperation’ is a key recommendation by the Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation .

FOR MORE INFORMATION

The Sustainable Development Goals

The Age of Digital Interdependence: Report of the UN Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation

ILO | Global Commission on the Future of Work

Secretary General’s Address to the 74th Session of the UN General Assembly

Secretary General’s Strategy on New Technology

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55 Ways Technology Has Changed Our Lives for the Better

By: Author Valerie Forgeard

Posted on September 18, 2023

Categories Technology

You’re living in an era of unprecedented technological advancement. It’s transformed how you communicate, care for your health, learn, and even do your daily chores. Isn’t it exciting to consider how much easier life has become?

This article delves into the ways technology has bettered our lives and dares to dream about what might be just around the corner.

Key Takeaways

• Digital diplomacy and social media platforms have given ordinary people a global voice, shifting power dynamics and allowing for unprecedented connectivity.
• Advancements in health and medicine, such as genetic engineering, AI diagnostics, and robotic surgery, have led to more precise and personalized treatments, giving patients more control over their health.
• The transformation of education through digital tools, virtual field trips, and gamified learning has made learning more engaging, accessible, and immersive, breaking down traditional boundaries.
• Technology has had a positive impact on daily lives, with smart homes, digital farming, wearable tech, and increased connectivity through social media platforms making life more efficient, convenient, and less stressful.

15 Ways Technology Has Uplifted Our Lives

In an era where technology is an inseparable part of our existence, it’s hard to imagine life without our digital companions. While there are debates on the negative impacts of technology, one can’t deny the substantial positive effects it has on our daily lives.

From healthcare advancements to simplifying mundane tasks, technology has indeed made our lives better in countless ways.

Here are 55 ways technology has unequivocally changed our lives for the better:

Communication

• Instant Messaging – Quick and real-time chats.
• Video Confering – Long-distance face-to-face conversations.
• Social Media – A new level of connectivity and community.
• Telemedicine – Remote medical consultations.
• Wearable Fitness Tech – Real-time health tracking.
• Genetic Testing – Customized healthcare and early diagnosis.

Convenience

• Online Banking – Finances at your fingertips.
• Ride-Sharing Apps – Convenient and cost-effective transportation.
• E-commerce – The world’s marketplace in your pocket.

Information & Education

• Search Engines – Instant information retrieval.
• E-books & E-libraries – Portable and accessible knowledge.
• Online Courses – Learning opportunities for everyone, everywhere.

Entertainment

• Streaming Services – Entertainment on-demand.
• Virtual Reality – Lifelike digital experiences.
• Digital Art Platforms – Creative outlets for modern artists.

Productivity

• Cloud Computing – Access your files from anywhere.
• Project Management Software – Streamline team efforts.
• Automated Customer Service – 24/7 support.

Home & Lifestyle

• Smart Homes – Automated and personalized living spaces.
• Food Delivery Apps – Gourmet meals at your door.
• Online Dating – Meet your match from miles away.

Safety & Security

• GPS Tracking – Never get lost.
• Biometric Verification – Enhanced security measures.
• Blockchain – Secure and transparent transactions.

Business & Economics

• E-commerce Platforms – Small business empowerment.
• Data Analytics – Informed decision-making.
• Digital Marketing – Precise and scalable reach.

Social Good

• Crowdfunding – Direct access to capital for startups and causes.
• Online Petitions – Mass mobilization for change.
• Translation Apps – Break down language barriers.

Environment

• Electric Cars – A step towards sustainability.
• Solar Panels – Clean energy for all.
• Climate Modeling – Better preparedness for environmental challenges.

Scientific Research

• Computer Simulations – Virtual laboratories for safe experimentation.
• DNA Sequencing – Unveiling the blueprints of life.
• Space Exploration – Unlocking the cosmos.

Travel & Exploration

• Travel Aggregators – Customized itineraries.
• Virtual Tours – Travel from the comfort of home.
• Digital Maps – Interactive and up-to-date navigation.
• Remote Work Tools – Work from anywhere.
• Job Search Engines – Tailored career opportunities.
• Freelance Platforms – Skill-based income sources.

Personal Development

• Meditation Apps – Mindfulness at your fingertips.
• Financial Planning Software – Secure your future.
• DIY Platforms – Learn new skills and hobbies.

Specialized Fields

• Agricultural Drones – Precision farming.
• 3D Printing – From digital designs to physical products.
• Augmented Reality – Enhanced interactive experiences.

Kids & Education

• Educational Games – Learning made fun.
• Parental Control Apps – Keep your children safe online.
• Virtual Classrooms – Learning without borders.

Pets & Animal Care

• Pet Tracking Devices – Keep tabs on your furry friends.
• Automated Feeders – Timely nutrition for pets.
• Online Vet Consultations – Professional care from home.

Miscellaneous

• Voice Assistants – Hands-free help and information.

In a world that is continuously evolving, technology serves as a tool for progress, addressing complex problems and making our lives more enjoyable.

The Revolution of Communication Through Technology

You’ve probably noticed how technology has revolutionized the way we communicate, haven’t you? A perfect example is digital diplomacy. It’s an evolved form of international relations where states use social media platforms to connect with their citizens and other nations. You’re no longer confined by traditional media; you’re free to engage in global conversations instantly.

By observing social media influence, it’s clear that power dynamics are shifting; ordinary people now have a voice that can reach far and wide at lightning speed. But remember, this freedom isn’t without responsibility. The rapid dissemination of information demands critical thinking and discernment.

As we explore these technological wonders, let’s not forget about the strides made in health and medicine, another arena transformed by technology.

Technological Advancements in Health and Medicine

In the realm of health and medicine, there are incredible advancements that are prolonging life expectancy and improving patient care. The fusion of Genetic Engineering with Artificial Intelligence is unlocking new doors in healthcare innovation, offering an unprecedented level of freedom. Patients can now take control over their health.

Consider these four revolutionary developments:

• Precision Medicine: Genetic engineering enables tailored treatments based on your unique genetic makeup.
• AI Diagnostics: AI can analyze medical images faster and more accurately than humans.
• Robotic Surgery: Surgeons use AI-powered robots for precise, minimally invasive procedures.
• Genome Editing: Genetic diseases could soon be a thing of the past thanks to CRISPR technology.

How Technology Has Transformed Education

Education has been significantly transformed by the advent of digital tools, making learning more engaging and accessible than ever before. Imagine this: you’re stepping into the pyramids of Egypt or exploring Mars’ surface, all from your classroom through virtual field trips. It’s not science fiction; it’s a reality today. These tech advancements tear down traditional boundaries, empowering you to explore beyond your physical confines.

Similarly, gamified learning turns monotonous lessons into exciting challenges. You’re no longer memorizing facts; instead, you’re on an adventure quest where each level up means mastering a new concept. This immersive approach not only enhances retention but also fuels self-paced learning.

The Impact of Technology on Our Daily Lives

Consider this: you’re now living in an era where digital advancements have seeped into every aspect of your daily routine, transforming the way you interact with the world.

• Smart Homes : Envision controlling your home’s appliances, lighting, and security systems right from your smartphone. It’s not a sci-fi movie; it’s reality.
• Digital Farming : Imagine farmers utilizing data-driven insights to improve crop yields and reduce waste – that’s digital farming for you.
• Healthcare : Wearable tech is helping monitor vital signs in real time, revolutionizing healthcare.
• Communication : Social media platforms provide unprecedented connectivity.

These aren’t just conveniences; they’re radical shifts freeing up time and resources, making life more efficient and less stressful.

Future Prospects: How Technology Will Continue to Improve Our Lives

You’re probably wondering what’s next on the horizon as advancements continue to redefine our daily routines and expectations.

Imagine this: Smart Homes that not only respond to your commands but anticipate your needs, learning from your habits to create a living space that’s uniquely tailored to you.

Think of an autonomous vehicle that understands your schedule, ready to chauffeur you around at a moment’s notice, liberating you from the constraints of public transport or even the need for personal car ownership.

Such advancements are not mere science fiction; they’re becoming our reality and will continue to revolutionize how we live.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the negative impacts of technology on our society.

Certainly, technology is a double-edged sword. On one side, it has revolutionized our world, making life more convenient and efficient. On the flip side, it has introduced a new set of challenges including potential technology addiction. Excessive screen time can impinge on physical health and real-world social interactions. Furthermore, the digital divide exacerbates existing inequalities, as those without access to technology find themselves increasingly marginalized.

How Has Technology Contributed to Environmental Degradation?

The environmental cost of technology is alarming. From resource-intensive manufacturing processes to the challenge of electronic waste disposal, technology contributes to environmental stress. Practices like unsustainable mining for rare earth minerals and the carbon footprint of data centers should be part of any discussion about the environmental impact of technology.

What Are Some Common Privacy Concerns Related to the Use of Technology?

Privacy has become a major concern in the age of technology. Issues range from data breaches to unauthorized data collection by corporations and potential governmental surveillance. Implementing strong cybersecurity measures and being discerning about the personal information you share online are more crucial than ever.

How Can Technology Contribute to Social Isolation?

Ironically, while technology has the power to connect us globally, it can also isolate us from our immediate surroundings. The convenience of online interactions can sometimes make them replace in-person socialization, contributing to feelings of loneliness and social isolation. Striking a balance by consciously allocating time for offline interactions can help mitigate this effect.

What Are the Potential Risks and Challenges Associated With Relying Heavily on Technology?

Over-dependence on technology brings its own set of risks. Not only does it make us vulnerable to digital addiction, but it also increases our exposure to cybersecurity threats such as hacking and identity theft. It’s essential to exercise digital prudence by maintaining updated security software and employing best practices in data protection to ensure that our reliance on technology doesn’t compromise our freedom or well-being.

Home — Essay Samples — Information Science and Technology — Disadvantages of Technology — The Impact of Technology on Our Lives

The Impact of Technology on Our Lives

• Categories: Disadvantages of Technology Impact of Technology

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Words: 799 |

Published: Jan 29, 2024

Words: 799 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Table of contents

Impact on communication, effects on education, influence on work and productivity, influence on health and well-being, impact on society.

• Anderson, M., & Perrin, A. (2017, May 19). Tech Adoption Climbs Among Older Adults. Pew Research Center - Internet and Technology. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2017/05/17/technology-use-among-seniors/
• Brown, A. E., & Tiggemann, M. (2016). Attractive celebrity and peer images on Instagram: Effect on women’s mood and body image. Body Image, 19, 37-43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2016.09.008
• Chen, Q., Liang, Y., & Deng, C. (2019). The effects of WeChat use on mental health among college students in China. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 22(12), 724-730. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2019.0216
• Kim, L. E., & Caine, K. E. (2014). Help-seeking behavior in the context of suicidal ideation: A study of Facebook users. Journal of Affective Disorders, 155, 49-53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2013.10.043

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How Technology Has Changed Our Lives (Essay/Paper Sample)

Table of Contents

Introduction

There is no question that technology has changed human life with little to no effort, and is continuously changing our lives today. But are all of these changes good? Is technological advancement all positive benefits at no cost?

This essay takes a closer look at how technology has changed our lives in a balanced and objective manner.

For more free essays like this, browse through our website for other written works on other topics. You may also contact us for essay writing services . You will be matched with an academic writer who is an expert on your chosen topic.

Modern Technology and Everyday Life

Technology has altered the way people experience the world and how they go about their lives. Personal computers, mobile phones, CCTV cameras, and GPS systems, among other forms of technology, have directly affected human life. The internet, in particular, has revolutionized human experiences.

This paper evaluates the benefits and challenges of technology on human life.

When the internet came about some decades ago, different groups of people and organizations reacted differently to the concept. Some saw an opportunity to connect to a global village in terms of business and relationships. Other people were cautious at first, pointing to certain repercussions such as internet pornography and cybercrime. Today, technology has grown even more with new inventions in major sectors.

One of the most significant ways technology has elevated human life is enhanced communication. Individuals can send and receive messages anywhere and everywhere in real-time. Instead of picking up a phone to call someone or spending time and money to meet somewhere physically far, smartphones have made it possible for people to hold virtual chats.

Social media has made communication more convenient and efficient. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and many other such sites enable people to instantly share information, including news and pictures. An event occurring in a remote part of Thailand or on a mountain in Switzerland can be streamed live.

Businesses have benefited immensely from the World Wide Web as well. Many firms have cut costs and experienced steady growth in profits because less manual labor is needed to accomplish tasks, with robots and machines taking over operations. Employees can work from home, allowing them more freedom and flexibility. Video conferencing, for instance, has made it possible for people to reduce time and travel costs. Meetings involving participants across various parts of the world can be held online. Online banking has made it easier for people to make financial transactions from the safety of their homes, and to pay for goods and services at physical and online stores without necessarily carrying cash.

The World Wide Web has also changed the dynamics of dating. A man in London can date ten girls from ten different countries, and set up an online meeting with each of them at different times of the day. It could lead to a marriage or a string of casual arrangements.

The local libraries have also become emptier due to the advent of e-books. Students can access resources from around the globe to further their education. At the same time, our experience of entertainment has been elevated. Mobile entertainment is now possible as television and radio are integrated into smartphones, tablets, and even on laptops. GPS services have made driving easier and CCTV cameras have made home safety more achievable. Also, newer technologies such as artificial intelligence and 3D printing have added to human independence.

On the downside, technology is eroding the collective morals of society. So many pedophiles and sociopaths from all over the world have gotten involved in Internet pornography. With these restricted sites being easily accessible, marriages are crumbling. Human trafficking, prostitution, drug trafficking, and other social evils have likewise been facilitated by technological devices.

Finally, terrorist groups have turned to the internet to spread their message of hatred and violence. They have shifted the marketing strategy into digital recruitment, so they are amassing followers from around the globe through websites and social media. We also have the advent of cybercrime. Online bank accounts are now more vulnerable than before, and billions of dollars are lost annually.

Cybercrime also perpetuates racism and hatred as hackers spread negative social, political, and religious messages to their targets. Furthermore, artificial human intelligence poses a threat to the human race. It is argued that robots will, at one point, completely phase out the role of human beings in some sectors. The possibility of cloning and gene editing has also been the subject of many-a-hot-debate.

When it comes to technology, there are both benefits and costs. But overall, it is more beneficial than destructive. As long as governments and other regulatory bodies play their roles in ensuring that security is not compromised and that people’s freedoms are not trampled on, technology will continue to benefit humankind.

How Technology Has Changed Our Lives For The Worst

It is easy to praise information technology for the many ways it has helped society today. With the way that it has eased the burden on communicating and many other daily functions, it is safe to say that these technological advancements have many positive effects that make lives easier.

However, as with any innovation, new ideas and advances come at a price. The negative impact of technology can also be felt in different areas of society today. While the Internet’s very high speeds have allowed us to access information faster, it has also led to its excessive use, creating an army of users who spend hours online being unproductive.

Various unethical practices have also emerged from new technology. Pornography and child trafficking have become common ailments plaguing the population, with most transactions happening online. Cybercrime has become rampant, leaving many naive and unsuspecting users with hacked bank accounts or social media accounts. Creative copywriting has also become a hot topic, with plenty of graphics being digitally manipulated and passed off as someone else’s work.

I hope that more government authorities and regulatory bodies will have better oversight over these technological advancements.

What Are Pros Of Technology?

Life with technology comes with many perks. The biggest ones are speed and convenience. In an increasingly busy world where everything demands your time, any innovation that can cut down your use of precious time and energy is a welcome addition to your lifestyle. Certain technologies also elevate your way of working. What would have once taken you hours to jot down on a pen and paper now takes half an hour to complete on a laptop. Different software apps also enable you to do tasks that you may not necessarily be skilled at doing, such as graphic design. It is also easier to run errands and complete transactions in a secure and convenient way.

What Are Cons Of Technology?

Many of the downsides in these welcome advancements are attributed to the degrading of society’s moral compass. With the Internet comes the possibility of identity theft, where someone could easily take your name and photo and pretend to be you. There is also creative theft, where your digital work could be manipulated with minor tweaks and be sold as someone else’s work. At the extreme end of the spectrum are heavy cyber crimes such as cyber terrorism and child trafficking.  These have all found their own spots on the World Wide Web and have attracted their own audiences, which are massive. They have found creative ways to hibernate online so that they are not tracked and caught. There’s plenty of illegal activity happening online.

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How Virtual Reality Technology Has Changed Our Lives: An Overview of the Current and Potential Applications and Limitations

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No new data were created or analyzed in this study. Data sharing is not applicable to this article.

Despite virtual reality (VR) being initially marketed toward gaming, there are many potential and existing VR applications in various sectors and fields, including education, training, simulations, and even in exercise and healthcare. Unfortunately, there is still a lack of general understanding of the strengths and limitations of VR as a technology in various application domains. Therefore, the aim of this literature review is to contribute to the library of literature concerning VR technology, its applications in everyday use, and some of its existing drawbacks. Key VR applications were discussed in terms of how they are currently utilized or can be utilized in the future, spanning fields such as medicine, engineering, education, and entertainment. The main benefits of VR are expressed through the text, followed by a discussion of some of the main limitations of current VR technologies and how they can be mitigated or improved. Overall, this literature review shows how virtual reality technology has the potential to be a greatly beneficial tool in a multitude of applications and a wide variety of fields. VR as a technology is still in its early stages, but more people are becoming interested in it and are optimistic about seeing what kind of changes VR can make in their everyday lives. With how rapidly modern society has adapted to personal computers and smartphones, VR has the opportunity to become the next big technological turning point that will eventually become commonplace in most households.

1. Introduction

This literature review aims to contribute to the library of literature on the applications of virtual reality (VR), how they are currently used and can be used in the future, and some of the strengths and difficulties that come with using VR.

Virtual reality (VR) refers to a computer-generated, three-dimensional virtual environment that users can interact with, typically accessed via a computer that is capable of projecting 3D information via a display, which can be isolated screens or a wearable display, e.g., a head-mounted display (HMD), along with user identification sensors [ 1 ]. VR can mainly be divided into two categories: non-immersive, and immersive [ 2 ]. Non-immersive VR utilizes a combination of screens surrounding the user to present virtual information [ 3 ]. A typical example of this is driving or flight simulations in which the user sits in a chair with multiple screens around them, giving them the feeling of being in the cockpit or driver’s seat without being fully immersed. Immersive VR refers to using a wearable display, e.g., HMD, to track a user’s movement and present the VR information based on the position of users [ 4 ], which allows them to experience 360 degrees of the virtual environment. This immersive experience is what most people think of when it comes to VR and is one of the most marketable aspects of VR technology. In between immersive and non-immersive VR, there is also augmented reality (AR). AR makes use of computer-generated imagery that is overlayed on physical elements in the real world, which can be found in many applications, such as stores providing a virtual fitting application for people to “try on” clothes. Mixed reality (XR) represents the spectrum between the physical and digital worlds, combining AR and VR to allow users to both immerse themselves in a virtual world while also being somewhat grounded in reality.

The concept of VR was first introduced in the 1960s, with Morton’s creation of the Telesphere Mask and the Sensorama [ 5 ]. The original technologies served the purpose of immersing the user in the video display around them, making them feel like they are a part of the video. The Ultimate display was an idea developed by Ivan Sutherland [ 6 ], operating on a similar concept of allowing the user to feel immersed in a computer-generated environment using multiple input and output devices [ 7 , 8 ]. Following the creation of the Sensorama and the idea of the Ultimate display in the 1960s, the next large boom in VR technology development occurred in the early 2010s. During this period of time, VR was still considered a gimmick—it was expensive and was not considered a technology that would ever become popular with the general public. This, however, started to shift in 2012, when Palmer Luckey debuted his prototype for the first Oculus [ 9 ]. In 2014, Facebook acquired Oculus after seeing the interest it garnered, leading to a significant increase in the popularity of VR devices for home use. Since then, VR has grown to become more popular and accessible to the everyday consumer, with more VR headsets available on the market, such as the HTC Vive, Samsung VR, Oculus, Google Cardboard, and more.

Despite VR being initially marketed toward gaming, there are many potential and existing VR applications in various sectors and fields, including education, training, simulations, and even in exercise and healthcare. Unfortunately, there is still a lack of general understanding of the strengths and limitations of VR as a technology in various application domains. Some of the largest issues with current VR technology are hard to overcome and can span from technical to financial and health issues. Technological limitations regarding users feeling uncomfortable or ill while using a VR headset, the inaccessibility of this technology to most people due to the high price of the associated hardware, and the lack of technical standardization are all current issues that the tech industry is hoping to overcome with research and future improvements.

Overall, this literature review serves the purpose of covering how different types of VR applications can be utilized, as well as providing information on the advantages and drawbacks of using VR technology in various application domains.

In order to present a reliable literature review, an extensive search was performed using common journal search engines/websites, e.g., Google Scholar, JSTOR, MDPI, ResearchGate, PubMed, and Science Direct, which includes peer-reviewed studies and articles. Keywords and phrases used in searching for sources include a combination of “VR” or “virtual reality” with “Education”, “Simulation,” “Games”, “Virtual”, “Immersive”, “Non-immersive”, “Training”, “Application”, “Manufacturing”, “Industrial”, “Medical”, “Healthcare”, and “Entertainment”. The variety in keywords helped yield different results for VR not only as a technology but also in major use cases where it has already been utilized for different industries and fields. The gathered papers and articles were then reviewed to further select representative and up-to-date evidence.

Papers were selected with the goal of providing sufficient coverage of the topic by presenting an overarching summary rather than an exhaustive review of every type of application within VR. Having a large variety of papers does not guarantee that every particular use case of VR is covered, but it does provide a wide breadth of use cases of VR that are currently applied, as well as opportunity spaces for VR applications in the future. As shown in Figure 1 , 145 papers were initially collected, but only 77 were thoroughly reviewed to provide enough coverage without unnecessary advanced technical details. Five additional papers and articles were added after review to accommodate additional information, resulting in a total of 82 sources used for the final literature review.

General structure of the paper selection and literature review.

Included papers were those that clearly presented a specific VR application, those that showed clear negative or positive outcomes of VR usage, or papers that provided relevant background information on a specific VR technology. Exclusion criteria included disregarding papers that had an overt focus on VR hardware components, excluding studies that may have mentioned VR without it being the focus, and rejecting papers that became repetitive after utilizing other papers on similar topics. The following sections provide detailed reviews based on various VR applications and domains.

3. Reviews of VR Technology Applications

The technological applications of VR have advanced to a point where they can be applied to an extensive range of fields and industries outside of just gaming or entertainment. Many have started to take advantage of VR in performing tasks that are hard to practice due to limited resources or the inherent risks and dangers associated with said tasks that can sometimes lead to catastrophic consequences. The greatest strength of VR is that it opens up opportunities for people to practice these tasks in a safe capacity while also being immersed enough for it to feel realistic and transferable to the real world and depict almost any situation accurately [ 10 ]. This section covers some of the main categories of VR applications and provides examples of how these applications are applied or can be applied to different use cases across various fields.

One of the most widely used and largely applicable applications of VR is the simulation aspect, which can be uniquely created and customized to suit users’ needs. There are two main types of simulations: immersive and non-immersive. As mentioned above, non-immersive VR simulations usually include multiple screens and some type of platform or apparatus that mimics the activities or tasks in reality [ 3 ]. Immersive VR simulations differ in terms of using HMDs in place of screens and can either utilize a control platform or apparatus such as the ones used in non-immersive simulations [ 11 ] or can instead be fully contained within a virtual setup and require no external setups or platforms. Whether users opt for immersive or non-immersive VR simulations, there is no significant difference in the performance, and the results appear to be very similar in fulfilling the simulation’s purpose [ 12 ]. There is, however, a slight advantage to using immersive VR simulations with HMDs, as they are capable of fully immersing the user in the simulated environment and giving them a more thorough experience [ 13 ].

3.1. Industrial Simulation Applications

VR simulations have many applications that can span from training simulation to prototyping, designing, and testing tools and objects. Some commonly used VR simulations in the industrial domain include driving simulators, flight simulators for pilots, and combat simulators for military personnel, all of which provide training to users in highly dangerous circumstances without putting them at risk during the training process [ 14 ]. Among the many use cases, two typical simulation applications are further discussed in the following sections.

3.1.1. Driving Simulations

One major use of VR simulations is driving simulations for both driving training and within the automotive industry; VR provides the ability to create driving simulations in which users can be placed in risky driving scenarios without real danger [ 15 ]. Driving simulators can be useful in multiple capacities, such as observing driving behavior to collect data or training inexperienced drivers in a low-stress environment.

VR driving simulations can be used to train young or novice drivers and help them understand their mistakes or point out some bad driving habits they need to adjust. Within a simulation, drivers can be placed in a virtual vehicle within an environment resembling a cityscape, with their behaviors and actions observed and recorded to later analyze for any issues or mistakes or to see if the drivers made the correct decisions in a given scenario [ 16 ]. After conducting the simulation, drivers can be informed of their mistakes and receive feedback about how to improve their behaviors in an actual driving situation. These driving simulations can also be beneficial in training young drivers with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) [ 17 ], who may otherwise have difficulties learning in an uncontrolled environment.

Another application of VR driving simulations is the ability to collect real-time data on how users react to different scenarios as drivers on the road in a simulated environment. This data can be used in multiple capacities, such as designing better safety features in a vehicle, providing a better user experience for drivers, developing training modules for drivers, and for use in autonomous vehicle (AV) research and development. AVs have been an emerging field of technology that will continue to develop and advance, with VR simulations continuously providing opportunities for safe and efficient data collection and user testing [ 18 ]. One common issue in the field is developing trust between users and autonomous vehicles and understanding how to mitigate the distrust most people have in this technology [ 19 ]. It is important to ensure users have a certain level of trust in an AV so as to ensure drivers take over when appropriate. Accordingly, putting users in a VR driving simulation in which they interact with an autonomous vehicle virtually can yield substantial amounts of data on how users behave within that environment while also ensuring that users feel safe in the process and can become accustomed to being in an AV [ 20 ].

3.1.2. Product Design and Prototyping

One application of VR that can be useful is the ability to look at 3D models in a virtual space in a way that is difficult to visualize via a screen. Prototypes or preliminary designs for products can be modeled and shown in a virtual environment for test and evaluation purposes [ 21 ]. One significant advantage of showing these models in VR is presenting a virtual prototype or part without spending a lot of time, money, effort, or material on building the prototype in real life. Through simulations, VR can also show how the product would react under different conditions. Simulations can be run in VR to show the effect of different interactions between the prototype and surrounding subjects [ 22 ]. This can help the prototype designers determine if any areas of the prototype need to be improved based on the simulated interaction results. The ability to see the product in a virtual environment can also provide the ability to make changes to VR design for a quick turnaround and faster results, which could increase the speed of prototyping, reduce prototype production waste, and increase the understanding of the functions of the prototype.

3.2. Education

Educational applications of VR have not been utilized much yet, but there are many promising examples and studies of how beneficial VR can be in an educational environment. Using VR can help increase student attention by keeping them engaged with what is happening inside the VR environment [ 23 , 24 ]. Most teenage students find it challenging to pay attention in class, especially when they feel that the discussed topics are not relevant to them. When students use exciting technologies such as VR, they are more interested and engaged with what they are learning while immersed in a virtual environment [ 25 , 26 ]. VR headsets are also useful in blocking out visual and auditory distractions, creating an opportunity for the student to focus on teaching materials better. Such VR approaches open up more opportunities for teachers to interact one-on-one with students and have more useful and beneficial teacher–student interactions [ 27 ].

VR also provides the opportunity for students to construct and practice their own knowledge by being able to engage in meaningful experiences. Students are able to immersively engage in educational activities and gain a better understanding of the topic at hand [ 28 ]. VR also has the capability of transporting students to different environments, allowing them to learn and explore various concepts safely and efficiently. This can be especially useful to demonstrate environments that are impossible to visit in reality, such as underwater or space [ 29 , 30 ].

Mixed reality can be considered an extended VR application, which can be applied to real learning environments, such as exploring laboratory experiments [ 31 ]. Students can wear an HMD that shows information and instructions about the laboratory they will experience and can interact with items in reality to recreate what is simulated to them in VR. Essentially, students are still fully aware of their surroundings while also having a better visual understanding and representation of their task, which can help reduce mistakes, allow students to be more independent, and keep students interested and engaged.

With the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a sudden increase in virtual learning, with many classes being held via online meeting platforms and others being fully asynchronous. VR offers a new, unique approach to asynchronous learning; VR can create a learning environment in which a student can participate in lectures and ask questions to virtual instructors with pre-generated answers [ 32 ]. It is particularly important for students to feel immersed in the virtual environment in order to keep them engaged [ 33 ]. Virtual environments can be created to look just like real-life classrooms where students can walk around and work with other students on assignments [ 34 ]. The issue with asynchronous classroom experiences is that not all of a student’s questions will necessarily be answered; information will be limited to what is currently updated within the virtual experience. Thus, VR-based virtual education does provide a better experience to students than watching videos online, but it cannot replace the experience of being in a classroom with teachers who can directly engage with students.

With VR technology further advancing, VR could also be used for live, synchronous classes where students can engage with classmates and teachers from the comfort of their homes in real time. This would have been especially beneficial when schools were closed due to the pandemic, but it can also provide a way for students to attend classes while experiencing health difficulties, traveling, or living in other countries, etc. Even though live classes have not yet really been held using VR, such applications can be developed in the future, especially with some of the current development being made in both asynchronous learning and social interaction.

3.3. Public Health

Another domain in which VR has been utilized is within public health and wellness. Due to the immersive nature of VR, it can be used to simulate experiences that can directly impact people’s health. Some examples include providing immersive training simulations to medical personnel, offering a new method of exercise or meditation, and presenting therapists with opportunities to better help and understand their patients.

3.3.1. Medical Training

VR simulations provide the opportunity for medical professionals to practice procedures before operating on a patient, which has proven to help provide patients with better outcomes more consistently and reduce the incidence of mistakes. Preparation and practice in VR help improve patient outcomes because medical personnel are better prepared for each patient’s unique circumstances before operating [ 35 , 36 ].

In terms of learning how to perform procedures, medical students can train in an interactive virtual environment that can be programmed with different scenarios, which allows a student to experience real-life scenarios with virtual patients [ 37 ]. The virtual environment can be programmed in a multitude of diverse ways so the student can be prepared and better accustomed to different types of scenarios they may face with future patients. The simulation can be programmed so that a video can be played, showing how to effectively use a tool or object when the user looks at it [ 38 ]. The simulation can also provide hints or step-by-step instructions to students so they know how to perform the surgery properly. All these practices are much more hands-on than reading a textbook and more realistic than practicing on mannequins with minimal risks to a real patient, which makes VR a perfect tool to assist student learning.

Medical students are not the only ones who can benefit from VR simulations; seasoned medical professionals and surgeons can also benefit from this technology. Patient-specific virtual reality simulations (PSVR) are a technology that allows doctors to practice actual upcoming operations in VR [ 39 ]. This technology allows surgeons to practice customized procedures to match their patients’ specific needs and circumstances. A patient’s medical history and physical attributes can be created in the simulation and programmed with the most likely outcomes. When a surgeon performs a task or action in the simulation, the appropriate or most likely reaction can be programmed to simulate what would occur in real life under the same circumstance. This provides an opportunity for surgeons to plan out their surgery beforehand in a virtual environment, allowing them to be better prepared and more confident in their plan for the surgery ahead [ 40 ].

3.3.2. Exergaming, Fitness and Sports

With the initial focus of VR being on gaming, developers saw an opportunity for the emergence of a genre of games called exergames, in which users participate in physical activities to achieve the goals of the game. “The core concept of exergaming rests on the idea of using vigorous body activity as the input for interacting with engaging digital game content with the hope of supplanting the sedentary activity that typifies traditional game interaction that relies on keyboards, gamepads, and joysticks” [ 41 ]. VR games tend to fall under the category of exergames by requiring the user to stand up and move around in order to interact with the environment. Games such as Beat Saber (Beat Games, Prague, Czech Republic) make the user move around frequently to fulfill the game’s requirements.

Using VR as a workout tool helps gamify exercise, which can greatly assist users in staying motivated and engaged by providing them with goals to achieve during their workout. A study performed by Segura-Orti on dialysis patients shows that patients that used VR exercises instead of conventional physical activities had an increased level of physical activity compared to those who worked out using conventional methods [ 42 , 43 ]. This is probably due to the more enjoyable experience of getting exercise in game form that real life has failed to achieve with exercise apps and challenges. Some current examples include the implementation of treadmills and stationary bicycles with VR applications that allow users to physically run/cycle in place while virtually traveling through a virtual environment. These types of immersive experiences can make users’ workouts more enjoyable and can help encourage those new to fitness to start exercising from home in a new and exciting fashion.

VR technology is also being utilized in sports, where it is used to train athletes to improve their skills and can help provide them with physical therapy and rehabilitation. In terms of athletic training, VR presents a great method of perceptual-cognitive skills training [ 44 ], where users are able to experience and learn from video-based playback in an immersive environment rather than on a screen. This can be especially useful in customizing training for players in large team sports, such as football, basketball, or soccer [ 45 ]. VR allows individuals to repeatedly practice skills with lower risks of harm, which helps reduce injury. When injuries do occur in the real world, VR can be used in the rehabilitation process by allowing athletes to train from anywhere and at any time, even in the absence of a trainer or facility.

3.3.3. Therapy and Meditation

Another use of VR is in mental health therapy and meditation. The immersive nature of VR provides the flexibility to create various types of environments or experiences. Accordingly, VR can be used to experience situations that are hard to come by in real life, or that can be dangerous to go through in real life. For example, for those who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), VR can be a way to experience situations that can trigger traumatic events within a safe, controlled capacity. Specific scenarios can be recreated in a virtual environment, and the patient can experience them in the presence of a therapist in order to receive help dealing with their trauma [ 46 ]. This type of therapy is similar to exposure therapy, in which patients confront what triggers them in order to slowly heal from their trauma [ 47 ].

For people who have certain disorders that may be hard to explain with words, VR can be a safe way to put people in scenarios that may trigger their disorders and observe their behaviors. Allowing a therapist to observe the situation can give them a better insight into why their patient is reacting in a certain way, which will allow them to better treat their patient [ 48 ].

Another application of VR is to use the immersive nature of the technology for meditation purposes. With the ability to experience a calm virtual environment that fully blocks distractions, VR presents a unique form of meditation that may be otherwise difficult to achieve at home. Studies on the use of VR in meditation have shown a slight increase in positive effects and a state of mindfulness in users after the meditation experience [ 49 ]. One study showed that VR meditation was more successful in reducing pre-exam anxiety in college students than watching a meditation video, where 71% of those using VR reported lower anxiety levels compared to 47% of the control group [ 50 ]. VR mediation has been shown to be useful in calming healthcare workers, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual reality plus neurofeedback (VR + NF) meditation was shown to decrease the user’s anger, tension, depression, vigor, fatigue, and confusion [ 51 ]. Navarro-Haro et al. experienced an immersive VR mediation simulation and reported an increase in mindfulness and a reduction in negative emotional stress [ 52 ]. They were also less sad and less angry after the simulation. Mediation experts acknowledge that meditation with VR can be an immensely helpful and unique experience that is not yet fully utilized, and studies such as the one discussed here show promising results for this use of VR.

3.4. Social Interaction

VR provides the ability to transport users to a virtual environment in which they can interact with other users. This provides an opportunity to create social connections that may otherwise be hard to create or maintain. Social interaction via VR can be especially helpful for those with autism, as it provides a way for them to practice their communication skills. Users are able to participate in virtual cognition training to better improve their social skills, such as emotion recognition, social attribution, and analogical reasoning [ 53 ]. There are even programs in which young adults with high-functioning autism can participate that are designed with the purpose of increasing their social skills. These programs train users to better recognize facial expressions, body language, and emotions from a person’s voice [ 54 ]. These programs have lasting effects on the users, as they gain the ability to recognize other people’s emotions within the training that they can carry forward in their lives.

Social virtual reality also provides a new way for people to connect over long distances. Virtual spaces can be created in a VR environment and allow users to interact with each other in a realistic setting; users can have realistic avatars and talk to each other as if they were face-to-face [ 55 ]. This method of communication can be as effective as talking to another person in real life as long as the users feel immersed in the environment. When the users are immersed in the virtual environment, they have a better sense of presence, and their responses are more genuine [ 56 ]. This was especially popular during the COVID-19 pandemic when social distancing and travel restrictions made it much harder for people to see and speak with their loved ones [ 57 ]. Being able to attend events and experience activities with others via VR has provided a substitute for real-life interactions that is more realistic than merely speaking over the phone or via video chat [ 58 ].

3.5. Entertainment

The most prominent application of VR among the general public is within the sphere of entertainment, with VR offering new ways for users to experience several types of media in an immersive capacity.

One such form of media consumption within VR is watching movies, shows, or videos. VR offers new ways for users to experience visual media due to its ability to immerse users in a virtual world. VR displays are able to play 360° videos and allow the users to move around in the virtual environment, which provides the user with a more immersive experience and allows them to interact with the world as they see fit [ 59 ]. Users now have more control over what they want to pay attention to in a video and can experience videos in a whole new way.

Another application is virtual travel and tourism. Virtual tourism allows users to experience immersive tourism in simulated environments based on real landscapes or locations. This can make travel attainable to many people that would otherwise not be able to afford the time or money needed to physically visit faraway destinations. Examples of VR tourism include virtual museum visits, navigating areas using applications such as Google Street View, and virtual tours of popular destinations such as the Grand Canyon or the Great Wall of China. The concept of virtually visiting other countries or worlds has existed since the 90s [ 60 ], but there was a boost in interest recently due to travel constraints during the COVID-19 pandemic [ 61 ], with more people seeking travel experiences from the confines of their homes.

Live music is another form of entertainment that seems to be gaining traction as another large application of VR. Virtual reality has the ability to change the way people experience concerts, offering users the ability to attend and enjoy concerts from anywhere in the world. Prerecorded concerts are already available as a VR experience, with videos of the concerts filmed in 360 using omnidirectional cameras, allowing users to move their heads around and feel like they are physically present at the concert [ 62 ]. This can be an opportunity for users who do not have the ability to travel or could not get tickets to still enjoy the show. This will also allow users to see parts of the concert they could not see even if they were there due to cameras either being positioned on stage or close to the stage. The livestreaming of concerts in VR is still not technologically applicable, but it seems like the music industry is aiming to make it a reality at some point in the future with further VR development. As part of the most significant applications of VR, gaming has gained huge popularity recently, with headsets becoming more accessible and game developers investing more in the VR landscape. Many users have purchased VR headsets to play popular games such as Beat Saber , Super-Hot , and Job Simulator (Menlo Park, Prague, Czech Republic), some of the top-selling VR games. Besides designated VR games, many other games that were not initially made for VR are also being developed to include this capability and expand the options gamers have concerning their in-game experience. The rise of VR gaming popularity in recent years owes to the immersive capabilities of HMDs to immerse the users in the game environment, blocking out all external distractions [ 63 ] and giving the users a better sense of presence [ 64 ]. Players can experience the game from their point of view, which allows users to experience games in a whole new way [ 65 ].

4. Limitations and Side Effects of VR

Despite VR being a powerful and versatile tool, current VR technology has some evident limitations and drawbacks. These limitations include technological limits on what VR can do, how accessible VR is to the general public, and some of the side effects of using VR devices.

4.1. Technological Limitations

As a technology still in the earlier stages of development on a grand scale, VR has made significant leaps in evolution. Still, more substantial progress must occur before VR can be fully utilized in all possible applications and purposes.

Right now, the standardization of VR technology and presentation is still limited [ 66 ]; every developer may have their own interface specifications and functionality associated with their technology, and applications are not easily transferable between devices. The only standardization that can be observed as of now tends to be with popular games that are developed to be used across different VR platforms. It is also hard to troubleshoot bugs and receive proper support for any issues due to the lack of standardization. Hopefully, with time and progress in VR development, the technology can become more streamlined and provide better usability for users and transferability between devices. There are currently efforts to standardize VR, but these efforts are new, and the process is still in its infancy [ 67 ].

Other issues include hardware and software requirements for professional VR development, as most VR development software tends to take up a lot of data space on computers and have high-power consumption [ 68 ]. VR headsets also tend to be very heavy and can cause physical strain on users, causing headaches and pain, especially around the neck and shoulders [ 69 ]. As of now, it is not yet known what kind of detrimental effects VR use will have on users’ eyesight, but it is known that it can cause strain, especially with prolonged usage [ 70 ].

Another common issue is the lag between the user’s movements and the visual display within a VR headset [ 71 ]. A lot of the time, the headset’s tracking does not keep up properly with the user’s movements, which not only decreases their immersion but can also cause dizziness or “cybersickness,” which is explained in more detail below [ 71 , 72 ].

Cybersickness

One of the crucial issues with VR usage is VR-induced motion sickness, or “cybersickness” [ 73 , 74 ]. Cybersickness is a phenomenon where users will feel symptoms similar to motion sickness (i.e., nausea, dizziness, lightheadedness) as a result of using a VR device [ 71 ]. It is not yet known exactly why this occurs, but there are a few theories to explain this phenomenon. The most likely theory is known as the “sensory conflict theory,” which states that the excessive mismatch between the motion a user perceives visually and the lack of the corresponding movement in their body causes a conflict [ 71 , 72 , 75 ]. This happens when there is a disparity between the user’s visual system and vestibular system, which is the sensory system responsible for providing the brain with information about motion, head position, and spatial orientation [ 76 ]. Another explanation for cybersickness is the “ecological hypothesis”, which states that when people are not able to perceive or react to new dynamic situations, postural instability occurs [ 77 ].

Cybersickness does not always come with virtual experiences, but the issue can be exacerbated by several factors. Some individual factors include prolonged VR exposure; the user’s predisposition to motion sickness, fatigue, or nausea; and how adapted a user is to VR applications [ 71 , 78 ]. Cybersickness symptoms also seem to be less frequent when users are sitting instead of standing. Symptoms tend to worsen when a user is experiencing a high-speed simulation or game. Being a passive participant makes users more susceptible to symptoms than when they are in control of the simulation [ 71 , 79 , 80 ].

There are also some technical factors that can increase the likelihood of cybersickness occurring. These issues include noticeable lags (delays in the visual display can cause symptoms), position tracking errors (better head tracking reduces symptoms), and flicker in the visual display [ 71 , 72 ].

Cybersickness is one of the most uncomfortable issues that comes with VR usage, and if users continue to experience these uncomfortable symptoms, this can present a huge hindrance to the widespread development and utilization of VR applications [ 72 , 77 ].

4.2. Accessibility

As VR technology evolves, it is becoming more accessible, especially compared to its earlier stages. The cost of VR headsets on the market is still higher than most people can afford, but their current pricing is on par with most gaming consoles. Headsets such as Oculus Quest 2 cost about $300 for the base model and can be fully operated without the need for a computer, making it one of the more accessible headsets on the market. Most other headsets require using a computer that is “VR-ready”, meaning a high-end computer with a powerful graphics card that can manage VR applications. VR-ready computers tend to be more expensive than most computers, making this type of VR headset more expensive overall and out of reach for most people. This makes cost one of the larger barriers for people to get into VR as regular consumers, which is a hindrance to the growth of VR as a household technology.

VR as a field also includes augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (XR), which are less immersive forms of virtual experiences where users still operate in the real world with a virtual overlay. AR and XR applications are more accessible to people due to their development for use on mobile devices, which are much more common with most people owning or having access to one. A common example of this type of application is AR games such as the popular Pokémon Go , which combines using a smartphone with a physical exploration of the real world [ 81 ] in search of “Pokémon” around them that can only be observed via their phones. Distances are tracked based on a user’s steps, and users can connect fitness apps to the game in order to increase rewards gained from crossing long distances. These types of games and applications can encourage people to be more physically active by gamifying the walking experience [ 82 ]. Similar smartphone games and applications can be a more accessible entry point for people interested in VR but who lack the funds to invest in an immersive headset and computer setup.

5. Conclusions

This literature review has shown how virtual reality technology has the potential to be a greatly beneficial tool in a multitude of applications and a wide variety of fields. Current applications span different domains such as engineering, education, medicine, and entertainment. With VR technology gaining popularity and traction, more VR applications can be further utilized in the future, both in improving current use cases as well as expanding to more domains. The hope is that with more VR technological breakthroughs and development, the current limitations and issues can be overcome, making long-term VR usage more realistic and accessible to more people.

Overall, VR as a technology is still in its early stages, but more people are becoming interested in it and are optimistic about seeing what kind of changes VR can make in their everyday lives. However, more and more application scenarios are under development by experts from different fields, which allows for more specific applications and development. With how rapidly modern society has adapted to personal computers and smartphones, VR has the opportunity to become the next big technological turning point that will eventually become commonplace in most households.

Funding Statement

This research received no external funding.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, A.H. and B.J. methodology, A.H. and B.J. validation, B.J.; formal analysis, A.H.; investigation, A.H.; resources, A.H.; data curation, A.H.; writing—original draft preparation, A.H.; writing—review and editing, B.J.; visualization, A.H.; supervision, B.J. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Institutional Review Board Statement

Not applicable.

Informed Consent Statement

Data availability statement, conflicts of interest.

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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The advancement of technology has changed every aspect of our lives. It has changed the way we live, learn, and so much more. Today, code runs our lives. So much of it happens in the background without us knowing its happening. Wearables are now everywhere, and there is even talk of integrating technology directly into the human brain.

We live in an age of science fiction come alive. Anyone with a thought and an opinion can experience instant virality and fame. Specialized artificial intelligence (AI) is now able to automate decision-making that used to be made by humans in the past. Robots are now more complex and able to do the jobs done in factories. Our lives have become easier and more hectic all at once.

What is Technology?

Technology, broadly defined, is any application engineered to solve a problem within society. As the famous phrase goes, "necessity is the mother of invention". All technology was created to meet the demands of society and culture.

Once a technology is developed, it begins to alter the behavior of the people it helps, which creates: potential new problems, different economic structures, or new ways of life. Technology layers upon other technology, which lead to more technological innovation.

Technologies like the computer led to the invention of the Internet, which led to the innovation of Blockchains, quantum computers, and AI. Technology fixes problems while creating new and unexpected problems. This invites new technology to come in and solve those problems.

How Technology Has Changed Our Lives

Technology has fixed problems and creates new problems. Technology has enabled travel throughout the globe, instant messages to be sent with little latency, and work to be done with less effort. Virtually every facet of human life has changed because of technology.

1. Instant Communication

We are able to communicate faster than ever before. Technologies like Instagram , Facebook , and YouTube has created overnight sensations and carried messages further and more virally than ever before. Today, you don't need to be a TV or movie star to be famous. You can grow your own audience on YouTube and monetize your channel with little effort.

These new forms of technology have enabled the average person to have a global voice. However, it comes with the downside of anyone being able to say anything and not being held accountable for anything. This has led to the rise of conspiracy theories and fake news.

As the voices continue to grow louder, it's harder than ever to discern between fact and fiction. The cost of instant and viral communication has made it possible for anyone to have a platform. This now creates a need for an impartial third-party technology that helps fact-check different platforms.

2. Convenient Lifestyle

Our lifestyles have become progressively easier and easier. It is so easy that you never have to step out of the house to live life. You can have your groceries delivered by Instacart , learn advanced calculus on YouTube, and order food for your pet on Chewy .

The problem with the sedentary lifestyle is that it is easier than ever to stay healthy. It is so easy to be lazy and connected to your phone all day. It's hard to get motivated to workout.

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated this trend to the extremes with the shelter-in-home order. By simply being connected to the Internet, we can get all our needs met with the tap of our index finger.

3. Better Education

Education has become so easy and accessible. You can learn how to code just by using Pluralsight or learn a myriad of technical skills through Udacity courses. In fact, online education has gotten so good that anyone can become an expert on almost anything through self-education.

This has led us to examine the model of how we've constructed our K-12 and even higher education. Now it's become a legitimate question: Is it really worth spending tens of thousands of dollars to go to college if you can learn everything on your own time at a fraction of the cost?

The advance of educational technology has led to people questioning the efficacy of traditional educational institutions. At the same time, there is almost too much educational content that it's hard to know which is the best one to learn from.

4. Higher Levels of Productivity

Steve Jobs famously referred to a computer as a "bicycle for the mind". It has lived up and exceeded this promise. The computer, along with the network of technologies we are connected to today, has allowed us to be more productive than ever before.

Today, you are able to hold a business conference with people across the globe (that you may never meet in person). You are able to deploy servers that you never have to manage yourself, and you can automate boring job processes to run without you lifting a finger.

Today, if you work in a software company, you can work anywhere in the world as long as you have a computer. This has upended the traditional concept of what work is and created a new environment for creators to thrive.

5. Improved Transporation

Technologies like cars, boats, planes, and trains have made it feasible to travel to faraway places in less time. Along with that, Uber and Grab have made it inexpensive to travel very effectively without owning your own car. Being able to travel quickly has kept us and accessible to each other.

The downside of this improved transportation has led to increased pollution in the world. With the dependency on fossil fuel, the world continues to burn massive quantities of cheap energy which results in huge wastes.

Final Words

Technology has forever changed our lives. As technology solves problems, it also creates new problems. As people, we need to remember that technology is not our savior and it'll never fix all of our problems. At the end of the day, human love and compassion will overcome the greatest barriers and problems we face today. Let's start putting people first when we look at problems. Let’s find a human-centric way to make the world a better place to live.

April 2, 2024

Eclipse Psychology: When the Sun and Moon Align, So Do We

How a total solar eclipse creates connection, unity and caring among the people watching

By Katie Weeman

Students observing a partial solar eclipse on June 21, 2020, in Lhokseumawe, Aceh Province, Indonesia.

NurPhoto/Getty Images

This article is part of a special report on the total solar eclipse that will be visible from parts of the U.S., Mexico and Canada on April 8, 2024.

It was 11:45 A.M. on August 21, 2017. I was in a grassy field in Glendo, Wyo., where I was surrounded by strangers turned friends, more than I could count—and far more people than had ever flocked to this town, population 210 or so. Golden sunlight blanketed thousands of cars parked in haphazard rows all over the rolling hills. The shadows were quickly growing longer, the air was still, and all of our faces pointed to the sky. As the moon progressively covered the sun, the light melted away, the sky blackened, and the temperature dropped. At the moment of totality, when the moon completely covered the sun , some people around me suddenly gasped. Some cheered; some cried; others laughed in disbelief.

Exactly 53 minutes later, in a downtown park in Greenville, S.C., the person who edited this story and the many individuals around him reacted in exactly the same ways.

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When a total solar eclipse descends—as one will across Mexico, the U.S. and Canada on April 8—everyone and everything in the path of totality are engulfed by deep shadow. Unlike the New Year’s Eve countdown that lurches across the globe one blocky time zone after another, the shadow of totality is a dark spot on Earth that measures about 100 miles wide and cruises steadily along a path, covering several thousand miles in four to five hours. The human experiences along that path are not isolated events any more than individual dominoes are isolated pillars in a formation. Once that first domino is tipped, we are all linked into something bigger—and unstoppable. We all experience the momentum and the awe together.

When this phenomenon progresses from Mexico through Texas, the Great Lakes and Canada on April 8, many observers will describe the event as life-changing, well beyond expectations. “You feel a sense of wrongness in those moments before totality , when your surroundings change so rapidly,” says Kate Russo, an author, psychologist and eclipse chaser. “Our initial response is to ask ourselves, ‘Is this an opportunity or a threat?’ When the light changes and the temperature drops, that triggers primal fear. When we have that threat response, our whole body is tuned in to taking in as much information as possible.”

Russo, who has witnessed 13 total eclipses and counting, has interviewed eclipse viewers from around the world. She continues to notice the same emotions felt by all. They begin with that sense of wrongness and primal fear as totality approaches. When totality starts, we feel powerful awe and connection to the world around us. A sense of euphoria develops as we continue watching, and when it’s over, we have a strong desire to seek out the next eclipse.

“The awe we feel during a total eclipse makes us think outside our sense of self. It makes you more attuned to things outside of you,” says Sean Goldy, a postdoctoral fellow at the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University.

Goldy and his team analyzed Twitter data from nearly 2.9 million people during the 2017 total solar eclipse. They found that people within the path of totality were more likely to use not only language that expressed awe but also language that conveyed being unified and affiliated with others. That meant using more “we” words (“us” instead of “me”) and more humble words (“maybe” instead of “always”).

“During an eclipse, people have a broader, more collective focus,” Goldy says. “We also found that the more people expressed awe, the more likely they were to use those ‘we’ words, indicating that people who experience this emotion feel more connected with others.”

This connectivity ties into a sociological concept known as “collective effervescence,” Russo and Goldy say. When groups of humans come together over a shared experience, the energy is greater than the sum of its parts. If you’ve ever been to a large concert or sporting event, you’ve felt the electricity generated by a hive of humans. It magnifies our emotions.

I felt exactly that unified feeling in the open field in Glendo, as if thousands of us were breathing as one. But that’s not the only way people can experience a total eclipse.

During the 2008 total eclipse in Mongolia “I was up on a peak,” Russo recounts. “I was with only my husband and a close friend. We had left the rest of our 25-person tour group at the bottom of the hill. From that vantage point, when the shadow came sweeping in, there was not one man-made thing I could see: no power lines, no buildings or structures. Nothing tethered me to time: It could have been thousands of years ago or long into the future. In that moment, it was as if time didn’t exist.”

Giving us the ability to unhitch ourselves from time—to stop dwelling on time is a unique superpower of a total eclipse. In Russo’s work as a clinical psychologist, she notices patterns in our modern-day mentality. “People with anxiety tend to spend a lot of time in the future. And people with depression spend a lot of time in the past,” she says. An eclipse, time and time again, has the ability to snap us back into the present, at least for a few minutes. “And when you’re less anxious and worried, it opens you up to be more attuned to other people, feel more connected, care for others and be more compassionate,” Goldy says.

Russo, who founded Being in the Shadow , an organization that provides information about total solar eclipses and organizes eclipse events around the world, has experienced this firsthand. Venue managers regularly tell her that eclipse crowds are among the most polite and humble: they follow the rules; they pick up their garbage—they care.

Eclipses remind us that we are part of something bigger, that we are connected with something vast. In the hours before and after totality you have to wear protective glasses to look at the sun, to prevent damage to your eyes. But during the brief time when the moon blocks the last of the sun’s rays, you can finally lower your glasses and look directly at the eclipse. It’s like making eye contact with the universe.

“In my practice, usually if someone says, ‘I feel insignificant,’ that’s a negative thing. But the meaning shifts during an eclipse,” Russo says. To feel insignificant in the moon’s shadow instead means that your sense of self shrinks, that your ego shrinks, she says.

The scale of our “big picture” often changes after witnessing the awe of totality, too. “When you zoom out—really zoom out—it blows away our differences,” Goldy says. When you sit in the shadow of a celestial rock blocking the light of a star 400 times its size that burns at 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit on its surface, suddenly that argument with your partner, that bill sitting on your counter or even the differences among people’s beliefs, origins or politics feel insignificant. When we shift our perspective, connection becomes boundless.

You don’t need to wait for the next eclipse to feel this way. As we travel through life, we lose our relationship with everyday awe. Remember what that feels like? It’s the way a dog looks at a treat or the way my toddler points to the “blue sky!” outside his car window in the middle of rush hour traffic. To find awe, we have to surrender our full attention to the beauty around us. During an eclipse, that comes easily. In everyday life, we may need to be more intentional.

“Totality kick-starts our ability to experience wonder,” Russo says. And with that kick start, maybe we can all use our wonderment faculties more—whether that means pausing for a moment during a morning walk, a hug or a random sunset on a Tuesday. In the continental U.S., we won’t experience another total eclipse until 2044. Let’s not wait until then to seek awe and connection.