Tetrad Module-2

IPod or MP-3 /4 Player


Enhances

Information and music digitization

Obsoletes

Walkman/tape player

Retrieves/Rekindles

Music interest, audio information

Reverses

Cloud player technology



The IPod was originally developed by the military for information storage. This device trickled down into the public as a device to play music wave files or MP-3 files. Before this device existed the industrialize countries had the walkman. Since the early eighties the Sony Walkman dominated the music industry. The IPod or MP-3 player rekindled the music and education industry through portability. The ability to listen to lectures and music anywhere is the advantage of this device. The demise of this device is the limited capacity, along with its size. With the advances of the Cloud the MP-3 player will become the go the way of the Walkman. Size, storage, and technology will make this device antiquated in the next few years.

LED Contacts and Education: An innovation for the next generation.

The author subscribes in part to the original view of emergent technology proposed by Dr. David Thornburg. If there is a prototype then the technology has emerged. An example is the LED contact lens developed at the University of Washington. This emerging technology will in become as revolutionary as the first  blackboard. Students, teachers, and anyone else who invests in this technology will have a real time HUD (Heads Up Display) which will provide real time information, video etc. This will allow education to become more interactive and collaborative with technology again leading the way. The teacher will select the subject for the day and students will have the ability to instantaneously access information via wireless integration. While the technology is about thirty years off. It will be amazing to watch how education as well as society will accept this innovation.

Challenges of this technology have included the development of the right organic compounds to allow the use of this innovation without harm to the eye, and possible rejection of the materials by the human body. The RBG color palate is an issue. While the scientists have been able to see red and blue, they are working to include green to the color palette. All display colors are created by the RBG codes utilized to create the colors we see, such as webpage colors. To read more about this innovation click on this link: http://www.joshkotoff.com/2011/06/27/led-contact-lenses-one-step-closer-to-bionic-vision/


There will of course be issues of costs to consumers, the inherent adoption time with any innovation and the physical limitations already mentioned and possible abuses associated with most online technologies. Once these issues are worked out this technology could replace computers or I Pads in the classroom. With instant information being key to education this device is just one more innovation to springboard ideas, lessons, and more innovations students will undoubtedly uncover one this technology becomes available.

References:

Batteries not included (2011). Unknown. http://www.joshkotoff.com/2011/06/27/led-contact-lenses-one-step-closer-to-bionic-vision/

Thornburg, D. D. (2009b). When is a technology emergent? Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.