R/D13- Chapter 31: The Future

In this chapter, I found a number of innovative and neat ideas. The first one that jumped out at me was electronic training jackets. I’ve recently found similar, but very different, tools for centralized data storage. First, when I ordered my laptop, one of the possible features was a fingerprint reader. At the time, I thought it was a bit much, but decided it was just cool and had it included on my laptop. After exploring the features, I have found it very useful! Instead of typing in my username and password to login, I simply swipe one of my fingers across the reader and I’m in. (I did have to ‘program’ my fingerprints in first.) In all cases where I would have to login- facebook, snapfish, gmail- I simply swipe my finger and it brings up my username and password for the site.

Secondly, our school system has recently started using access cards which sound somewhat like a very basic smartcard. Instead of keys, we have keycards that we wave near card readers at each entrance. The card is programmed specifically for each teacher, custodian, administrator, etc. For example, my card is programmed to let me enter my two elementary schools through certain doors within specified hours. When I was directing the musical in the spring, I was also able to get into the middle school after school hours. The advantage to having a smartcard instead of a key is that ONE card replaces FIVE keys. For administrators and maintenance personnel who need access to all buildings, they probably replaced ten or twenty keys. Also, if lost, our smartcards can simply be deactivated to assure an unauthorized person doesn’t use it.

I realize that neither of these connections I’ve made are the same as the electronic training jacket and smartcard referred to in the chapter. But, as this emerging, sophisticated technology is being developed for the Navy and other organizations, the general public will eventual also see these technologies trickle down.

Another idea presented in Chapter 31 that connected ‘normal’ people to these futuristic technologies was cybernetics and nanotechnology. In 1998, a professor had a microprocessor surgically implanted into his arm. While I haven’t heard much about people having chips implanted recently, I have heard of this being done to pets. While Professor Warwick’s chip opened doors for him and chilled wine (I still don’t understand how THAT worked), chips implanted in family pets are used to locate them. Once again, if WE are seeing this type of technology, it is certain that unimaginably advanced tools are being created, tested and used in the military and government.


Throughout the semester, I enjoyed exploring new tools. Blogging and embedding media were new applications for me and I can definitely see myself using them in the future. This week’s assignment of reviewing new, free applications was one of my favorites. I found two new tools that I can refer back to and pass on. With so many websites, programs and tools available, sharing quick reviews of a variety of these is invaluable. The programs I tried were great and I’m excited to see what my classmates have learned about other applications.