Older People Feel Left Behind by New Technology
In the UK, only 20% of people over 75 have a smartphone compared to 95% of young people between 16 and 24. Technology changes fast and it takes time for everyone to learn and adapt to anything new in the world of technology. This could explain why older people tend to use what they know when it comes to communication, which means a basic mobile or a land line, instead of social media or a quick text.
Often, older people think that it is not appropriate to call a relative in the morning or at night just to let them know they are fine or to have a quick chat. They often lose the communication that they need with their relatives or communication tends to be minimal due to them not using popular social media. Introducing older people to new and simple technology can help them stay in touch with their close relatives or old friends. What older people need is a device that would just be simple enough to use and familiar or similar to the devices they know how to use.
There are some devices on the market that allow older people to track their movements and share it with their closest family members but often this is considered to be the invasion of privacy. Plus, these devices are often completely passive where older people are just observed through sensors or even cameras around their home.
We need devices that are familiar to older people and devices that let them choose the level of communication that they want. It could be a device that runs in the background, a device that does not transmit personal detailed information to other parties. For starters, a device that doesn’t show images of people in their homes.
A Battle for Our Attention
Technology’s Battle for Our Attention
Technology is often just a distraction that keeps us glued to our computers and screens. That’s the battlefield among different technology companies.
Captology is a term constructed by behavioral scientist B.J. Fogg to describe the way in which technology can influence us and persuade us to keep using it.
The Stanford University researcher wrote:
“There is nothing we can do, like it or not, where we can escape persuasive technology.”
We have all experienced this, whether we are on Facebook, Netflix or YouTube, where we watch one video after another without a conscious decision to stop. Ads that we see on the internet are designed for our attention, where companies are trying to understand our habits or our tastes.
UX designer Harry Brignull describes their intention as something that can be crafted to trick users to consume without any conscious desire or aim. Brignull said:
“You can make it very, very easy to make people click ‘OK,’ but how can you opt out, how can you say ‘no’?”
The EU is working on this, by introducing data protection rules which require websites to demand users’ consent before any personal information is collected.
New Technology is Looking into Improving 911 Calls
Technology is there to make our lives easier. Right? It’s not there to distract us from things that matter, from issues that are important or from relationships that matter.
New technology is proof of how technology should be used. The new technology created is meant to keep you safer and provide you with the needed help as soon as possible. The new technology was launched in Eaton County, Michigan. The previous, old and still used system was built back in the 60s. It seems that there is not a lot to be done differently when it comes to ordinary 911 calls. However, we should never forget that these calls are often life-changing calls which can save our lives or lives of our loved ones.
The new system in use is better adapted to a modern wireless mobile environment as opposed to typical landlines. The greatest improvement for people is that the new 911 system in Michigan has a shorter connection wait time which is pretty much the most important feature of the system.
Researchers are also working on a text 911 service which will be in use hopefully this year.
