Smart Phone, Small Planet Identity and Community in the Digital Age - Essay Example

Smart Phone, Small Planet Identity and Community in the Digital Age The emergence of digital technologies in this modern world continues to change and upgrade every aspect of life. Ranging from the high technology in smartphones to the use of robots, the innovation being experienced all over the world is a game changer indeed. Many people have argued that the technology being innovated is not good for human beings and that people must be cautious even as the quest to embrace the most advanced technologies rises. The opponents of massive technology argue that it threatens to snatch people jobs, especially where companies choose capital-intensive production strategies. They also cite the environmental hazard of global warming brought about by these technologies. However, the benefits the world is witnessing as a result of innovations in technology outweigh these negative effects by far. The smart technology has improved healthcare and healthcare management. Digital innovations are making new health products. According to Levy and Wong (p.9), smart technology is enabling an upgrade from a reactive focus on curatives towards a proactive view of health management. New preventive medicines are being discovered in order to enable prevention of diseases rather than waiting to cure them. This includes vaccine drugs administered to children. Levy and Wong (p.9) assert that digital technology advancement in the health sector has enabled the use of digital hearing aids. Moreover, improved pacemaker devices and datasets that analyze the efficiency of treatments have been realized thanks to the adoption of smart technology in the health sector. Levy and Wong (p.9) note that the new sources of information are improving the methods of diagnosis used by doctors making the process very effective. Smart technology has enabled effective monitoring of people’s health through timely detection of illness and the knowledge of the nature and the causes of these diseases. X-ray scans are just an example massive technology innovations that continue to significantly revolutionize our health sector positively. Therefore people’s lives in the community are better with this improvement in their health care. Smart technology innovations have brought about new and highly developed cities. Smart systems have advanced the ways of engagement of people in urban environments. According to Levy and Wong (p.9), through innovations there are buildings which control pollution. Honestly, as Levy and Wong (p.9) foresees, the future is promising great opportunities in this urban housing sector. Buildings that give their occupants personalized, live and location-specific briefings on dust levels across a site, could be witnessed and help reduce health complications. In our urban centers, there live updates on the transport networks and systems. Workers are able to tell where their nearest bus to work-stations is and equally tell the easiest and less traffic roads to use (Levy and Wong, p.10). Globally, urban center management authorities have adopted the integration of smart innovations into the management of the built environment in order to have better cities. There are efforts to address concerns urban energy management technology, waste control systems, water management systems and transport management technology in a quest to provide improved and better linked services and operations (Levy and Wong, p.12). This shows how technology takes a master role in the revolution and transformation of urban centers in the whole world. Digital technology continues to change and upgrade the living standards of families in communities all over the world. Individuals are also empowered through the information technology that the world is witnessing. Levy and Wong (p.12) says that the machine-to-machine communications brought about by smart technology especially the internet continues to make the living homes of people smarter, as well as empower people in their homes. Appliances in homes are able to work with less human control, making lives more productive and pleasant (Levy and Wong, p.12). These appliances include smart televisions, refrigerators and laundry machines. According to Levy and Wong (p.12), these machines are now able to link with remote controls making it possible to control an appliance while at a distance from it. This makes life in our living rooms very pleasant and efficient. Levy and Wong (p.12) recognizes that smart sensors and thermostats that automatically notify those without vision to shut, switch lights on and off and control heating levels are here to make people’s lives comfortable and enjoyable. Technology has also helped address safety and security concerns in homes. Levy and Wong (p.12) says that advanced smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, cameras and security detectors are able to keep people alert of any security developments in homes when they are away. These machines are able to respond to voice and motion commands making living in homes pleasant, safe and easier. Information Technology continues to empower many people in homes and at the workplaces through the penetration of connected devices. Levy and Wong (p.13) makes a point of the Hub of All Things. Levy and Wong (p.13) says the HAT makes a repository of data about people owned by the people themselves. This can enable them apply their own data onto new services. These data is valuable for doing business with other companies in exchange for customized services and products, because they control how the data are used and the data is owned by them. For instance, Levy and Wong (p.14) says that data about the tastes and preferences of people to yoghurt are all known to the household consumers who can decide whether to share the data with companies such as Tesco or Sainsbury. This therefore empowers one to participate in the personal information economy, come up with better daily decisions and generate better financial and time savings. Digital technologies are creating numerous employment opportunities for young people in the whole. The Business Process Outsourcing is a field that is highly being explored by the youth all over the world, through internet technology. The emergence of new technology has created many jobs. Levy and Wong (p.14) asserts that the UK recruits 850,000 information technology and telecommunications experts. Levy and Wong (p.14) observes that large datasets and complex machines imply that it now becoming easier to break large challenges down by computers. These are all areas that need human resource and expertise therefore jobs are created to those who are experts. The impact of technology advancement in creation of jobs cannot be disputed. Technology advancement has also enabled better coordination of work. An area where the impact of technology is felt highly is the recruitment of new staff by companies. There are automated systems through the internet technology where the human resource management is able to efficiently manage job applications and there are algorithms to scan CVs. This has largely developed the human resource management of firms (Levy and Wong, p.916). The digital technology advancement has also made it easy and fast to supervise work in the production departments and rooms. The management can now use CCTVs to monitor how duties are being carried out in the firm. CCTVs are able to capture real-time occurrences in all departments. Those who are lazy while on duty can easily be captured and watched on the CCTV cameras by the management. Therefore work co-ordination has largely been made time-effective and less costly through smart technologies. The smart technologies have increased socialization among people and reduced the world to a small global village. Levy and Wong (p.17) notes that the development of internet social communities has brought chances for people to socialize and interact frequently and easily. Facebook, twitter, Skype and Instagram are social networks that have enabled people to largely engage one another and communicate. These social networks continue to not only increase socialization, but also they play a major role business development processes. Business enterprises can now advertise and promote their products through Facebook and twitter with a view of increasing their client-base. Levy and Wong (p.18) says that social media makes people able to know about each other and offers a good platform for conversations and social problem solutions. Levy and Wong (p.18) mentions that platforms such as Glimpse enable individuals to monitor the health and safety of family members. Moreover, political leaders are able to keep the citizens updated about their engagements, schedules for political meetings and their political activities through social media. Therefore social media is able to keep the world community informed and up to date with events all over the world. In conclusion, smart technology advancement is important for the world due to the many benefits it has for all world economies. Innovators should keep the improvements in technology alive for a better world. People look forward to developed and grown economies, resulting from technological innovations. Works Cited Levy, C., & Wong, D. (2014). The Work Foundation. Towards a smart society, 1-26. Read More