Phil Smeeton's Tech Thinking Blog

Our circadian rhythms combined with melatonin production and sleep environment are important factors for gaining restorative sleep and creating good physical performance during waking hours. One way of benefitting the human is to use the data created by the wearable health tech to influence the environmental controls in the sleeping environment, like the amount of light and the temperature as well as humidity and maybe some other adjustments. As the user passeses through the different phases of sleep these different aspects of the environment can be optimised for gaining maximum restorative sleep. For example lowering the temperature during the first phase of rest to encourage quickly moving into full sleep. Should the user wake for some reason and wish to return to sleep the control systems will calculate the required heating and lighting changes needed to quickly re-start restorative sleep again.

 One way to extend the reach of the computer hardware is to stimulate some of the remaining senses that are yet to be exploited. For example the olfactory sense doesn't really get much attention at the moment and I think it is a great opportunity particularly in simulation and gaming. The system I am thinking about is an adapted USB device that is pre-loaded with a number of different scents. The USB device heats and diffuses these scents when notified by a software application or game. A few examples when this technology would increase the richness of the user experience are: Burning rubber scent during car racing games, environmental scents during gameplay, scents during online shopping, branded scents during advertising, new product scents when advertising, any time something online wants to be associated with a pleasant scent.

I think most people would agree that a superior memory is a desirable thing, one area that computers excel in is storing information. I have been studying professor Hawkins work on the human brain and I like the idea that our human memories are stored in many neocortical columns. Working memory is a crucial cognitive system that allows humans to temporarily store and manipulate information for various cognitive tasks. It serves as a workspace for the brain, enabling individuals to process and manage information in real-time. Here are some key functions of working memory: 1. **Temporary Storage:** Working memory holds and maintains information for short periods, allowing individuals to keep relevant data in mind while performing cognitive tasks. 2. **Problem Solving:** It plays a vital role in problem-solving by allowing individuals to keep track of intermediate steps and relevant information while working through a problem. 3. **Decision Making:** Working memory is involved in decision...

A few comments and questions: What is the scientificality measurable difference between an in person and virtual meeting? In human evolution the in-person meeting has been very important and influential. What is it going to take to convince the masses that virtual meetings are superior to in person ones? Do people have a genuine understanding of the environmental impact of travelling to other places and can they see how virtual meetings solve the problem of over use of non-renewal resources? The loss of opportunity to read facial expressions, micro expressions, gestures and body language does not matter when dealing with regular people and would only be required when enforcement agencies are meeting with a person of interest.

Evolutionary principles combined with our human needs tends to favour indoor pursuits at this time of year in the western part of the world. There is a good amount of evidence that we spend more time indoors near our computers at this time of year. So the lack of motivation to be outdoors during colder weather combined with the excitement of a new computer game equals more screen time. I think it is often worth reviewing users screen habits in general, the study of how much screen time on what device is of value to us and the ratios between devices are sure to change as time goes by. However, we can assume that screen time each day is several hours, some of which will be playing console games for those that own the equipment. The psychology of purchasing of big games titles at this time of year falls into environmental circumstances combined with the want of the user to be current and fashionable. The challenge of completing the game can provide satisfaction and status in the gamer com...

I think Apple has at least another decade of tremendous success ahead with their wonderful iPhone product, however I think that the Vision Pro could well become the iPhone replacement with a few minor changes. Firstly the software on the vision Pro has to enable very quick and high quality Virtual Meeting communication calls, the next generation of FaceTime in fact, using the spacial capabilities of Vision Pro. Second, the Vision Pro has to be developed hardware-wise to allow very quick wearing and un-wearing up to 100 times per day and maybe more often, this is to accomodate the habits that have formed in the human users with the iPhone. Thirdly, the Apple Payments systems have to be adjusted to use a visual approach using the Vision Pro the user 'looks at the payment reader' and performs the transaction this new way. In fact visual confirmation of all the current wallet activities is recommended. Finally, the success of these features is dependant on routine and habit forming...

The human brain as an IO device participating in super computing. As computation ability of computers increases and with the introduction of technologies like chat gpt, we are seeing a potential rival (or alternative) to human thought. I thought about what this might mean for us in the future as I think that as the computers become more capable we will ask them to simplify the output so we can understand it sufficiently.  So for example, if an AI application solves a problem like: How do we colonise Mars? It has to be able to solve the problem and then explain it to us in a way that we understand. This principal reveals an interesting limit to the silicon/human brain interconnectedness, if we presuppose that the AI is more capable then we are asking the AI to simplify output. This seems to hint that in the future we will be limited to a brain's ability to interact with AI. The human brain in effect will be the limited I/O device. The AI must continually work on better ways of makin...