“Google, where are my car keys?” — The Internet of Things
A simple Amazon search will show that there is an endless number of products on the market that can be controlled by your smartphone. Thermostats, refrigerators, lights, security cameras, essential oil diffusers, even temperature-controlled mugs. The list goes on and on. The concept of inserting software, sensors, microchips, and other advanced technologies into our everyday objects is not new. Most of us living in our current “digital” society are aware and familiar with the technological abilities we have to enhance devices. The Internet of Things (abbreviated as IoT) refers to these devices that have been created with seamless internet-connected capabilities that allow data to be collected and transferred over a wireless network (aeris.com).
It is almost more difficult to think of items we haven’t given wireless capabilities to yet. At times, it may seem useless to add such features to household objects. Is it really necessary to warm up your coffee with a wireless connected mug on your smartphone? Most of us would say no. But do have the technology for it? Yes, and you can pick up your very own temperature-controlled mug in several major retail stores today.
As we continue putting “offline” items “online”, it will be hard to remember a time when such devices weren’t normal parts of our lives. Currently, most household devices, other than headphones, earbuds, or speakers, with Bluetooth and wireless features are considered “higher-end” technologies that the average person may not feel the need to buy. Not everyone sees a purpose in having the ability to control their thermostat outside of their home, or from different rooms of their house. This could be due to various reasons such as cost, practicality, ease of use, or simply not having an interest in owning a smartphone controllable device. However, the growth of IoT technologies is not expected to slow down. As these features become more available and normalized, will “having wireless capabilities” be a new standard for our casual, everyday devices?
Luciano Floridi, the author of “Ethics after the Information Revolution”, states that “the day when we routinely google the location of our physical objects (‘where are the car keys’) is very close.”
The divide between offline or natural entities and online or artificial entities will converge to form a society in which the two are indistinguishable. No longer will standalone, material objects exist in our physical world, but in our virtual world as well, with the communication abilities to interact with one another.
Although these devices are created with the intent to make day to day life easier, a greater digital divide is likely to follow. Flordini explained that the advancement of technology and the availability of these technologies to everyday citizens will create “new forms of discrimination” and alter society on a global and national level, by “widening generational, geographical, socio-economic and cultural divides.” There will be a separation of those a part of this wirelessly connected world and those who aren’t, until our society at large evolves and adopts these technological progressions.
In other words, when we integrate new technological advancements into our everyday lives, the distribution of these products is rarely equal. It will take some time before these “luxury” IoT technologies become “normal” items to the masses. Until then, these items will remain as factors contributing to the digital disparity present in our society.
Nonetheless, perhaps a future dominated by smart technology isn’t as “science fiction” as we once thought, but is certain to come with its own set of consequences along the way.
