(S14) Future tech: Oceanic Cities

An ocean address

The earth is 71% water.  

So why isn't anyone living there?

Shimizu Corp, has announced plans for:   

• Ocean Spiral

Check out these concepts: 

• Underwater cities  
• Floating cities

1) What information did you find? Comment on Ocean Spiral or another oceanic concept city that you found interesting. Provide details, development, plans, etc.

2) Would you live in an oceanic city? What's cool / not cool about this idea?

3) What are the technological challenges?

(S13) Touch Tech

Haptics Technology

 

      Watch Haptic Technology

      Haptic Technology Site

      Haptic Technologies

      Examples

Tangible Technology

Watch Tangible Technology

Tangible Media MIT Site

Examples

1.  In your own words, explain Haptic technology. 

2.  In your own words, explain Tangible technology.

3.  Which is most interesting to you?  Or which do you think will impact future technologies the most?  Why?

4.  What are other sensory, tactile technologies are out there?  

(S12) Technology & Law Enforcement

                                                            

Police body cameras?  Do the police need more technology?

Police officers protect and serve the community and are generally looked up to by others who can't defend themselves. 

However unfortunate, some officers may have have committed crimes, are accused or recorded of doing illegal or violent acts by witnesses.

There are many stories this week on the news about this very issue.  Check out the articles and links below.  Do some reading!  Provide some original comments about the impact of technology devices and law enforcement:

Cameras & Police News Articles

Technology and Law Enforcement

Law Enforcement - What's real?


1.  Which article did you read?  What did you learn?

2.  Should police officers wear cameras?  What are the pros and cons?  What's taking so long to decide this?

3.  Relative to other occupations or businesses, how sophisticated are the police in general, in overall use of technology?

4.  What technologies do you think would benefit law enforcement?   Apps?   Devices?  Programs?  



Remember -  Thoughtful, original detailed responses.  100 - 200 words. 

(S11) Travel Technology

Uber:  Innovation Travel Technologies  Uber's been in the news quite a bit lately.  What is Uber all about?

Uber in the news

Uber website

All about uber

Part 1.  Describe Uber from one point of view.  Choose one, identify which one you are describing A, B, C etc  (No more than 5 student entries from any section.  Read to see what others before you chose):



A.  The drivers.  Who are they, qualified?

B.  The users.  Who uses this service?

C.  Who is the competition?  How is it affected?

D.  The dangers of driving or using / the cons

E.  The benefits / the pros of this service

F.  The way it works.  Describe in detail

G.  How is Uber different in the US vs other countries?


Part 2.  Explain how this might impact travel in the future overall.  Be imaginative!

Spring Break!

No homework this week!  Enjoy the time off!

If you want to earn a BLOG PASS to use any time over this final fourth quarter, have some fun watching this movie and answering the two questions below!

How was this done?  How would you do it with your friends?

(S10) Virtual Reality

A Virtual Age


Virtual Reality has many uses and may become a major part of our society in the future? What do you think?

Six ways VR will change the world.

7 Ways virtual reality will change the world.

Why VR will compete with the real world.

How virtual reality will change the workplace.

1. We looked at VR last year, but there have been many advancements.  And hey, we haven't said "Occulus Rift" in a while!  So, what did you find in the articles above?  What's cool today about this technology? Discover and share only one aspect that impressed you.  (No repeat ideas please)

2. Name a pro and con to this emerging technology.

3. What's the difference between VR, AR and IR?

(S9) Tablets vs. Textbooks

Digital or Physical?

In today’s digital world, many things are transitioning into an electronic or    online format, which is somewhat controversial. Check out: Tablets vs. Textbooks

1. What is a pro and a con for reading online?  

2. Do you prefer to read a paper or online book?  Why?

3.  If you were running a school what would be your plan for textbooks and electronics...

(S8) Video Entertainment

This week, as a final transition about video gaming (obviously a popular subject in your blog submissions) we will explore how trending interests in video entertainment industry are changing, based on the habits of your generation.

The author of this blog challenges us to explore the popularity of "video game watching" vs actually playing.   I'm going to challenge you with a bit more.

The purchase of Twitch by Amazon for close to a billion dollars speaks volumes about this popular activity.  Many of you indicated last week you've visited or know quite a bit about Twitch and other similar game viewing sites.   Your debate last week was very divided about eSports too!

So let's consider what is really happening here.   Is entertainment shifting?   Many of you said "Sports like football will never be replaced by video gaming."   Video gaming was not a contender five years ago and now look at the packed stadiums.  

This is why people watch people playing video games 

  

Why would anyone want to watch people play video games?

1.  What do you think of what you read in the links above?

2.  Do you watch others play video games?  Which ones?  Why?   If not, why not?  

3.  How do you spend your leisure time?  Take a look at the chart below.  Consider how you spent your fun time in the last month or so (outside of sleep, eat, work, school)  And mentally circle or choose the top five things that occupy your time.   
What are they?  List the ideas in the boxes that appeal the most to you, and if you can, list them in order of importance to you.  If you chose "something else" describe it.   

4.  Which area (Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue)  do you predict your peers will be the strongest in?  Which area are you?   

(S7) eSports

   

The Future of eSports

According to Riot Games eSports manager Nick Allen (speaking to Gamespot), after a long back and forth with the government, the U.S. finally now recognizes eSports players as professional athletes, and will grant them visas under that identifier.”

This is their post  ~Forbes

When asked to comment on Amazon’s $1 billion deal to buy video game streaming site Twitch, ESPN President John Skipper didn’t mince words when it came to offering his appraisal of the form of entertainment dubbed ‘eSports.’   “It’s not a sport — it’s a competition. Chess is a competition. Checkers is a competition,” said Skipper in remarks Thursday at the Code/Media Series: New York conference. “Mostly, I’m interested in doing real sports.”

~John Skipper  This is their report

                

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1. What do you think? Are eSports a real sport?

2. Do you think eSports might take over Championship basketball or Monday Night Football in terms of popularity?  Do eSports deserve a place in the Olympics?  (Consider what you / your friends do; watch sports or play video games)

3. What is the streaming site Twitch all about?

4. If you were able to be a part of an eSports team would you take that chance, why or why not?  What team would you be on?

More research to help you answer!

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(S6) Video Games

    

Many of us spend countless hours playing video games with fancy HD visuals, multi button controllers, online capabilities, and 3D graphics. But, there was a time were all these common features were concepts beyond imagination.

The history of video gaming spans all the way back to the 1940’s, long befor Pong was invented. Take a look that this timeline of the vast history of the concept of virtual gaming.
1. What did you find the most interesting in the timeline? Why?

2. Do you think video games have had an affect on technology in general? Or perhaps the entertainment industry? How? Why video games succeed..

3. Have you played Zynga games? What other video/mobile games charge for powerups, game items or other perks that you know of?  Check out the links below. Comment on your discoveries.

Clash of Clans Cumulative Costs 
(Use the calculator! Yikes!)

Candy Crush Addicts

How much does it cost to play League?

4. How else do developers charge for video games, if not in the play? Are there any games that are truly free? How would this be possible?  

Note: Whether you play video games or not, they have a big influence on society and the economics of this industry is astounding. Next week we'll explore platforms and social considerations.