The fine line between realities: Introducing the Synergy age

I recently read an article which stated that by 2015 50% of businesses will have introduced gamification as a tool to increase productivity in the workplace. Gamification describes the process of creating games out of menial administrative tasks. By creating an animated world with characters and a storyline simple spreadsheet activities become “games” by which you can measure your progress, save and re-explore. This is an interesting development, but above the potential of a more enjoyable workplace this movement towards gamification reveals a broader trend about our rapidly changing relationship with technology.

The Divine Truth

[Source: fractal-wallpapers]

A friend of mine recently said to me that isn't it a shame that we only find parts of the divine; we were discussing the Fibonacci sequence and how the golden ratio applies to much we see in nature. My view of this was the contrary; isn't it fantastic that we have found these small pieces of the puzzle at all? We will never find the whole truth and it we do what will that make us? We certainly wouldn't be human any longer would we? As humans our brains cannot comprehend infinity so even if we were given the whole divine truth right now we wouldn't be able to do anything with it. Surely we should just celebrate the parts we do find? Think about it for a second.

Life is great!

Want to control a mouse with your mind?

Matthew McKee (2006)

Well we're almost there! Scientists have been developing chips that find a home in your brain and deliver signals which move a cursor across a screen resulting in simple point and click capabilities. This has radically helped people like "Patient S3", so called for confidentiality reasons, a woman who lost control of her limbs and vocal chords in the 90's. She has successfully been moving cursors across screens successfully for 1000 days now! What a great development for people with such life changing disabilities as hers.

It doesn't stop there though. The scientists conducting the tests have said:

"Our objective with the neural interface is to reach the level of performance of a person without a disability using a mouse"

What a bizarre step to becoming a synergy of man and machine! I can picture the controversy now...

[Source: New Scientist via io9]

The Mind of God

This web-comic poses a great question...

The Internet is Being Hidden From You

The world wide web that we once thought was unbiased is being transformed by the era of personalisation. Major companies are using information about us to create self-reflecting bubbles where the data we access is prescribed to us. This article wakes us up to the dangers such a reality may create. Where the unrestricted International Internet community is jeopardised by those wanting to manipulate what information we are allowed to access.

http://susansayler.wordpress.com/2011/06/14/how-the-net-traps-us-all-in-our-own-little-bubbles/

Embrace the Infinite Possibilities

If I could want any one thing from a human being it would be the ability to look up and beyond your limitations: be they physical, mental or spiritual. Throughout our recorded recent history we have been repeatedly breaking from the shackles that have limited our true potentiality. From the moment we are born we are relentlessly striving for the future. We are bought up to endlessly anticipate what is to come. A lot of us aren't really prepared for today but live in a society that is endlessly talking of the future, of what you “could” achieve or what the politicians will eventually provide. But have we become a culture of apathy that doesn't take responsibility for the world that we live in? Living in the UK I'm personally very familiar with cynicism and moaning. Although sometimes charming and funny with it I think the British are keen to blame and complain. I myself have been caught by this rare ailment and often find myself dismissing things before I've ever weighed up their actual possibility.

Coming Soon- Carbon Neutral City

It's called Masdar, and will be with us is five to ten years. This is Abu Dhabi's new city that is going to be powered entirely by solar power. All cars will be left at the gates of the city and from there you can go by foot of by their underground podcars. Powered by solar and suspended by magnets, these devices will transport you from one place to another without the need for a driver. This is a wonderful step for humanity by showcasing what our future potential really is.

[source: BBC News]