The foetal attractions of technology

Prenatal testing and its implications – or technology and its complications? An old-timer wonders if technology has only added to the worries of pregnancy.

BC: Hi, where were you all of yesterday?

AD: At the hospital. I had accompanied my cousin for her scan. She's expecting and is due in a few months...

BC: But she had gone for a scan last week...

AD: That was a Doppler test.

BC: And what about the one a few weeks before that?

AD: That was the NT Scan, to check for Down's Syndrome.

BC: No, the one after that…

AD: Must have been the Anatomy Ultrasound Scan…

BC: I can't believe it - so many tests...

AD: Look, it helps in...

BC: I know a couple that had a nightmare with these tests. The baby was diagnosed with a prominent lateral ventricle in the fifth month of pregnancy...

AD: And…?

BC: Well, they were asked to wait and watch, in case the lateral ventricle's growth attained normalcy on its own. They went through a harrowing time...

AD: Look, at least they knew about it...

BC: Knowing something and not being able to do anything about it can make one feel so helpless. How can it be that technology has evolved enough to spot an anomaly, but not enough to cure it?

AD: Ah, so technology is to blame for nature's mysterious ways. Today, technology can help detect a host of complications that may not have been possible in your generation, like Spina bifida, Down's syndrome, anencephaly or hydrocephalus...

BC: Back then, we were clueless about these. Besides, the kids that were born in ignorance didn't seem the worse for it...

AD: Why do you think couples had so many children back then? Our infant mortality rate was so high...

BC: But things were simpler in those days. All one needed was a doctor or a midwife. Today, you need a team of radiologists, sonologists, gynaecologists, anaesthetists and paediatricians for a baby to be born.

AD: When you have the resources, why not use them? It surely beats having a semi-literate midwife assisting childbirth.

BC: But there are hardships as well. The expectant mother is made to go through so many scans to monitor her baby. Think of the foetus being exposed to the harmful radiation, not to mention the trauma that the mother goes through, sitting there for hours, week after week, after drinking gallons of water, because the scans need to be carried out on a full bladder.

AD: There have also been cases where technology has helped cure...

BC: I prefer the good old times with lesser technology – life seemed pretty uncomplicated back then. Women would go to the doctor once to confirm their pregnancy and then back again for delivery. Today, the whole thing is so intimidating that couples can never enjoy a pregnancy. It's about running from the doctor to the lab and the scan centre all the time. And the tests - Nuchal Translucency, Chorionic Villi testing, Amniocentesis... In fact, the girl whose baby had a prominent lateral ventricle claimed that her Dad had wanted her to become a doctor, which she never fulfilled. But now, thanks to her pregnancy, she says that she is almost there.

AD: So what happened to the baby?

BC: Thankfully, everything turned out fine. It was a baby girl – and I’m sure that she will turn out to be quite photogenic.

AD: How are you so sure?

BC: Think of all those 2d, 3d and 4d images taken of her - she sure must have had a lot of practice posing for them.

Converging on technology

Two-in-ones could be passé, but devices with multiple functions are here to stay, claims a tech fan.

BC: Hi, you were planning to buy a mobile...

AD: I finally chose a phablet.

BC: A what?

AD: It's a phone and a tablet. In terms of size, it could be bigger than a regular smartphone, but smaller than a tablet. And in terms of features and functions...

BC: ...it gives you the best of both worlds.

AD: Isn't that the way the world is going? The mobile phone has already crunched several devices into one - camera, radio, alarm clock, music player, video game player...

BC: ...and of course the phone!

AD: I read an article about camera phones eating into the market share of digital cameras and cellular service providers causing a severe dent in the sales figures of music companies because of mobile downloads...

BC: But then, if you are a true-blue photography enthusiast, you might balk at the thought of a mobile camera taking the place of an SLR...

AD: Absolutely. But this is the age of technological convergence, which results in one device performing the functions of many. Just think of its advantages... We can spend on fewer gadgets, for one...

BC: I was thinking of the hapless folks who have to attend zillions of weddings every year. Now, all their budget gifts like alarm clocks and transistors will go for a toss!

AD: You continue to miss the point rather successfully…

BC: Look, it only complicates things. For instance, I need to buy a new laptop, but you've been insisting that I get myself a tablet. I'm not sure...

AD: Get yourself a Tablet PC.

BC: Here we go... What's that supposed to be?

AD: I'm surprised you haven't heard of it - the ads are out everywhere. A Tablet PC is a combination of a laptop or a notebook and a touchscreen monitor - so it's...

BC: ...part-tablet and part-computer.

AD: Right. And in some models, you can actually flip, slide, fold, swivel or even remove the display screen and use it separately like a tablet...

BC: Sounds like technology's putting the poor laptop through a gruelling exercise schedule...

AD: Perhaps it's a natural way to get rid of bloatware. Ok, I was kidding. But seriously, can't you find a single positive in these new developments?

BC: I'm worried about what could be next - a microwave and a refrigerator in one? You put in water and open the door a few minutes later, not knowing if you are going to pull out ice or burn your fingers in boiling hot water...

AD: Always the pessimist, huh?

BC: Incidentally, I read a news item claiming that pessimists live longer than optimists. Could it be because we are less dependent on technology?

AD: We began talking about technological convergence, but your kind will lead to a technological exigence.

BC: Well, one thing that technology does create on a regular basis is jargon. There was a time when parallel processing was a buzzword because one machine could do multiple operations simultaneously. Then came multimedia, where various forms of media and technologies could be handled by one device. Guess its technological convergence now...

AD: You should watch an hour of Smart TV to find out how television and the internet can combine to create magic. You'll possibly have a different opinion of technology...

BC: My opinion of technology was formed on the basis of a device that helps me create, calculate, plan, visualize, simulate, organize, delegate, discover, understand, store...

AD: That must be one heck of a computer.

BC: It is, and it is the ultimate example of convergent technology. It's called a brain.

Booted out by a robot

Is automation making our jobs easier or is it easing us out of our jobs? The argument continues…

AD: What's that you're reading?

BC: It's about the ill-effects of technology on mankind...

AD: I'm not surprised. How on earth do you manage to pick out such articles like a...

BC: ...needle out of a haystack?

AD: I don't know about that, but I'm sure that you will use it to needle me. So what's the rant about this time?

BC: Does automation really result in job cuts?

AD: It’s a common fear shared by employees the world over that one day, they would be replaced by a computer or a robot...

BC: I've read some articles which say that by 2016, over 750,000 jobs will be lost in the US… And most of it could be blamed on automation.

AD: Can you imagine robots sitting in cubicles and playing solitaire on their computers?

BC: I'm sure that those who have lost their jobs don't find it funny...

AD: But how are you so sure that automation is taking away these jobs? It could also be a result of outsourcing…

BC: I recall seeing an article published in 1961 that talked about labour unions blaming automation and technology for the high unemployment rates that they were facing at that time.

AD: But then, people opposed the industrial revolution for similar reasons, centuries ago…

BC: In fact, a new phrase was coined in the 1930s to describe this phenomenon - technological unemployment.

AD: But automation has amazing benefits, beyond the usual efficiency and speed of response advantages that we talk about. For instance, robots are used for intricate surgeries...

BC: It'll ensure greater accuracy...

AD: ...and also minimise chances of infection because of the absence of human intervention. This would result in more lives saved.

BC: But I don't see technology replacing people in the service sector. It's probably one field where automation has to stay in the back-office because people are more comfortable dealing with a human interface.

AD: Imagine having a robot serve you coffee when you order room service.

BC: Well, at least it won't spit in your coffee if you're mean to it.

AD: I make my own tea, thank you. Unfortunately, industries like retail are affected in more ways than one... While the entry of electronic scanners, computerized check-out facilities and vending machines has reduced the need for manpower, online shopping...

BC: ...has made physical stores redundant.

AD: Right. Apparently, an American company has invented a textspresso machine that helps you order your cup of coffee even as you're on your way to the coffee shop. So your order will be waiting for you, nice and hot, when you get there.

BC: Even sectors like agriculture, accounting, education, manufacturing and banking have had several layoffs because of technology...

AD: You’re talking about people being displaced, but today, sitting in front of a web camera, one teacher can reach – and teach – thousands of students across the globe…

BC: Talking of reaching places, imagine calling a cab service in the future - an automated voice takes down your request, a software package sends you a confirmation to your mobile and finally an robotic car that drives itself comes to your doorstep...

AD: With projects like Google's driverless car, that day may not be too far away...

BC: But Google's car might bring other advantages that a normal car possibly can't.

AD: Like what?

BC: It will probably be fitted with two engines - a fuel engine to power the vehicle and a search engine to find your location.

Barking at the moon

Technology has evolved enough to send animals into space, but not to ensure their safety, laments an old-timer.

AD: What would you say if I told you that a primate is on the verge of triggering a missile war?

BC: I would ask you to stop monkeying around...

AD: News has it that Iran has launched a monkey into space...

BC: So what does the poor monkey have to do with launching missiles?

AD: There are concerns that the technology used for this mission could also be used to develop and launch long-range ballistic missiles across continents, though Iran has categorically rejected this military connotation to its space program...

BC: Well, technology can launch missiles and start wars, but why drag a poor monkey into the fracas?

AD: Lab rats, guinea pigs, test animals – take your pick. Unfortunately, these unsuspecting ‘subjects’ are sent ahead to step on the figurative landmines in space so that humans can have a safe passage thereafter...

BC: But how can an animal...

AD: It could be for various reasons - like checking the heat resistant capacity of the shields provided in the shuttle, for instance. If an animal can survive the extreme heat produced by the insane speeds and the conditions that exist miles above earth, then it could be deemed safe for humans.

BC: But what of the poor animals?

AD: According to reports, the monkey sent up by Iran did come back alive, but several animals that were sent into space did not.

BC: Sounds pretty cruel. If technology has taken all those giant leaps that we talk about, then surely something ought to be done to safeguard the lives of these animals... Some of them probably die out of sheer fear as they don't understand what is going on around them...

AD: They are trained for their expedition, in terms of being in zero gravity conditions or eating specific kinds of foods. In some cases, chimpanzees were even taught to interact with the spacecraft by pulling levers for specific purposes.

BC: But then, they didn't volunteer for the mission, did they? Their families wouldn't exactly be crowding around television sets to watch their hero in action...

AD: No, they didn't, but several billionaires have. Guess some of them regard this as a high adrenaline adventure sport that few can dream of and fewer still can afford.

BC: I know, I read about Dennis Tito being the world's first space tourist around a decade ago. 2001, was it?

AD: That's right, and six others have made it to space and back after him.

BC: But what of the animals that didn't make it?

AD: Laika, the first animal in orbit, didn't survive – but her fate was known even before the mission began as technology hadn't evolved enough to ensure a safe passage back to earth in the ‘50s. A whole series of ‘Albert missions’ also failed, where monkeys named Albert perished during various stages of the mission. However, Sam, Miss Sam and Ham made it back...

BC: Sam, Ham... Part of a naming convention?

AD: They’re acronyms - Sam stood for School of Aviation Medicine, while Ham represented Holloman Aero Med...

BC: If technology can send life forms into space, surely it should be able to create robots that could simulate these animals and send them instead...

AD: Maybe technology hasn't reached that point in its evolution. Or perhaps human lives have always been considered more precious than other life forms on earth.

BC: Well, at least the various incidents of animals being sent into space have helped clear up the mystery of why dogs bark at the moon…

AD: I’m waiting…

BC: Because they've spotted the rabbit up there, of course!

Dial M for Mobile Shopping

A senior citizen discovers the shopper’s new companion in the retail world – the mobile.

AD: Guess what, there's a new mall coming up in the neighbourhood!

BC: Really? Wonder if it’ll see crowds - you don't need to go to a mall to shop these days...

AD: You are referring to online shopping...

BC: Isn’t that the rage now?

AD: Well, 2013 is set to experience new technologies in retail. For starters, your mobile could be the key to your shopping. You could use it to scan a product and get all the details you need, like discounts and ingredients... You could even use it to scan the barcode, purchase it, pay for it with your mobile, and get a receipt for the transaction…

BC: Sounds incredible…

AD: Absolutely! There will also be several apps and technologies like Near Field Communication (NFC) and Quick Response (QR) Codes that will help the retailers in their mission.

BC: I really can't imagine holding my mobile in front of a product and…

AD: That’s technology for you - the mobile can make shopping a lot more interesting. For instance, you could enter key information about what you are looking for and the store could send focussed responses and updates on deals, discounts and relevant product information, even as you shop.

BC: But I forget to carry my mobile quite often...

AD: You are perhaps amongst the minority... There was a time when the tagline 'Don't leave home without it' applied to a brand of credit cards. Today, it applies as much to your smartphone, which you can use to make your payments...

BC: ...so you can actually leave home without your credit card.

AD: Right! E-commerce is almost two decades old. Mobile commerce is what everyone's talking about. Stores are even offering apps that will keep updating the price of a product you are interested in through alerts in your smartphone. So when there's a huge price-off, you immediately get to hear about it instead of checking the website or visiting the store time and again...

BC: For once, I'm glad I don't carry a smartphone regularly. If people are going to be bombarded with deals, there’s no getting away from them…

AD: A London-based store has the answer to that as well. They’ve come up with the concept of a Silence Room, where customers can take a break from the non-top marketing buzz. Shoppers can rest there, meditate and basically get away from the shopping frenzy...

BC: Amazing, isn't it, how retailers create a problem and then come up with a solution themselves?

AD: Well, some of us think that shopping is therapeutic... So you really can't blame the industry for...

BC: But the bottom line is that thanks to technology, brick and mortar stores will never shut down.

AD: Look, it's always the trend to expect the old to make way for the new. In this case, technology is supporting both the conventional and the contemporary.

BC: So smartphones can help you shop from home or wherever you are - and they can help you shop even when you physically go to the store...

AD: That's right! In other words, the mobile is going to be your friend, philosopher and guide in the retail arena...

BC: If it were a friend, it would have stopped me from going there and blowing up my money in the first place. If it were a philosopher, it would have told me about the futility of material pursuit. But you're right in calling it a guide - it would systematically guide me towards bankruptcy...

Busting crime with technology

There are two facets to technology – one that aids crime and the other that helps fight it, says a tech fan. 

AD: Hi, you said that you were going to invite your nephew over this month. What happened?

BC: No, he's away on some work, but his auto reply offered me the complete details of his whereabouts, how long he would be away, his mobile number – right down to the fact that he would be locked up in day-long meetings...

AD: That’s typically how any auto reply mail would read...

BC: What if the information falls into the wrong hands – someone could break in and...

AD: Oh, c’mon, all this fuss over…

BC: Today’s professionals are forever travelling - and if you know their name and the organization they are working for, finding out their official mail id isn’t exactly rocket science. Once you send them a mail, an auto response would reveal all the details you would want to know. Imagine, someone could actually be outside the apartment, sending a mail from their mobile phone to find out if the person is in town...

AD: You are paranoid, but I agree with you on one point - technology is making crime more daring and more difficult to solve.

BC: If you’re referring to cybercrime...

AD: Not just that. I'm also talking about the steps taken by criminals to stay undetected, like using online telephonic and chat services, and encryption technology...

BC: The scary part is that these gizmos, apps and software are commonplace and can be bought or downloaded from anywhere...

AD: That's right. Apparently, the US is pioneering predictive technology, like the Omega Group’s CrimeView Dashboard, to identify and prevent crime from occurring in a particular place.

BC: How does this work?

AD: Information fed into the system helps create a snapshot of the activities in the area. If anything suspicious is detected, the security gets beefed up in that area.

BC: But can it work in large cities and in remote areas? How can they be constantly monitored?

AD: As always, you are underestimating technology – if a burglar can be caught through his DNA samples, then...

BC: How did they get his sample?

AD: That was the easy part - he left it behind when he cut himself in the place of crime...

BC: And as they say in the crime novels, the trail of blood led straight back to him. While technology is being used by the law and the lawless, shouldn't the common man have access to it to save himself?

AD: He sure should, and Life360 can help him in this task...

BC: What is it?

AD: It's an app for families to keep track of one another, in terms of their location. It also helps them stay in touch with one another, thereby ensuring everyone's safety.

BC: So each member of the family carries a mobile phone with this app - and technology provides the safety net.

AD: Right! The app sends alerts when a family member is moving from one place to another, and also offers useful information, like the location of the nearest police station or hospital...

BC: Sounds reassuring, especially in these testing times...

AD: But technology has moved beyond DNA tests - right now, scientists are experimenting with biometric techniques that study a person's feet and the way he walks, to help identify him.

BC: This will put the law in a win-win situation.

AD: How?

BC: If the criminals take to their heels, the law can catch them using this technology – and if they don’t move, they’ll get caught anyway.

They invent, we innovate

There’s a difference between developing innovative technology and using existing technology innovatively, claims a tech fan.

BC: Where were you last night?

AD: Out partying with my cousin Arun...

BC: You seem to have started the New Year celebrations rather early this year.

AD: Well, the binges began a long time ago. We weren't sure if the world was coming to an end and hence decided not to take chances.

BC: So who's going to take charge of technology's safe passage into 2013 if you're going to be partying endlessly?

AD: Oh, don't worry about it. Now that your generation has crossed over and has begun using mobiles, handicams and iPods, it is an indication that technology's safe and sound.

BC: I don't believe you said that!

AD: Of course, a few are yet to come to terms with how things work. I have an old aunt who chides her maid for giving her missed calls because she thinks even missed calls to her mobile are charged.

BC: I’m speechless…

AD: Millions of Indians are, and yet manage to keep communication going without saying a word…

BC: Sign language? SMS?

AD: No, through missed calls. You can call it a silent revolution, but India is probably the only country where a missed call could have so many interpretations – from ‘reached safe’ to ‘call back’ or ‘buy something on your way back’…

BC: Free but effective, huh?

AD: When it comes to using existing technology innovatively, we seem to have a knack of finding newer ways of doing things.

BC: My neighbours used missed calls to communicate specific messages - one ring to keep the tea ready, two rings to open the door and so on.

AD: I recall my college friends who had hired an apartment and used to program their TV to act as an alarm clock.

BC: How did they do that?

AD: By setting the timer on for a specific time in the morning. The TV would switch on by itself and would blast in full volume, waking up everyone in the house.

BC: It reminds me of the washing machines in Punjab and Chandigarh that are used to make lassi!

AD: It’s hard to say which deserves more plaudits, the lassi or the machine…

BC: What about the knife sharpener that uses a cycle wheel? Who would have thought pedalling a cycle would result in sharpening a knife?

AD: Looks like India's progress is truly being made on wheels...

BC: Talking of wheels, rural India has created its own transport based on the world's oldest set of wheels...

AD: What’s so novel about a bullock cart?

BC: Add an engine from a water pump, a plank of wood and a set of tyres to it - and you have a multi utility vehicle for a large family. It's called a Maruta, derived from the name Maruti.

AD: One thing seems to be common to all these innovations - they are earthy and come from necessity.

BC: That's also proof that you don't need a lab, a Ph. D. degree and millions of dollars of funding to innovate. All you need is a different perspective and a drive to reach your goal.

AD: Ah, the sermon begins...

BC: No, that’s the reason why India never feared the end of the world.

AD: Really?

BC: Absolutely! We were always confident that even if the earth came to a standstill, we'd find a way to crank-start the planet and keep it moving.