Smart technology is innovative technology that helps to improve the quality of life. It seems that almost everything these days has smart technology behind it. When people hear the words “smart technology,” the first thing that comes to mind is usually their cell phone having the ability to access the internet but smart phones are more than just internet access. To name a few features of smart phones, they are cameras, video cameras, music players, calculators, calendars, video games, and personal assistants.
Smart technology is not limited to cellular phones. At the Pittsburgh Zoo and aquarium, children are able to find habitat in coral reefs because of the smart technology being used. Not only is it being used by aquariums and museums, smart technologies are being included in smart cities, buildings, appliances, homes, materials, manufacturing, shopping, software, toys, transportation, robots, personal aids, healthcare products, smart card security, clothing and any other area in which technology can help make improvements. Smart technologies cover a wide variety of areas and every day there are more things being created which are utilizing smart technology. The smart glasses which Google is planning on releasing and memory glasses are a great example of smart technology.
The average pair of prescription eyeglasses helps to correct vision by bending light. The lenses are shaped a certain way that helps make things in view appear clearer and sharper. For instance, some eyeglasses change color when a person steps outdoors which is a clever concept but it is simply a physical reaction of the molecules the lenses of the smart sunglasses contain which react to light. Once a computer and camera are added to eyeglasses it is a whole new experience. When a video camera is placed in a pair of eyeglasses it can be fed into a small computer. The person wearing the glasses will be able to see things in a more detailed way as parts of the lenses are lit up by the computer. It may include a character recognition which will benefit the person making reading headlines easier. Software and cameras are being used as a way to interpret the things around the person and the zoomed images will be on a screen right in front of the person’s eyes.
Other engineers have added micro cameras as well as headphones into smart glasses. What the cameras see is made into a third-dimensional model and represented with sound. If someone has no vision, they will have the availability to hear visual space as their brain reconstructs the shape of the visual space. Facial expression analysis is being used to help some people make recognition of emotions of people they are talking to. Inside of the eyeglasses are software and a camera which can track feature points on faces and match their expression to the database. With an earpiece, the person wearing the smart technology eyeglasses is advised of the findings as quick alerts are provided by a small light in the lens. The information can also be displayed and viewed via a computer screen.
Memory eyeglasses are another technology being researched. These smart eyeglasses are being researched in order to help those who are suffering with memory loss or dementia. These eyeglasses will help those recognize their surroundings. They can also be used by those who do not have memory loss problems as they will help people remember names when they see a familiar face. Memory glasses are not the only smart tool being researched and developed. There is a bandage being developed in which upon placing it on a wound, it will make a change in color in regards to the bacteria which the wound contains. This can give a diagnosis in an instant and let the person know if this is a wound which requires immediate medical attention or the type of medication will work best as treatment. A smart technology such as this will be a great tool when it comes to a boil which oftentimes can turn into a staph infection.
Scientists are constantly finding new, innovative ways to use smart technology in order to make improvements on everyday living. Smart technology is being used in education, businesses, healthcare, and as a means to increase environmental health. Smart cars use less fuel and put off less harmful emissions which tend to be hazardous; smart phones are increasingly gaining more smart features which help ease our busy lives; and smart glasses are now providing those with memory loss help recognize those they love or even help the visually impaired hear the visual space surrounding them. Smart technology has come a long way and what it brings to the future should prove to be very exciting.