Sixth Sense - More Future Tech

Following on from my last post, this one is addressed to all those that laughed at me at school when I hypothesised about the future of the Internet. Ever since reading 2000ad, and in particular 'Sinister Dexter', I was convinced that one day we would have access to the internet in ways we hadn't seen before. Seamless connectivity with all the information we would ever need.

Well today I can finally offer a tiny 'told you so' to my sniggering school chums. Turns out they've done it and although it's not (yet) a brain implant with a TV screen straight onto your retina (as in Sinister Dexter and my adolescent ramblings) it is, I believe, the future.

It's called Sixth Sense and, well, just take a look!



Also visit Ted.com for a better quality version.

Ok, now pick your jaw off the desk! Although it's in no way the finished article the possibilities are wholly apparent and potentially endless. This is going to change everything!

Never again will you buy something in one shop, only to find it cheaper in another shop 5 minutes later - competitor's prices could be displayed on whatever you've picked up in the shop. What if you could pay for the item right where you are, bypassing the checkout entirely. An RFID tag hidden inside the product could be deactivated, allowing you to leave the store without it setting off the alarms.

From an advertising standpoint what if you picked up a certain item (for instance toilet roll) and up popped an advert for a rival product bestowing it's virtues over the one you have in your hand or telling you theirs is softer, better value or on offer at the moment.

I love the idea that as you approach a person all of their personal information is displayed right there on their chest but this is not without its pitfalls. As has been seen recently with social networking sites, having your private life displayed on the web is dangerous enough, it could be potentially life-threatening if it's worn like gang colours. What if your eBay rating was displayed and showed people you shouldn't be trusted? On a more positive note, if the system could recognise what social situation you were presently in it could display information in context with where you are e.g. GPS tracks that you are in a nightclub the system displays your likes, dislikes, sexual preference etc. Therefore, if at work only certain information (possibly veted by yourself) would be displayed.

This is all just off the top of my head and I know I'm only scratching the surface of what could be possible. If you have any ideas please post in the comments section.