Every year, The Edge poses a question to 150 of the top minds in the world. This year's question was "What should we be worried about?" Recognized a few names in the list that were pretty interesting.. "That digital technologies are sapping our patience and changing our perception of time." –Nicholas G. Carr “I worry we have yet to have a conversation about what seems to be a developing 'new normal' about the presence of screens in the playroom and kindergarten” -Sherry Turkle

KTD- Kissing Transmission Device
Perhaps one of the most unique devices examined this semester, the Kissing Transmission Device is truly a feat of modern technology.  The simple, yet profound device, developed in the Kajimoto Laboratory in Tokyo, marks the introduction of the first new medium of communication since the cell phone.
With the ability to instantaneously talk to anyone around the world via phone or internet messaging, the only thing that had been missing from long distance communication, prior to this invention, was physical contact.  The purpose of the KTD is to fill that void.
The device is simple enough- just a small box with a small, slightly bent rod sticking out.  This rod acts as a "tongue" that is manipulated by the tongue of the user.  The movement of the rod is then transmitted to and replicated by another device, either simultaneously or after a period of time if the motion is recorded.
The practical application is fairly straightforward, couples in long distance relationships now at least have a semblance of contact with their partner.  The device could also be used by celebrities to send a message to their fans that would certainly be much more intimate than a "tweet", according to the device's creator.
The device isn't without downsides, however.  Anyone who has experienced a kiss can vouch for the fact that it isn't exactly the same as rotating a robotic rod with your tongue.  A much deeper problem lies in the device's "telos", which Sherry Turkle addresses in Alone Together.  She notes, "The blurring of intimacy and solitude may reach its starkest expression when a robot is proposed as a romantic partner."  Although there is another person operating the other end of the device, it does represent the steady disintegration of true, meaningful, human interaction.
What's next? Who knows, but it will be interesting (or depressing) to see.

Race, Racism, and Representation

                Biologically, there is only one human race. All people belong to the genus and species Homo sapiens. The construct of differences based upon skin color is created an idea created by humans. Racism is a social and political hierarchy in which different divisions are placed above one another based upon observed trait. Historically, race and racism stem from one main event in the West’s history: Slavery and the slave trade.

 The beginning of racism can be traced back to the beginning of slavery. As soon as the economic advantages were realized, slavery was something that light-skinned people wanted to keep and protect because they were reaping the benefit. The idea that slaves were lower in the human hierarchy stems from the protection of slavery for economic gain. This view point allowed the sentiment to spread that slavery was acceptable because slaves were inferior to people who have lighter skin. Racism, however, did not end with slavery. The sentiment against people with darker skin lingered in the West becoming ingrained in society. People of lighter skin did not want to mix with the ‘inferior’ races due to a personal protection of their superiority. By the 1800’s, the human race had almost completely been split into the superior lighter-skinned people and the inferior darker-skinned people.

While slavery was the reason that racism is so widespread, sentiment was not changed when it was abolished. The ideas of superiority and hierarchy based upon skin did not go away. Laws have been created to stop blatant segregation between people due to race, religion, or culture, but that does not mean the end of racism, either. The fact remains that small forms of separation of races still linger today. Today, racism is defined as more of a separation of people of different skin colors and the judgment based upon stereotypes. Just as literature was influenced in the years after slavery to continue a form of this segregation, technology today is still slightly influenced its movement to a small degree. Today, most technology that is geared to a certain race is created to please a stereotype.

While the technology itself does not necessarily prefer one race to another, the marketing and advertisement of the technology does show a preference. Many different technologies that aid in a healthy lifestyle will advertise themselves to white, younger women. This demographic then feel that the technologies is made for them and they tend to buy it more. Other products like the Beats headphones market itself to black people who are in their teens and early adulthood. The advertisements pick a demographic to advertise to so that they have the best chance of making a profit. The advertisement may, however, be indirectly suggesting a certain class of people to buy a technology by using a certain race in the advertisements. Statistics state that more white families are of a higher financial class than black families. Therefore, an apple product would use a white model to advertise a new, expensive technology. This is not meant to necessarily target a race, but instead uses race as a means to entice a social class.

Racism is still present in today’s society. In the interviews, most people said that they do still see racism around them. Not as many people, however, saw racism as a trend in the creation of technologies. Instead, they suggested that the technologies like Facebook provided a means of racism occurring in society, especially anonymously. So, while race and racism are not factors that mold the creation of new technologies, it does still affect the technologies in society today. 

take a year off from the internet

What happens to your life when you take a year off from the internet?  This man did just that and wrote about it.  Check it out:

http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/1/4279674/im-still-here-back-online-after-a-year-without-the-internet

TechShop: An Inventor's Paradise in San Francisco

Technology's Influence on Gender and Sexuality

Feminism

What is it? And what is its purpose?

A political movement concerned with women’s oppression and the means and ways to empower women

To eliminate a long established patriarchal society

Not all societies have a patriarchal view

History

1920—Women’s Suffrage

1968 Bra Burning—protesting Miss America pageant

1980s and ‘90s--Post-Feminism

Technology’s role?

Television and radio helped to spread the ideas of Feminism

Technology’s role now?

Blogs and Internet are the new medium for communication

Feministing

Feministe

Our Bodies Our Blog

Jezebel

Broadsheet

Male dominance in technological fields

20% CS majors

27% in CS jobs

down from 30% a decade ago

The growth of feminism has caused it to shift to post-feminism

Most people generally believe in the idea of women’s rights, but the ideals of feminism is now defined by each individual

 Zack in dress

Zack is late—comes in with dress on

Colette ask class to define Zack’s gender and sexuality from 3 different perspectives

1) First day of class

2) Right now

3) How he perceives it

Gender

Sex vs. Gender?

Is there really a difference?

Historically

gender was defined by cultural appearance

sex was defined by biological appearance

Now?

The line between gender and sex has been blurred due to technology (communication, medical)

Femininity and Masculinity

How do we define our technologies?

Google Glass

YouTube

Smart Board

Yoga Balls

Pebble Watch

GroupMe

Snapchat

Re-Walk

Arduino

Ancestry.com

Autismate

My Fitness Pal

Infrascanner

Wolfram Alpha

23 & me

Everyone’s were different

not everything can be strictly labeled as Male or Female

What is Masculinity and Femininity?

Socially and Self-defined

Reference technology picks.

Reference to Zack in dress

Reference to feminism

What’s blurring the line?

Medical

Sexual Reassignment Surgery

Transexuals increases by 14% each year and the average age is rising--LGBT Health Summit in Bristol UK

Communication

Online dating

The stigma associated with it has completely changed in the past 10 years

Similarly, Instagram and Pintrest

Have molded photography from a male dominated field to a female hobby

Facebook profiles (show a FB profile)

Defining our gender and sexuality

Only allows for Male and Female (no other option), but does allow different sexualities

Appeals to varying sexual orientations but not genders

Sexuality

Differences in sexuality are more culturally accepted than differences in gender

i.e. It’s more socially acceptable to be gay than to be transgender

This is why Facebook allows for a variety of sexual orientations, but not genders

What is sexuality?

Someone’s self defined expression of feelings of desire, attraction, and excitement towards others

When boiled down, it’s a desire for sexual experiences

Do sexuality and gender go hand in hand? –poll the class-

Sexuality is different from gender!

I could decide to only dress like this (im wearing a dress) every day from now on, but still date women (that’s my gender changing)

I could decide to only date boys tomorrow, but continue to want to be a man (that’s my sexuality)

Clearly these aren’t just a decision to be made, but these two instances are very real

Technology’s role?

Created a more post-feminist world

blur the line between sex and gender

defined the difference between gender and sexuality

Thank you for your time!