Ashby Williams

Reflection 

            All of these articles really make you wonder where exactly technology is going to take us. And how truly useful that humans are going to be. Its as if we are smart enough to create robots and devices to "make our jobs easier" when in fact we are just eradicating jobs for ourselves. I think technology is necessary and very beneficial to an extent, I just don't believe we need to lose our ability and purpose here. 

        Some of the inventions our of the two invention articles that I really thought were neat and useful were the folding helmet, the baby monitor, and the ocean vacuum. The folding helmet really struck me as genius because I know a lot of people that choose not to wear a helmet when riding a bike just because of the lack of convenience once they get to their destination. But if the helmet fold up and easily fits in a backpack or side bag, then I don't see what grounds someone could stand on to say they were not going to wear a helmet. The baby monitor is incredible. I know even as an aunt and babysitting my nephew when he was an infant was an extremely stressful time, even more so when he was asleep. Wondering constantly if he was breathing okay, or if he was doing alright in his own bed or even in bed with me. I know if they would have had this device 4 years ago I would have gotten one just to ease my mind a even a little bit. Another useful device would be the ocean vacuum, we know how awful our pollution to the ocean is, so if we have something that would even contribute to the clean up just a little bit, that it would be effective. 

        A few of the inventions that I thought were strange were the gluten sniffer, and the sweet potatoes. I don't really believe in the gluten sniffer because I feel if you're allergic to gluten you know what it is an ingredient in and shouldn't need a sniffer to figure that out. I believe there are way more serious allergens that this unit could be effective for. Just not gluten. Also the sweet potatoes that are high in vitamin A, I know that many years ago someone created a rice, called "Golden Rice" that had this exact same purpose. It was high in vitamin A assisting in preventing blindness and malaria and a many other issues that poverty struck countries have to deal with due to lack of necessary food sources. When Golden Rice was created it was functioning and doing its job and out of nowhere the FDA came and made it illegal to produce so those people who were relying on it, were back at square one. So Im not sure the difference in the rice and the sweet potato, but I can't imagine its much. 

    I also have a problem with the robot toy box, only because I was a terrible little kid and I can only imagine what mine will be as pay back. But I know if my toy box had to tell me to pick up my toys I would make an even bigger mess to keep it busy. But that could just be me. I don't really agree with the comfy chair at all. As nice as it would be to be able to whistle and have a foot rest come to you. If you can't get up and move the footrest to you, there are bigger problems. And also the thought of my furniture moving around at night absolutely terrifies me, if we are being honest.