When it comes to computing, Maker and Ubiquitous computing are really great concepts that focus on the computing appearing everywhere, anytime and for anyone. These focus on environment in which the machines or devices that are present everywhere and they are capable to do some form of computing.
Mark Weiser’s article on Ubiquitous Computing discusses how computing can be made fruitful if the computers fit the human environment rather than urging humans to enter the computing environment. He pointed out that “Today’s multimedia machine makes the computer screen into a demanding focus of attention rather than allowing it to fade into the background”(Weiser). So, he demanded the new way to think about computers that take the human world into account and run computers on the background without interrupting human interaction. He mentioned three parts of technologies that are required for ubiquitous computing, cheap, low-power computers with applicable software & resources and a network to tie them all. He also discusses the way of computing in today’s world as they are demanding focus on their screens. He also pointed out that the defective present technologies which are yet to be updated or invent a new one that would be applicable for ubiquitous computing. At last, he acknowledges that ubiquitous computers will help to solve the problem of information overload.
Technologies have played a vital role in individuals and societies around the globe. Democratized technological practice binds together nature, utility, and expressiveness, depending on some modern technologies while making interest for new skills and devices. One technology that I think has the element of democratized practice is a digital watch. Digital watch nowadays gives the users an opportunity to interact with it to do lots of tasks such as phone calls, messages, and many more as well as it does the function of a regular watch i.e showing the time. I think digital watches gives a good vision of Ubiquitous computing. The watch doesn’t demand the focus and it works on multiple tasks on the background until it becomes necessary to the user. They are small in size, almost unnoticeable to anyone, which sits on the wrist and does it job in the background.
So it certainly looks like the goal that Weiser suggested about the ubiquitous computing is possible with the currently evolving technologies but there might be some issues on development. Hence, we are not far behind to be in the era of ubiquitous computing because of the technologies and machines that we have achieved so far.
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