Digital Society and Digital Life

Prabhas Chongstitvatana
27 July 2012
at Bangkok Bank club, Thailand

In this short talk, I will discuss the effect of digital technologies to our everyday life. In short, recently there are three major impacts of digital technologies to our life:
1) Getting more online
2) Mobile devices
3) Health care

More and more people get access to internet (via mobile phones).

In the past quarter (Jan-Apr 2012), the number of SIM activation in USA has increased steadily. If this trend continues the number of SIM will surpass the population size by this year. In Thailand the number of SIM is twice the population since 2011. The number of tablets sale per year has already larger than the number of notebook sale per year in USA. The trend is toward higher internet access on mobile devices.

Young people communicates via "text" on mobile devices through "internet".

It is "universal" (across devices, operating systems).
It is "low cost" (via Wifi hotspot).
It is "multimedia" (text, stickers, photos, videos).

The mode of operation is also changing toward more "notification" (interruption) and "pushing" (from services).

Result:

Young people tends to have short attention.
They also never be "alone".

Applications on mobile devices make life more convenience.

Example from e-book devices such as Kindle.

You can browse and buy books anywhere in many countries around the world (through free 3G). The business model is such that the cost of providing 3G access for free will have a return on sale of books. Payment by mobile devices (via Near Field Communication ship, NFC) is coming (in 2 years).

People starts watching TV, listen to radio via internet (streaming).

There are huge investment in mobile network infrastructure to support the increase demand for bandwidth (4G, LTE). The most valuable company in USA is Apple (June 2012).

Result:

new generation will not wait for anything

Digital technologies that affect our life.

Robotic technology is being commercialised for health and life.

Medical (help surgeon)
Military
Help aging society (Personal Mobility): Toyota i-real personal mobility at Nagoya international airport.

Humanoid robots make us think about other "life-like" creature that is not "us". (super realistic humanoid by Ishiguro)

The advance in medical research makes it possible to repair organs and make replaceble human components.

video link (local) : engineered jellyfish (9 M)

News of scientist creating a Jellyfish from heart muscle. (from Time science section 23 July 2012)

last update 28 July 2012