Emergence of new Technology Related Diseases
Description:
Techno-addiction might they be the new kind of disease. People are entering into their own world of bits and bytes, spending days only in front of their computer and spending less and less time with friends and families. Teenagers becoming addicted to the use of mobile phones and the communication power they gain, while business people are striving like Maniacs for the ideal of perfect information with Laptops, Wireless Cards, PDAs and multifunctional devices. Besides Psychological problems, more people than ever before suffer from Migraine or eye problems. Orthopaedics have more patients than before and the diet industry booms. These developments may influence the future of communication technology. Terms of use may emerge and regulations will inhibit companies to adopt new technologies easily. Anxious of health implications new technologies will have to reflect upon social responsibility.
Enablers:
The flexibility of communication devices and online connections simplify the usage of new technologies.
Inhibitors:
Regulations concerning the design of work environments.
Paradigms:
Past: Technology will help to do work more efficient
Experts:
- Marshal McLuhan
- GVU's WWW survey
- IDC
- Nua Ltd.
Timing:
In a www survey conducted by GUV in 1995, internet connection speed at 14 kb/s had the highest percentage with 33.7%, 32.72%, 22.95% in general part of the world, U.S, and europe respectively. In other words, the most common connection speed is 14 Kb/sec (33.70%) followed by 28 Kb/sec (26.63%). In year 1998, the same survey resulted in 31.4% for connection speed at 56 Kb/sec. This fact however has shown how internet technology has grown rapidly within three years.
In terms of internet usage, internet user has grown from 16 million (0.39% of world population) in December 1995 to 580.78 million (9.75% of world population) in May 2002. Those data are based upon research from Nua Ltd. and IDC respectively. This means internet user had grown 35.3% in seven years from 1995 to 2002.