Over the weekend, my wife and I traveled to several states to visit a friend. That first night at the hotel, I told Alexa to turn off the lights. It took me a while to realize that without a smart assistant I would have to turn off the lights.
Now this may be an isolated incident, but it explains my point. When we use the smart home on a daily basis, the idea of ​​reaching for a switch to turn off the lights seems quite ancient. This is a backup feature, nothing more. More to the point, however, does this indicate an almost unhealthy reliance on the benefits and features of a smart home?
Fear of the unknown
I’m not actually suggesting a sense of empathy in a smart home, but something more similar Nomophobia – Fear of not having a mobile phone. Twenty years ago, most people used only one phone when needed. Today, we are constantly and consistently connected with our friends, our families and the wider world. Sometimes it creates a physical response when that connection is broken, especially among the younger generation.
Losing the ability to check in at your home can be a cause for concern.
In 2017, SAP’s Lisa Tinty wrote a blog post titled “Smart home or smart addiction? “It was a tongue-in-cheek piece about the joys and frustrations of owning a smart home, but one specific example stands out: the loss of his security camera. When he loses connection, he loses the ability to see what’s happening around his home and Causes anxiety in him.
One of the marketing strategies for many home security systems is “peace of mind”. If you can look at your phone to check if you have locked the door or left some plug-ins, you can reduce your anxiety even if you are away from home. As a result, losing that option can add to those worries.
Kids don’t always understand smart assistants
There are many more important aspects of how children can be connected to a smart home. In one Article from CNNThe author says that the first words her baby knew were “mom”, “dad,” “cat” and “alexa.” This is the first generation in history to grow up in a home with artificial intelligence.
The children have befriended Alexa and Google Assistant. For those first few years, a child may think of a smart assistant as another member of the family and not fully understand the difference; After all, even though it may not have the physical body to talk to, smart assistants can continue the conversation with the kids.
These concerns are exacerbated by the existence of Echo Dot for children. Its bright colors and fun designs are appealing to kids, but such uninterrupted access to AI can have negative effects that we are not yet aware of. Scientists are beginning to study the developmental effects of AI on children, but there is still little time to make a definitive statement.
Forgetting nowadays?
One of my favorite features of the Smart Assistant is the ability to find my phone. I can’t forget how many times I set it in the middle of a task and where it is, just ask Alexa to call. I use my smartwatch for the same purpose – it Pinging my phone’s location even when the volume is off.
According to some people, these features may be part of the reason I keep losing my phone. There is a long-standing argument that technology affects memory. Working your brain through critical thinking and mental exercise is like working a muscle – it gets stronger with use. On the other hand, it can also atrophy over time.
Think about it: How many phone numbers do you know over your head? I remember three: my mother, my wife and my own. I once knew my friend’s phone number, the local pizza place number, and a dozen more. Speed ​​dial made it unnecessary, and so I don’t remember them anymore.
The same idea is true for information. The act of retrieving information strengthens the nervous pathways that drive memory and thought, but often we type it into Google or search for it through a smart assistant.
According to Cherry Burcham The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign said, “Just seeing things can disrupt daydreaming, introspection and problem-solving – all of the important cognitive tasks that humans need.”
So are we becoming too dependent on smart homes? Maybe, but maybe not. I don’t think technology is high enough, especially on the AI ​​front, to cause serious concern – but these initial warnings are enough that we should take a step back and consider, in some cases, whether we are in the business of mental sharpness. For convenience.
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