Technology's growing power

22/02/10 posted by Annie

A new survey claims the internet is helping us read, write, and become smarter. 76% of the 895 internet experts surveyed by the Pew Research Centre said we'll develop enhanced human intelligence by 2020, as a result of greater access to information and better choice making. Almost two-thirds believe use of the internet has already improved reading, writing and rendering of knowledge. The survey particularly back-bites the defiant claim that Google will make us stupid, as argued by Nicholas Carr in his controversial 2009 article. Carr responded as part of the survey, by saying "the price of zipping among lots of bits of information is a loss of depth in our thinking." Can the shared opinions of prominent scientists, business leaders, consultants, writers and technology developers be that misguided?

With all the buzz around the Google empire, especially the escalating cant that Google may have actually broken privacy laws when it launched Buzz, it's not surprising that some people mistrust the internet giant. You might've also heard of Google's interlude with Wikipedia, giving the search engine masters an even greater monopoly on our information and education. And if that weren't enough, Google's just been given even more power thanks to an order that lets them buy and sell electricity in bulk like any other utility. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) which oversees the US power grid, has granted Google Energy market-based rate authorisation. It's part of their growing interest in green energy technology, so Google can better manage their own energy costs, taking steps towards being carbon neutral. Google obviously isn't ruling out the possibility of being an energy provider either, adding this potential service to their rapidly expanding empire. It's a smart move on Google's part, going where no search engine has gone before.

In medical news, research from the University of Sydney has found new computer tests can accurately diagnose brain disorders in children and adolescents. In Australia, 6% of children have been diagnosed with ADHD, which means about one child in every classroom. Over 300 children took the new computer test that examined memory and attention, while measuring brain activity and heart rate. Children who had difficulty concentrating on the game or made impulsive decisions (common characteristics of children with ADHD) displayed slower brain activity and a decreased heart rate. The children were then biologically tested independently by three doctors, finding the diagnoses were 96% accurate. To say the least, it's certainly exciting that computers are still able to deliver such a positive bearing on our lives, even in the face of other opinion-splitting social media events.