How Technology Is Improving Our Day To Day

Technological advances seem to be the hallmark of humans as a species.  While other animals, and even some birds, demonstrate the use of tools, no other animal that we know today is seen to be creating or improving technology as we know it. Humans invented the wheel, identified gravity, and have used electricity to go further than any of our ancestors would have thought possible. 

Industrial Revolution

Since the invention of the steam engine and the spinning jetty, and probably before, there have always been those who see technology as a ‘bad thing’.  Whether it’s undermining society through changes in attitudes and lifestyle, replacing fulfilling employment or just putting people out of jobs, the complaints of the industrial revolution are as familiar today as they were 250 years ago. Just look at how people are acting around the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning.

The Cycle Of Concern

Realistic as some of these concerns can turn out to be, they are rarely as deadly or dangerous as their proponents’ fear. What’s even more interesting is how the perceived problems sometimes go full circle round to positive benefits. Going from “the machines will take over our jobs and leave us destitute!” to “I love working from home, I wouldn’t be able to do this without all this wonderful technology!” is interesting to look back on and speculate in the future.

Video Games And Their Reputation

Take video games for example. In the early 1980s, a fixture of cafés and amusement arcades, these primitive games were seen as the preserve of an unemployed youth culture. But simultaneously these were inspiring a whole generation of computer savvy kids in their bedrooms who went on to be the developers and entrepreneurs of the dot.com revolution.  The IT equivalent of bookish 18th century engineers, these ‘computer kids’ programming on their Sinclair and Commodore home computers developed an interest and skills for an industrial revolution of their own. 

The Rise of 3D

Soon after, 3D was introduced to the world in the early ’90s through the creation of games like Wolfenstein 3D and Doom. This heralded an era of immersive gaming, forever transforming the landscape with their groundbreaking 3D graphics. 3D didn’t stop there though! It was brought into the cinema, and the chaos around those 3D glasses was brought in. 

The blue and red was rumored to cause your eyes to go cross-eyed and ruin your vision. There’s no evidence that viewing too much time wearing 3D glasses causes any long-term eye problems. Nonetheless, it may be uncomfortable in the short-term. The solution for most children and adults with vision issues is to view 3D content sparingly, take frequent breaks, and sit farther away from the screen.

Games – Good or Evil?

The complex and immersive games of the 2000s were another tabloid favorite, generating concerns about the dumbing down of children’s minds and increasing obesity. Later studies identified the positive benefits in concentration and digital hand eye coordination.  How many of tomorrow’s surgeons will have developed their subtle control and dexterity while flying missions around Mars in their teens?

Gamification of Life

Gamification of routines and key business processes has been another important spin-off.  Used widely in online training, an end of course ‘test’ is created, disguised as a game which uses the knowledge you’ve learned. More fun than a multiple-choice evaluation, it actively engages course participants.  It makes them want to go back and review areas they were weak on so that they can do better in the game.  If it’s openly competitive this effect is amplified. Used in the schemes to encourage exercise or other measurable behavior, the gamification of tasks which are tedious or difficult to start changes the whole nature of user engagement.  

Mindfulness and Gaming

Even relatively simple games such as Pong and cryptoball shooter games are being recognized as ways to help mindfulness and support an almost meditative break in a busy day. The principle of mindfulness is that taking a break from a stressful or anxious situation can help to ‘reset’ the levels of emotional strain and whirling thoughts.  But a simple break is rarely enough, and the pressures never really go away.  In mindfulness the idea is to really focus on something else, something simple but engaging enough to really focus the brain and quieten down the hubbub.  When you come back to the real-world things are usually a little clearer.

Relaxing and Relief

When it comes to unwinding, the need for high-quality 3D graphics in video games has increased dramatically. People of all ages like playing video games, and this trend shows no signs of stopping. Unless otherwise noted, every high-budget game launched in 2023 is anticipated to include 3D visuals. Rockstar’s games are representative of the widespread use of 3D graphics in today’s popular video games. 

Human innovation, in part due to our relentless pursuit and adoption of technology, will continue to shape our species’ trajectory as the Earth spins. Video games, once dismissed as a fringe pastime, have since become useful in society’s progression, promoting digital literacy, dexterity, and even mindfulness. They’ve evolved into an immersive, interactive form of entertainment, evident in the use of 3D graphics in the gaming world of today. The journey of technology, though riddled with apprehension, consistently turns full circle, birthing new possibilities and reshaping our world for the better. We learn, adapt, and evolve, turning once-feared machinery into beneficial tools that enrich our lives, in work, play, and everything in between.