We first learned that ones and zeros could be used to transmit data back in the 1950s and since that time, digital tech has raced along at breakneck speed. You might be too young to remember the first dial-up modems that made weird screeching sounds when connecting to the web; the microprocessor in your smartphone is 100 times more powerful than Apollo 11’s main computer back in the late 1960s.
Here are a few things that we wouldn’t have without digital tech.
- Telehealth – If you run out of essential medication, you can find telemedicine prescriptions from an online telehealth provider. Most GPs offer remote consultations using Zoom, which allows doctor and patient to have a conversation with real-time video too. Other healthcare professionals such as physios and psychiatrists make good use of virtual consultations.
- Remote working – Once you have sampled working from home, you will never want to set foot inside the company offices ever again! An unprecedented level of freedom comes with remote working and as long as you meet your deadlines and complete the tasks assigned, you are free to choose when you work.
- The Internet – The information highway is a part of all our lives, regardless of what we do or where we live; we are about to experience Internet 2.0, while the Metaverse is only decades away. We can enjoy huge bandwidths today, thanks to high-speed data transfer and within a few years, every square metre of the planet will have Internet connectivity.
- ATMs – Without digital connectivity, you could withdraw cash from your local ATM; indeed, the entire financial system would not be able to operate without the Internet. Imagine a solar flare that melts all the planet’s copper grids! What would we do? Could we revert to pre-digital days? Let’s hope we never have to find out!
- GPS – Where would we be without GPS? The Global Positioning Satellite system depends on high-speed data transfer. We tend to take Google Maps for granted, yet it is amazing that AI can direct you to your desired location.
Where will digital tech take us? Only time will tell; AI is already combining with digital tech to provide unique solutions. Some think the future is scary; one thing is for sure, life will certainly be better!
