Shawna Bertrand
Assignment 7 Part Two
Blog Review: "Self-Destructing Tech Gadgets Article" -CNN
Article Link:http://techland.time.com/2013/07/16/researchers-are-working-on-self-destructing-gadgets/
I came across the above article while searching for
an interesting article topic to post for this assignment. Sure enough, I was
lucky to discover this "gem" of an article. The topic of the article
says it all with “Researchers Are Working On Self-Destructing Gadgets,” a title
that quickly conjures up mental images of a suited up Mission Impossible
character throwing out a top secret spy gadget just as it self-destructs into
smithereens. This is precisely the mental image I found myself imaging as I
reviewed this article for this blog post. It is yet another example of the
extreme lengths that technology developers will go to in order to design and
mass market the next big ticket item, or hot commodity of the year, for equally
massive profit and notoriety. The product developers have big plans for biodegradable
tech products, but the spy-style detonations may be left to the movies and
covert military technology.
This article shares that the new technology being
developed is water-soluble versions of circuit board components found in many
cell phones and other small tech gadgets. The intention is to design innovative
tech products that are able to dissolve when exposed to water, or that
detonates when the product has reached the end of its lifespan. This is also
referred to as the concept of products being “born to die.” The hope is that
researchers can successfully create technological gadgets that dissipate at
lifespan’s end, thus eliminating more toxic waste. Developers argue that these
products will make a positive impact on the amount of electronics and gadgets
that wind up in landfills.
I feel as though these innovative ideas are the way
of the future, and have likely been used in varied forms by military and
government unbeknownst to the general public’s awareness for some time. These products
ultimately provide insight into the direction that technology will assume in
the years ahead, as well as the focus the World is giving to environmental
responsibility. These products hold the potential for future corporations to
design and produce “green” tech products and materials that are both consumer
and environmentally friendly.
I think this article could be used in the classroom
as an adaptive topic or tool for incorporating their experiences in the very
technologically-advanced world they live in, while making references to the
aspects and content of environmentalism. I also think that the students could
have fun developing their own mock “green” tech gadgets or gizmos to share with
their peers. This not only reinforces their connection and responsibility to
their planet, but sparks interest and relates them to things that they are very
familiar with and are part of their culture.
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