Just like video of HYPER REALITY, Augmented Reality (AR) glasses may soon become as indispensable as many tools originally invented for people with disabilities but now used by everyone. These tools, like the text-to-speech technology and predictive text input, have originated from their initial purpose to offer convenience and enhanced functionality for a broader user base. AR glasses have the potential to significantly change how we interact with the world, much like how tools designed for individuals with disabilities often find broader applications.
As we could read from “turn on the lights” reading, the proliferation of smartphones and other screen-based technologies has led to a paradoxical state. While we are more connected than ever before to people and information across the globe, these devices often demand our isolated attention, pulling us away from direct engagement with the physical world and the people around us.
Potential Positive Impacts
Integrated Interaction: Unlike smartphones, which require users to look down at a screen, AR glasses could allow for information to be displayed within the user’s field of vision, allowing for more natural interaction with the environment and people.
Hands-Free Use: Smartphones require the use of hands to operate, which can be a barrier in many situations. AR glasses would allow users to engage with digital content hands-free, potentially reducing the need to “step away” from real-world interactions to use a device.
Social Presence: By overlaying digital interactions onto the real world, AR glasses could enable people to be more physically and socially present. For instance, while having a video call, instead of looking at a screen, the person you’re talking to could be projected into the space next to you.
Potential Negative Impacts
Constant Connectivity: While smartphones can be put away, AR glasses can potentially lead to an always-on state where interruptions and digital information are persistent, potentially occurring issues like digital distraction and information overload.
Social Disconnection: Even though AR allows for a more integrated experience, the constant flow of information could still create a barrier between individuals. People might be physically present but mentally engaged in a digital overlay, leading to a new form of social isolation.
Dependency and Overreliance: With the convenience of AR, there is a risk of overreliance on digital assistance for basic tasks, potentially atrophying our natural abilities to remember, navigate, and even recognize faces without technological aid.
AR glasses could result in a more integrated technological future, but they also carry the potential harms.
It’s essential to address potential issues that could arise, such as digital distraction, disconnection of personal interaction. AR glasses have the potential to become the next widely adopted technology that, while initially assisting individuals with disabilities, offers extensive benefits for the general population. They are likely to change how we interact with our environment, offering a more intuitive and integrated digital experience. Like the assistive tools before them, AR glasses could blur the lines between assistive technology and mainstream convenience.