We need smarter people – not more tech

Cyber-anthropologist Amber Case wants to see smarter people instead of smarter technology – using calm tech. “The Tech World’s Titanic is happening right now”, she says.

Self-propelled cars, smartwatches and refrigerators that can tell us when the bananas have become bad.

The Internet of Things – or the Internet of Things – grows in a hurry and development does not seem to stagnate. According to a Pwc report, consumers worldwide spend $ 236 billion on internet of things solutions by 2020. This is an increase of 33 percent from 2015.

“There will be 50 billion connected devices by 2020. We are living in a time of disturbing technology – our interaction with it must be more meaningful,” said the American cyber antropologist Amber Case, who is visiting Stockholm to lecture during the NextM tech event “.

She researches the interaction between man and technology at Harvard and MIT, and has become known as an equal part of conservative as a progressive voice in the tech world.

The reason is that she advocates calm tech and lectures on how the new technology should be quiet, efficient and sustainable – instead of “smart” and hackable.

“It’s about keeping it simple. I love solutions like the toilet sign on an airplane or crossing points. Such solutions have not changed since they were introduced – a sign that they work, “she says to Di Digital.

The aim of calm technology is to shift focus from quantity to quality in the creation of new products and services.

“The Tech World’s Titanic is happening right now. Just look at Facebook’s situation. People will want to use products with more sustainable design and actively review how much time they spend on their technology.”

However, Amber Case has not always bothered the tech companies. In 2010 she herself joined and started one.

Then she launched the Geoloqi positioning service together with Aaron Parecki. The platform helped system developers add site-based features to their apps. But what made the platform unique in the current market was that the user could also decide how long the site should be shared.

Two years later Esri acquired the company. Then Geoloqi had over 1000 customers and had totaled $ 350,000 in capital. In 2015, the service was closed down by Esri.

“I want to. If the culture around the tech companies changes, then I would go back to the old school tech and build everything myself, from scratch.”

Despite her day-to-day profiles, she thinks there are companies that have already entered the right way.

“I love, for example, how Dyson created a new hair dryer – a product that has not been updated in 60 years. It costs $ 600, but is quite quiet. And Philips has developed their products as if they were in an ecosystem, “said Amber Case.

“The problem is expectations of growth. A listed company should not have to make a profit of 5 percent each year. In the end, you grow for growth alone. Take self-driving cars for example. Why are they a good idea for tech companies? Because they give consumers more time to spend in front of screens, “she continues.

“Yes it does. I have lectured with giants like Microsoft and Sonos. Last year, I traveled 100,000 miles worldwide to talk to different industries and consult companies. ”

Amber Case also emphasizes that a key to creating successful and sustained technology can be to give a designer the same influence and status as the CEO.

“Then the rate of development would increase. The goal must be that we will spend more time making smarter people, not increasing companies’ profits and dependence on online devices, “she says.

Source: Digital