Certain designs may be elaborate and complicated to understand, but their complexities help make life a little easier and more enjoyable.
by Meaghan Ziemba, Associate Editor, PD&D
I’m not a complex person. My three favorite seasonings are hot sauce, pepper and salt. I drink my coffee black most of the time, and the less buttons I have to push to play a video game or control the TV, the better. I use, maybe two of the applications that are offered on my overly-complex enV phone, and I have yet to open the manual to see how the rest work or what they are intended for. When it comes to movie themes I want more senseless, non-emotional, guns-a-blazing-bomb-exploding fighting.
I don’t try to understand the nitty-gritty in my phone, computer or favorite movies. I find myself discombobulated at times when I make an attempt to learn about what makes certain technological items tick. But I do find with the complex technology of today, the simplest things we enjoy in our everyday lives are made possible creating less difficult and more enjoyable opportunities.
For instance, my latest movie experience: Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen; a great, action-packed movie filled with alien fighting robots and not to mention, some cool looking vehicles that is unlikely to win the next Oscar; took hundreds of artists and thousands of hours to produce the lifelike scenes.
A recent article, Transformers Showcases Prime Design Technology, explains how each, 2D drawing of every individual robot was transformed into 3D digital images. Every part of each robot needed an algorithm and so much information was required for the animated aspect of the film that it caused one computer to literally explode.
The movie may have had a simple plot and concept, but the mechanics involved were anything but, and without them, the movie…well it just wouldn’t have been the same.
The same applies with other products that are being released across all industries: Car designs are being remodeled to not only support fuel-efficient engines, but voice-command GPS and phone systems, and sensor technologies that beep warnings of obstacles when backing up or switching lanes. Some even include systems that alert a driver when they start to doze off at the wheel, or dial 911 automatically when the vehicle has been in an accident. There is even auto face recognition that automatically applies personal driving preferences depending on who is operating the car.
Computer products are becoming smaller and paper thin, yet still capable of supporting mass amounts of information and images. The compact sizes and wireless accessibility enable individuals to attain, distribute and carry their lives anywhere they travel. They can even be used as mobile video phones to conduct meetings or connect families and friends.
Video games and electronics are becoming controller-less, and cell phones are becoming more diverse offering TV and movie stations, music channels, Internet access and video-games galore – why bother purchasing individual products when they can all be available on your phone?
With the high-tech blueprints that lie behind the latest innovations, products are becoming smaller and faster making our lives more manageable – not to mention, producing amazing special effects for action filled movies that involve massive combative machines. I know some ideas are recycled throughout the decades making them dull, but I’m anxious for the day I can drive to work, fold up my car and place it into my purse that hovers above ground…Okay, maybe that’s a bit extreme, but so were flying cars, and look how close we are to that reality.
The saying goes that it’s the simple things in life that matter, but I think it’s the complexities that make them possible. What are your thoughts? Post your comments below.