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Phone Plus Sensory Deprivation Equals...
Solo-Malee writes "The BBC has an article about a new phone technology that isolates the user from all other sensory input. This in theory means the user is not distracted by other things occurring in their immediate surroundings. If these catch on, it looks like getting a Jacuzzi for the office could be easier than you might expect."
[PET_PEEVE-2978741]
This in theory means the user is not distracted by other things occurring in their immediate surroundings.
For me the phone is a major distraction. When I'm busy I don't want a damn phone call from anyone. Unfortunately some people live by the phone; watch when a phone rings and see how people jump to answer it. Screw that: the phone is a convenient tool for me not a backdoor by which others can invade my space and privacy.
When I had a land-line at the house I didn't own an answering machine. Caller ID let me know who called and I could decide if a return call was warranted because once a message is left the onus is on you to call back. I have just my cell now and don't give out the number to non-friends & family. Take control of your life, the phone isn't your master.
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Trolling is a art,
You don't want to be driving while using this phone...
Platform independent bug tracking software
Why should the driver be bothered by my horn, or the wrecked bus of burning nuns?
Phone Plus Sensory Deprivation Equals...
MY JOB.
Looks a lot like the "Cone of Silence" from Get Smart. Bet it works just as well. :)
First of all, it would take a while for me to not be distracted using this "phone." How many of you are not in some way excited every time you get a new tech toy. I would be thinking more about the device, how it works, and the fact that I am in water, more than about the conversation. Your general conversations: "Dude! I'm floating in water while I talk! Isn't that cool?!"
"Men lie."
"Yeah, about sleeping with other women, but never about bioluminescent plankton."
-Dan Brown
HELLO? I'M IN THE POOL!
On the plus side, it'll be easier to drown them...
The article doesn't really say how you would dial when you're immersed in complete sensory deprivation. I mean, your sense of sight, sound, and smell are supposedly completely removed by the device, and your body is supposed to be in body temperature water, getting rid of gravity and most of your touch. Wouldn't that make dialing a number difficult?
I suppose maybe you could only receive calls on the thing. But then, wouldn't it be impossible for two people to use them? If the point is to focus everything onto the conversation itself, if only one person has the experience, I imagine the person in the deprivation would be pretty pissed that the other person wasn't pay as much attention as they were.
Then again, this is a luxury item, and might only be available to executives for business calls. Perhaps they have their secretaries do all the dialing and then its just forwarded to the device, so they don't even have to worry about that aspect of it.
Ultimately, I think its impractical, though I'm glad that some people are doing truly innovative work. I give it a B for effort.
I don't think we're dangerous
Oh sure, no one ever does. "I can drive faster than the speed limit because I'm a better driver and that means I'm not dangerous!" or "I can steer with my knees because I'm in control and I'm not dangerous!"
I absolutely need to use my phone while driving
Oh really? Tell us Mr. President, how do you find time to relax with your oh so busy schedule? It must be hell, poor you!
Besides, I'm only on the phone for less than 5 minutes.
Oh, five minutes, is that all? Lets see, five minutes at 50Mph...that 4 Miles you covered without paying proper attention to what you're doing. Thats O.K though, because you're not dangerous, right?
Whilst it's not necessarily very efficient, in many ways it's very pragmatic ...
That's a pretty telling statement.
I've been swashdotted -- Elmer Fudd
I bet some fool will get it for his car...
"Yeah, officer, I was driving down the highway at 65mph when my phone rang. I have no idea how I ended up in this field! And why is the front of my car all covered in blood?"
There's a growing sense that even if The Future comes,
most of us won't be able to afford it.
-- Lemmy
People with too much time on their hands invent incredibly impractical device for easily distracted people who probably will never use it anyway.
"The Sage treasures Unity and measures all things by it" - Lao Tzu
Granted, anyone can talk on the phone while driving in a straight line at a constant speed (I've actually known guys who've fallen asleep on long straight roads and done fine), but it's the emergency situations that the people on phones can't deal with. And the problem is 1) they forget the basic rule of driving of looking as far ahead as you can see and 2) they won't stop their conversation to deal with the situation. Since talking on a cell phone should be equivalent to talking to a passenger, they need to realize that when talking to a passenger, you both stop talking when someone cuts you off.
Personally, I've told people to hold on, put the phone down, done what I had to do, and then resumed the conversation (with explination). I also drive 10-15 mph slower (I like to drive 80-90 mph) when on the phone, as I realize that they are a distraction and my reaction speed will be slowed (I do the same when I have passengers in the car, too). I'd also like to mention that I don't use cell phones on local roads, as there are too many things that could happen that can't in the controlled environment of a freeway. A little bit of thought (often lacking) and cell phones aren't as much of a problem as you think they are.
Given that you said you drive 50mph I take it you're not in California, and probably not anywhere with much traffic, or hour+ long commutes that really have turned the cell phone into a necessity (I don't even have a land line, 'cause I'm never home except to sleep). Maybe instead of assuming everyone is like you (I salute you if you recognize that you don't have the ability to talk on the phone and drive at the same time), realize how diverse people are in their abilities. Hey, someone was doing alright at running a country, but thought that fooling around with an intern in the White House would stay a secret.
Kurdt
I'm not anti-social. Just pro-technology.