Technology – Shilpa's

Blessed I am – are you?

Very excited today to be sharing a guest blog post by a very dear friend. She had asked me to do a blog post on college memories…. and for me college was a mixed bag of emotions, happiness entwined with pain, mystic, confusion, anger and in the end amazing friendships. So I quickly turned it around and invited her to do a guest blog post.. and I have to say, her perspective and and capture of Techno is brighter than mine. So, here you go. The moments from Techno by a very dear friend Seema Abhale. While I was trying to understand why I took admission in engineering ( I still wonder how and why I ended up there :)) she had it all figured out and today is the proud owner of Prakruti Environmental Engineers. The girl has successfully established a business in an industry that has traditionally been dominated my men. She is everything you would a friend to be. I hope you enjoy the innocence of this post.

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BLESSED I AM _ ARE YOU? by Seema Abhale.

“And there I stand in the centre square of the Faculty of Technology & Engineering of the renowned University The Maharaja Sayajirao Universtiy of Vadodara,wondering whether it’s a dream or really I am at the place which I always dreamt to be as a kid!! Ooouch… i am really there!!

10537325_10152562966368104_2786596305459924115_n — The entrance to the College. Little did I know that I will build lifetime of friendships here.

I had always known this place but today as I stand here I am totally lost; as though the place is flooded with same race; can hardly see anyone known! Timid, publicly shy as I am; started my stride through the crowd towards the steps that took us to the lobby where my class would be. My heart is pounding of anxiety; the most exciting day was about to turn to be the most gloomy for not having any known friends around and then my watery eyes saw a face that instantly brought a smile and hurray there I see a girl whom I recognised at once! Not that I knew her since long but she was the one who was ahead of me while taking the admission. We did exchange the names but I hardly remembered but did remember her face – how can one forget such a beautiful mysterious face. But the happy moments are momentary; we were placed in different classes!!! Anyways for a happy girl like me the fact that someone know is around was enough and so the journey began….

Few days passed and one fine day I see a little girl with bouncy hair in a frock and shoes coming to the class along with the boys. Not very clear what but something in my heart said that she is the one with whom I can be friends with. Shy character of mine restricted me from starting a conversation and so few days went by analyzing though started being friendly with the boys – classmates!! And soon made friends with most of the classmates and also with the one which brought smile to my face on the very first day!

I am still trying to adjust in the environment and the exams days were announced. Was astonished to see others getting tensed and I am like – so what! Like time waits for none; exams came and went but the actual fun is when results are out

1969409_10152562970443104_891339446768065412_n — The surveying lab, where we all gathered to TRY and learn. It was more of a break from sitting in the classrooms 🙂

I was never a studios student but always scored distinction in the school so was confident of it while looking to the result sheet on the notice board. And what; my exam number is not listed in for Distinction!! I scrolled down thinking maybe a first class but no I don’t see it…I keep searching for my number but didn’t find it in second class too…. I scrolled to the last grade Pass class and my face beamed like a sunshine – there it is – the very first one!!! Always contented and happy the way life placed me I was happy that I passed and so did my new friends. The days passed with a new learning each day and a remarkable one is that we have to open the window for atmosphere to come in!!! (which I religiously follow today also!!) While I Am still trying to adjust with the university environment, new friends, new learning’s and exploring the ways to find fun in load of term works and the tensed atmosphere; year end is declared and soon we had to face the exam. This time had to give my best shot so can get transferred to a better stream of engineering. Results are out and yes I passed out and also did get a change in stream from IWM to Civil (is it better is still a question) but then am happy as had made my own place in the lobby!!

The year started with the shuffle of students and I got separated from newly made friends. The new class had more girls then the earlier one but seems they didn’t like my face! Except for one tall slender beautiful girl sitting on last bench with a spark in her eye and slight curve to her lips which attracted me and I shared the bench with her unaware that she would turn out to be my friend for lifetime. I found a new friend but still I longed for the break time when I can meet the other two friends. Days passed by with routine sharing of hi hello and a smile and when did it turned into mingling for short and then long gossips, term works, group reading and sleep over; I also really don’t remember – maybe that’s what is called friendship! and so evolved a gang of four which turned out to be the notorious gang due to its mix flavor of being naughty hotty and intelligent! A gang that dared to challenge the opposite gender, played pranks with both the genders, engaged in day long discussions at times arguments and still managed to be friends with all.

But as we all know that what has started will come to an end and so did these carefree days too. We now gathered in the auditorium to receive farewell party from our juniors; felt as if it was just yesterday that I was standing in the center square of the faculty all alone and today we are seven – seven different individuals with diverse qualities woven in an invisible bond – Friendship: a relation that is created by us which is beyond any expectations. It’s the space where we can be ourselves, speak of our mind; see what we like to see and hear without prejudice; so very eternal. Blessed are those who are able to get connected in such divine relationship – yes I am!!

Seeeemmmaaaa … wake up its morning! Don’t have to go to the office…”

10505437_10152562969238104_4542440920703910958_n — FACULTY OF TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING. M.S UNIVERSITY, VADODARA.

The Matrix of Technology.

Today’s post is inspired by a recent article on WSJ Are Smart Gadgets Making Us Dumb? And what better day to write about technology than on the Pi day. Today is 3.14!

My opinion, I like technology that makes it simple, but not effortless. There are many definitions of technology, but I am sure we all agree that the purpose of technology is to make things more efficient, safer and productive and not necessarily brainless.

It all started with the Arpanet, moving on to the Internet, then we had the GPS wave, smart phones and today we have everything from hats that measure your IQ to sleeping bra’s that can help detect early breast cancers. Technology has without a doubt changed the world we live in. We are connected to something or someone every waking and sleeping second. The information era has allowed us to move from acquaintances and friends to 2nd level and 3rd level connections. Connectivity and social presence is a part of one’s net worth now.

How much technology do we need though? That’s something to think about. Do we really need a refrigerator that tells us our food is going stale or a trash can that decides how much food was wasted or recycled and then update the FB status to announce to the world and maybe even award or punish us real time. Maybe the innovators and early adopters do, for being a part of the moment. To me, its not much value added, it in fact, if anything makes me think less.

By no means am I trying to undermine the importance and value addition technology has made to our lives. The immense progress in health care has saved many lives and allowed for a more secure and faster communication with the doctor that saves time by avoiding going to the hospital for routine questions, bringing down the global barriers of communication has allowed schools in rural areas access to resources and education like never before and many of us know and understand the convenience of Amazon Prime. This and much more would not have happened without technology.

At the same time, I do believe every gadget is not necessarily a smart tool. I was at the ever popular mom store Bed Bath and Beyond, and saw something called a Banana Slicer, it’s basically a chopping contraption with a USP stating chopping food is not every one’s forte and this makes it easy. To each his own, but I think time, effort and money could have been better used. The same is true for many technological advancements. Came across an article that talked about Porta Potties, that collect data on how long a person spent and whether the person was standing or sitting. I am still trying to identify industries that have extensive use of such data.

Which brings me to the other baffling question about technology, Who does what with all this Data?

Privacy issues prevent companies from releasing any or all data even to those who created the data. There is enough research out there to show how easy it is for a knowledgeable person to blend the offline and online data to find traits and information about any person. The famous FB like button is close to omni-present and a simple like has the capacity of releasing a lot of important information. I agree sharing this information can help improve functionality in many industries. However, there needs to be a mechanism so the ultimate owner of the data is the consumer and not the company that has it.

The guru’s predict a world where everything will be connected, can you imagine the amount of binary numbers flowing through the grid? We all will have our own e-identity prints. And after a century, what happens to this data. The generation then, might use it in place of history books OR they might simply say its redundant and chuck it away into a cyberspace trash bin, thus deleting our e-identities or existence.

I love this image. Googled it 🙂
It’s scary and thought provoking at the same time

I know what you’re thinking, I am a laggard when it comes to technology. It’s quite the contrary. I love the fact that I can now communicate faster with my parents half a world away, I don’t have to hold a map and drive at the same time, I can research any topic under the sun and most importantly technology allows me to work from home. I like technology but within reason.

We come back to the same question, How much is enough? Do we really need to be connected all the time. Do I really want my tea kettle telling me that the grid is over loaded, so maybe I should wait for a little bit for that cup of tea, or do I really want the weighing machine to be connected to my FB account, so it updates my status as a way of motivating me. While all these idea’s and concepts seem “cool,”it is important to note that they take away from the very necessary element of my existence; human interaction and prevents me from using the very skills that make me human. Human beings are social animals. We “need” interaction, there is a reason we learned how to walk on two legs from four. We, including myself am guilting of texting while in the presence of friends or family. Why are we so eager to update our social status or tag a photo? It is this need of social connectivity that is leading the current generation of innovations.

On researching further on the “Why” or causes of these innovations, interestingly, I read many an article stating that the visionaries of future see this world broken in many places. There are inefficiencies that they believe technology can help improve. They also see how eager we are to announce to the world, where we ate, where we shop and more. The combination is our world where we are constantly clicking and swiping.

Remember the 1900’s when he first gasoline powered cars were introduced and it was predicted that the bicycle is now a thing of the past. 1900’s to today; 2013, it’s not been that long and as one world, we are all trying very hard to move towards mass transportation, walk more, and if possible even bike to everywhere.

I see something similar happening with technology. Soon in our life times, I believe we will see the day when one smart country will announce an e-free national day. A day when they go back to doing it all with paper and pen and many a smart entrepreuners’ will teach the world how to write and talk again.

Like life, the cycle of technology will come a full circle too.

It has to happen, for if it doesn’t “The Matrix” will move from fiction into the reality zone.

Happy Birthday Mr. Einstein.