When Google becomes your eyes.

Alternatives

This very awesome short clip shows an alternate, and potensially future way of merging man and machine, through injection.

There are alternate ways of achieving augmented reality in the future. The first obvious way is through glasses. In the future maybe even contact lenses. But the video above shows it becoming possible through some kind of injection which would merge a computer-like interface with the human brain. One could wonder why the use of hand gestures is still necessary if it's already communicating with the brain, but it seems to be the primary process chosen for the current examples of augmented reality being made at this moment, to be released in a few years. So it is understandable that they would use it in a series which seems to depict the beginnings of an augmented reality/brain computer interface era. It is a series on youtube and I will definately take a look through the episodes to see what examples it will show, and pick apart what is and is not possible with todays technology.

After watching all the current episodes, it appears that after a virus attack most of the H+ dependant civilisation shuts down and countless people die of a result. Every episode jumps back and forth from the event in the first episode. There are very few other examples of augmented reality in the other episodes so far.

So from what we see in the first episode, it seems to show a revolution in technology. Computers and cellphones are put away and replaced by an injectible computer of some kind which lets a person control a computer interface, always connected to the internet as long as it's within a wireless connection, which in the future will be basically everywhere(if not already).

So injectible computers, is it possible? Yes. There are already people who have computer chips implanted in their brain. Most cases to help paralyzed and disabled people, who are even controlling computers with only their brain.  With the rapidly advancing technology in computing and the fact that doctors are currently mapping out the human brain and how it works, who's to say that we won't have injectible computers one day? 

Computer chips implanted under the skin, which has personal information and tracking capabilities has been pursued by modern thinking companies. Sometimes advertised as making daily life easier with technology. Examples like not having to bring cash or even a wallet to buy groceries. One just scans the chip under the skin, the items you put in the cart will be registered and money will automatically be charged from your account.  Examples of similar solutions have been seen in Europe. In Sweden and Norway some stores have a system of using your cellphone to pay for your groceries. Having your information and money be a part of your body sounds like a good idea, at first. 

But with new technology comes new problems that needs to be solved. Will the grocery store allow you to enter if you don't have money on your account? What if you come home one day to find that the door won't unlock when you "swipe" your wrist, because you didn't pay the rent on time? Today, in most of the world, people have a right to privacy. What happens to that right, when your location can be tracked wherever you go, or other rights provided by your own constitutions?

Even conspiracy theories have appeared where, as the stories go, the corporations around the world are trying to turn us into slaves by letting a computer chip under our skin, control every aspect of our lives, our economy, our homes, everything. Thus putting us in a constant need of filling up that chip with digital currency in order to enjoy anything that costs money. Basically making us all slaves, or cattle, on the farms/land owned by our owners. Fenced in a controlled area, where we work, eat, sleep and die. Some of these conspiracy theories appeared years before this became a reality, when companies openly started pursuing it as a possible future alternative to cash. One might wonder, if the conspiracy theories are entirely true, found somewhere in secret documents years ago, or if they are completly made up, but subsequently inspired the realisation of them.

REAL RFID(Radio Frequency Identification) MICROCHIP ADVERTISEMENT

(and news segment)

Are they trying to show us a new way to improve our lives for the better, or are they trying to enslave me through their deceptive promises of a better life?

One example of a popular conspiracy theory; A one world government controlling the world when everyone are implanted with chips under the skin, making them slaves.

The short webseries H+ is not a good advertisement for what leaps in technology can bring. Hopefully if an injectible computer comes around, we will have worked out the kinks and bugs before letting it become a vital part of our brain, when digital viruses can be a threat to human health and life, bringing about an armageddon scenario.

Luckily, the inevitable first step towards something like this will be through glasses which are coming very soon.(Very soon based on my observation of companies pursuing it seriously: Google, Sony, Valve etc) 

Quick Note:

In the first episode, the man driving the car nearly hits a man because he was watching a game in augmented reality, which his wife makes clear to him is illegal and dangerous. Laws against using augmented reality glasses while driving will be voted on in the future, just like laws has been passed about using cell phones while driving. At least until cars can drive themselves.