Adam Thompson
00257960
18 Jan 06
Assignment 1
Top ten broken or just lame list
Gaming/function key based Keyboard: For Christmas this year, my sister bought me a new gaming keyboard. While it has all of the keys of any standard board, it also has volume control and CD player keys that directly interface with Windows Media Player. Additionally, there are eighteen extra function keys on the left of the board. Using included software, these keys can be assigned to open shortcuts, or perform complex macros.
Unfortunately, after the computer is reset, the data stored in the function keys is corrupted; thus all of the function keys perform what ever macro was assigned to the first key. Likely, a software patch would fix this problem, but regular patching will also be necessary. A more expensive solution, therefore, may be to create a series of embedded microcomputers for the function keys.
Rover: A few years ago, NASA landed a pair of rovers on the surface of Mars. While more successful than previous missions, these rovers were plagued by software errors, and mechanical failures. Considering how much money was spent on the project, this is not only broken, but also lame. While I don’t know the exact source of the problem, and I lack the millions of dollars it would likely cost to fix the rovers, I would like to see at least one improvement. The rovers were loaded with many sensitive and therefore fragile sensors. A more robust solution may be to include a return rocket and launch pad. The rover, therefore, would only be used to fill a container so samples could be returned to earth and studied here.
Card reader/ Chipreader/ Biometrics: When ever I go to the undergrad computer lab, I stand out in the hall and swipe my ID car in the reader over and over. After no less than four swipes, my stars align, and someone else walks out of the room. Currently, some mexican government officials have had chips implanted beneath their skin. These chips work much like the chips on the UCard; instead of reporting the users financial state, however, it reports the users identity. While my own concerns over privacy issues make me shun the concept of sub dermal implants, there may be a way to use the already existing UCard chip to expedite my laboratory passage.
AC control: For the last couple of years, I have rented the basement of a house. While this has been relatively inexpensive, it is particularly uncomfortable in the winter. The house only has one thermostat, which is located upstairs. I, therefore, have little control over the temperature in my room. My father’s apartment, by comparison, has a thermostat in each room. If they are not all set to the same temperature, however, the air conditioners compete with each other, thus raising the cost of his bills, and increasing the difficulty of changing the whole house temperature.
A better system would integrate both designs to include a master switch override, with satellite terminals in each room. Additionally, ceiling fan controls could be integrated into the system to help reduce the cost while maintaining separate heating conditions in each room.
Hot-water heater: I left to visit my parent this winter and was gone for two weeks. Somehow, however, my gas bill was over two hundred dollars. While I had remembered to everything else, I forgot to switch off the hot water heater. Thus it needlessly ran on high. I noticed that the gas company includes a chart of gas usage in its monthly statements. I then realized that the hot water heater could be equipped with similar technology to determine and predict heated water usage. Thus more hot water would be stored on laundry day, and less during the two weeks in December when I’m typically not home.
Gamer glasses: I enjoy computer games; particularly the ones that offer you a first person perspective. Therefore, I am always interested in technology that offers more emersion in the game. Recently “eMagin” released a 3D visor with integrated ear buds. Unlike previous models, these glasses not only display the images that are on the monitor, but also track the movement of the users head to act as a mouse. Since the users head has less than a 360 degree turning radius, however, it is impossible for the user to completely turn his character around without theuse of a second mouse. Also, the system is wired into the computer, so that even if the user could turn all the way around, they would soon become tangled.
While wireless technology may be too heavy or too expensive(the glasses already retail at $900), including a “free look” button could allow the user to set horizontal limits that will allow panning.
E-book: Ten years ago we were told that by today we would be living in a paperless society. To date, however, there is no one very good E-book reader. The many different models available now all have different interfaces. Thus I can’t swap my copy of “Moby Dick” for my buddy’s new Tom Clancy novel without also trading readers. Also, the readers nearly all act like monitors, thus they emit light that soon tires the eyes more than reading a paper back. An unlit LCD display would solve this issue. Getting manufactures to agree on a format though…
Cell phone dial-up: Mom is in the same family cell phone plan as I am, and therefore pays about $25-$30 a month for her cell phone. She also pays $20+ a month for unlimited dialup internet access. If either of us attempts to use the web browser service included on out phones, however, we are hit with $15 a minute service charges. There must be some way to call and use her already existing dialup service
TV remote: Last year, my TV remote died. Since I own an old generic model, they are no longer making replacements. Also, it is such a cheep TV that it doesn’t even have buttons on the TV itself, thus it can only be accessed through the remote. So I bought a universal remote, and programmed it for my DVD player and VCR as well. While it performs all of the basic functions, it cannot adjust the contrast brightness etc. or change the preset channels. Thus the TV thinks that I have 50 more channels than I really do. Again, this is a function of getting manufactures to agree on interfacing.
Cell phone mute and GPS: Most every collage (and more and more high school student) has an embarrassing story of how their cell phone went off in the middle of class. Since many of the latest models are equipped with GPS locators to find lost or stolen phones, it should be relatively simple matter to program locations and times when the ringer should be muted or set to vibrate.