2017: The Year of Lazy Tech
We live in an age where technology is pushing boundaries quicker than humans previously thought possible. From the dawn of fingerprint boarding passes, to banks trialing retina scanning for security; we are increasingly moving towards a world that sci-fi writers have dreamed about for decades.
However, what we are starting to see is that human interaction and physical movement are being replaced. Technological inventions in the 21st century may be evolving to give us a more convenient lifestyle, but this is at the risk of making us lazy.
As we enter August, the British holiday season, it seems like an ideal moment to pause and reflect. Here is a list of my top four lazy technological culprits:
If there is one household object that seems to be so great due to its simplicity, it is the humble bed. It’s a place of refuge and retreat after the best or worst of days. Always there and always constant. Considering we spend an average of 229,961 hours in bed across our lifetimes (approximately a third of our lives), we should probably be open to the idea of how we can improve our sleeping conditions.
The Sleep Number 360 Bed remembers your “comfort settings”, (presumably most people opt for flat and soft) as well as having your feet warmed while you sleep. This can all be controlled from an app on your phone. The 360 also auto-props up your partner’s head when they start snoring, and deflates the mattress slightly if you shift position in the middle of the night. Although it is all very clever, it does feel a touch unnecessary. Then again, those who have a partner who snores may disagree.
Perhaps my favourite invention has to come from Japanese company Denso. This group of bona fide geniuses have invented a pair of vacuum cleaning shoes. That’s right Dyson, the jig is up. The Denso chaps are going to make it possible for us to stroll round our living rooms whilst simultaneously cleaning the decks. To be honest, I’m not totally sold on the aesthetic of the shoe. It looks like a hybrid of what your recently divorced uncle Barry might wear to a wedding, crossed with Inspector Gadget’s brogue of choice.
Do you have a lawn? In fact, do you own up to an acre of land? But you’re not too keen on leaving the house? Thankfully the good people at Honda have your back. The Miimo, powered by 24-volt batteries, is a robotic lawn mower combining sensors with an advanced timer to perfectly cut the grass within a well-defined area.
“It’s unreal,” said salesman Kevin Sutter, who sells the Miimo at Nault’s Powersports in Manchester, N.H. “It’s spectacular.” I hear you Kev.
FINALLY THE WEARABLE CHAIR IS HERE! Speaking as a lazy man, this will be a complete game changer. Put it on at the start of the day and you can leave the house knowing that you will not want for a seat at any point. This actually is a very clever invention as it has been designed for helping those who have jobs which involve them being on their feet for long periods (such as engineers). To go from standing to seated, all you have to do is bend your knees and adjust the braces at the back.
Speaking from the perspective of a lazy person who sits at a desk all day, I can only think of how much of a game changer it will be for trips to John Lewis.
Babel
From the Babel team
