That sounds great until you go to a facility where it is near impossible to speak to an actual person. A few years ago I was at such a facility and needed to ask a question. When I finally located a human they told me to use the iPad near what was once a reception desk.
Yeah, I’m not a huge fan of the whole “replace people with technology” approach; I much prefer technology as a partner to people- whether it’s people as an adjunct or vice-versa, both need to be present for proper customer service.
Anyway, all I was getting at is that in a lot of ways, having access to our data and systems has made a lot of stuff much easier and convenient in many ways. I mean, it’s super cool that if I type in my phone number at my local grocery store and pay with cash, that I can still get a printed receipt later through their systems. Technologically that’s not much of a stretch at all, but in terms of convenience, it’s amazing. Or the various subscription models for buying common stuff like laundry detergent and dog food. That’s something that’s a definite time and trouble saver for me.
Heck, my port is a huge improvement over getting a plain IV for every chemo session. Numb & disinfect and insert IV needle and boom! You’re ready to go.
Contact lenses have become much more comfortable to wear and less prone to falling out.
In the next few years more and more cars and trucks will have pedestrian detection technology with automatic braking. It won’t eliminate vehicle/pedestrian collisions, but I suspect the number will go dramatically down.
Anything but better driver training. /sarcasm
Better drivers would be nice, but even halfway good drivers make mistakes, or have the sun in their eyes or can’t see a pedestrian on a dark and rainy morning.
I **loved **my port. It was the only way I could get stuck and not pass out. I had it taken out when I finished chemo but it was a blessing while I had it.
Automatic pedestrian detection & braking can go a long way to preventing car-ped collisions. For the case where the ped steps out in front of a car at a decent distance.
Even with a computer on the job to apply the brakes instantly, cars do not stop moving instantly. Oblivious peds can still step out in front of cars too close for even HAL to prevent the collision.
I think I probably participated in an auto-save of a ped (me) just today. I was also saving myself at the same time, so the car only gets partial credit. But it totally does deserve partial credit.
I’m crossing a suburban thoroughfare in a crosswalk at a traffic light. In the direction I’m crossing there’s a middle island then 3 lanes with traffic approaching from my right: must turn left, must go straight, must turn right. I have the green light and the white walk sign. Nobody is waiting at the light in any of those lanes.
As I’m stepping off the island a car is coming up in the right lane and slowing appropriately to make their right on red after not-quite stopping as we all do. If we both keep moving as we are, I predict I’ll end up just in front of her as she makes her turn & I get squished. I’m looking right at the driver and can see her face is mostly hidden behind her A-pillar. Meaning she probably can’t see me hidden behind the pillar from her POV. As I continue walking we’re getting closer together, but she’s still fully behind the A-pillar. I’ve had some close calls as the driver in that A-pillar hiding scenario and it’s one I’m hypervigilant about whether driving or walking.
As we’re down to maybe 6 feet apart with me still not into her path she brakes more. Which I interpret as evidence she sees me and will stop short so I can proceed.
A step or two later it’s obvious she’s not stopping and if I take 2 more steps to get in front of her, I’m gonna get squished a moment later. So I stop walking which would let her pass harmlessly by a couple feet in front of me. And just as I freeze I hear an insistent BEEPBEEPBEEP and her brakes lock up. As this is going on the geometry is changing so her startled face appears from behind the A-pillar. Then turns to look at me. It’s 100% obvious she’d had not seen me and was startled by her car halting for no apparent reason. I’d misinterpreted her earlier braking change as being for me; it wasn’t. Yikes.
To her credit she looked horrified as she quickly figured out what must have just almost happened. I smiled and waved then deviated around behind her car as she then continued her turn.
Had she not had auto-stop and had I been obliviously glued to my phone, I’d be in a hospital now instead of at home.
@LSL Guy, I’m glad you didn’t get run thru by that driver.