With the blink of an eye, 'the latest' becomes 'obsolete'...

The word 'new', or 'latest' becomes 'obsolete' within a few days. The latest technology becoming outdated and soon becoming extinct is very common, of late. The pace of technological advancement is such, that today's technology is obsolete, tomorrow. This is true in all the fields like engineering, communication, medicine, agriculture.....

I am not going to refer to the primeval period. When the early man wanted to do calculations, he did it with basic mathematical (arithmetic) skills. Then came 'abacus'. A device with beads and strings used for calculations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and finding 'roots'. We then used logarithmic tables (we used to call as "Clarke's table") for various calculations. Later there was a device called "slide rule', which was used to calculate a lot of mathematical functions. It has a top and a bottom static element with numbers, and a center moving element, with a cursor to go back an forth. This also works on logarithmic principle. (I have used this device while in engineering college). Next came into vogue, calculators. With the advent of scientific calculators, a lot of mathematical functions could be done using this calculator.

Then came the revolutionary product 'personal computers'. Though it was first introduced in 1974, it was in 1981, IBM introduced it on a commercial scale. This has revolutionized the way we work. With the introduction of various softwares, anything can be done using a computer. The latest additions to this range are AI (artificial intelligence) and ML (machine learning). The way things are being invented and put to use, AI & ML will replace even the human beings after some years, though I think to a limited extent.. All the work would be carried out by robots and humanoids and the human beings have to only further improve them and need not do any 'usual work'. Such is the speed with which things are proceeding. Interestingly, a Chinese company recently appointed a AI-powered humanoid robot (name : Ms. Tang Yu) as CEO of that company and Ms. Tang Yu will take all strategic decisions on behalf of the company. Another incident to support my views : A bank in India has sanctioned a loan for a company manufacturing robots. A robot was brought to the bank to receive the 'loan sanction letter'.

Have you used a long string and 2 pieces of the bottom portions of a match box and played with your friend? Yes, that was a 'toy telephone', the old-timers might still remember. Early man must have used to convey messages across, by travelling there on horses or mules. The legend says that a Greek messenger raced from Marathon to Athens, covering a distance of 40 + kilometers (roughly 26.2 miles) to convey a message of victory over a Persian army in 490 B.C. To commemorate that event, in modern day Olympics the distance of 26.2 miles is covered in marathon race. Later in 1854, the 'telegraph service' was introduced. I think even now it is in vogue in India. In 1876, the telephone was patented by Alexander Graham Bell. The telephone (landline device) is still in use, though sparingly now. 

But in the 1980's the mobile phone was introduced and in the mid 90's the use of mobile phones was very common. Soon after (within about 30 years or so) the 'smart phone' was brought into the market. Now smart phones are available, almost with everyone. This serves as a multi-function tool - phone for communication, easy communication like whatsapp, twitter etc., video calls, video conferencing, camera, calculator, entertainment media and what not! The once famous "Kodak" company dealing with photographic films is out of the market, as everything is 'digital' now. Then came 'smart watches'. It has taken hardly 40 years to reach from ordinary mobile phone to smart watch. The pace of innovation is astonishing.

Take for instance, the entertainment industry. Only around 100 odd years ago, movie came into existence. From "Black & White' to "Color' movies in film rolls, then on to digital format. Theaters were mass attraction a few years back and now the theaters and 'multiplexes' are losing their sheen. Movies are directly released on OTT platform. We are also into VR (virtual reality). How this will change the entertainment industry, is still not known to us. What 'new technology or gadgets' we may soon experience, we cannot hazard a guess!

Considering how people were moving from one place to another place in the ancient times, and how they are now jet setting....; it is mind-boggling. The invention of 'wheel' was one of the earliest creative inventions, the world witnessed. From there, where have we reached now! Astonishing, is it not? From bi-cycles of different shapes, we graduated to motorized 'two-wheelers'. From the rickety-looking vintage cars, we are now on to EVs. From the fuel-guzzling automobiles, we are gradually switching over to electric vehicles, thus rendering the 'fossil fuels' redundant. Even before the normal electric cars are in vogue, research is on the way to integrating the batteries on to the body of the cars, to reduce the weight of the vehicle, thus improving the mileage per charge. What further improvements we might see soon, is beyond my imagination.

We are talking of 'bullet trains' and 'hyperloop' (having a speed of 1,000 + kmph), which will take us from one place to another far-off place in a few minutes. If we are lucky enough, we might be able to experience the travel in bullet train and hyperloop (in India)! Same is the story in 'air travel' too. We are talking of 'sonic', supersonic'......

The same things have been happening in the medical field as well. Medication has reached dizzying heights now. Soon, all human organs might be easily replaced. The dead cells are being revived and this will increase the longevity of human beings. We cannot even imagine where we are about to reach very soon. Are we trying to reach 'immortality'? Our imagination seems to be limited!

All these changes, innovations, and inventions have taken place in a very short span of time, may be in the past 3 or 4 decades. Before that many decades (or centuries) have gone by. What I am trying to say is that the pace at which the 'so-called-new-things' becoming redundant and outmoded, is very fast and the time span is very short. Improved or new versions take over. But very soon, they too become extinct and so on......

What we have discussed above are all related to 'science and technology'. As 'change' is inevitable, that is bound to happen. May be the 'pace' of change is extremely fast now-a-days. But the pity is that the sociological things are also changing rapidly. The affection among the family members, the coherent bond are all becoming things of the past. They are gradually vanishing. This is what is worrying. People have become highly 'selfish' and governed only by their 'greed'. We are becoming more of a 'robot' now. 'Empathy' and 'Compassion' are forgotten words. When a stranger suffers in front of our eyes, instead of trying to help him, we take 'video' of the suffering and upload in social media (to get 'likes'). Is this behavior acceptable??? We are changing from 'human beings' to 'inhuman beings'. I think the process seems to be 'irrevocable'.