As it turns out, the movie was indeed quite prescient. Already we are seeing the trend towards computer tablets and anyone who has marvelled as they swished their fingers around an iPad screen, for example, will question whether they would ever willingly choose to use a mouse again. Not only that, Apple have now introduced some (by most accounts) rather impressive voice recognition software, namely Siri. Microsoft can’t be left out of the future, and the promise that their Kinect technology holds, if their slick ads are anything to go by, takes it well beyond the realms of Xbox games. Indeed, it has just been announced that Kinect is continuing its move towards Windows compatibility (next year) with the release of a SDK (software development kit) which will allow developers to create applications and games enabling the use of the Kinect add-on in Windows 8. After Kinect for Windows is released in 2012, in the words of Microsoft, “… the potential goes exponential”.

So I am feeling encouraged that the days of punishing input devices are numbered and that users will soon be able to interact entirely through natural body movement and voice. I picture the day when we see a mouse on display at the museum and chortle at how primitive a tool it was.

The future is arriving and it’s looking bright!

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The mind boggles at the mere though of this. It’s a very Orwellian concept. Imagine other sensors out there being able to read your thoughts – scary!

The assumption is that due to the ease of the technology, we as consumers will beg to have this implanted technology. I’m not convinced of this argument. I also tend to believe that new concepts in computer control are never going to be risk free in themselves. Eye motion controllers could cause eye strain. Thought controllers could cause brain strain!

The human brain is not a device that tends to tackle one sole task at hand. Out thoughts are random, parallel, and varying in nature. You may be thinking about the weekend holiday ahead or be excited about a forthcoming birthday etc. How would thought control devices differentiate these ‘human’ thoughts from ‘control’ thoughts? Would your employer be able to see when you were not thinking about the project you are working on each day? Would they be able to pay you per thought control hour rather than per 8 hour day?

Only time will tell whether this plan comes to fruition, but it seems to be no more than wishful thinking. I suspect that if it does come into existence it will be treated very cautiously by discerning workers.

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