How We Can Use Tech for Good

The fear around smart tech outsmarting us is palpable. Many within the tech field like Elon Musk and Stephen Hawking are rightfully worried about AI being used for evil. The issue is not to be ignored and it's important to plan for proper regulation especially around robotics and automation.

However, there are so many issues that advanced tech can solve for us in areas like government, crisis situations and assisted living.

No matter what side of the fear fence you sit on, the focus should be solving for the universal big challenges.

Tis the season to be optimistic and look at the upcoming year with a fresh pair of rosy glasses.

Digitize outdated government Systems

Not much different from today...

Instead of using digital tools for the sake of politics, why can't the government digitize outdated systems for the sake of constituents?

At this point, we are well aware of the government using advanced surveillance technology. But this advanced technology is for those on the inside and only helps government officials. What we lack is the government using technology to innovate programs or help citizens. 

My husband and I recently picked up a pen to complete the census questionnaire. It was over 30 pages. I was exhausted by the end of it. If this information is so valuable to government, why not make it easier for people to provide it? I went to the Census site and found this description of how they've modernized over the years:

The early adoption of the computer tape in the 1970s, CD-ROM technology in the 1980s and the Internet in the 1990s made Census Bureau information widely available to a growing number of data users.

This statement epitomizes the fact that the government has relied on the tech industry to help advance internal programs and not for the benefit of the masses.

Of course census data entering is only potential area for improvement and there have been some recent advancements that I've appreciated. With the help of apps like, ResistBot, the process of contacting your representative is now seamless. When you want to voice your opinion about a matter,  the bot will find your your government officials,  prompt you with thought starters and fax or mail the letter. Since September, the bot has mailed over 2 million letters. I also love the fact that they report back on important matters from the community. For instance, over half of the letters mailed  from Resistbot to government officials were related to healthcare. 

AI for Assisted Living

If we focus on what AI is best at - helping us with tasks that we might not be able to perform - we see a perfect match within the assisted living community. 

Voice activated assistants are gaining traction with an estimated 35.6 million Americans using a voice-controlled assistant at least once a month by the end of the year. Many use cases haven't been seen yet besides users wanting to stream music but voice-activation can greatly help those who aren't as able bodied. Imagine the peace of mind that comes with a voice activated assistant for those who are elderly or disabled and need to call for help if they fall. 

Some say the days of sending elderly to retirement homes are long gone and instead technology will passively monitor and provide assistance when needed. We're all familiar with those classic Life Alert commercials but the hope with AI is that it will not only better detect falls but be better at predicting them. Predicting falls will is not only better for the health of the person but for the healthcare system at large since according to the according to the CDC, older people are treated in the emergency room for fall-related injuries every 11 seconds.  This puts a hardship on 911 dispatchers and hospitals. According to Forbes the hope is that AI systems will be able to combine and analyze data from electronic health records, activities data from devices, observations from staff and use all that to create alerts with high accuracy on the possibility of a fall.

 There's no doubt about the benefit and we're already seeing specific AI innovations for assisted living. According to Factor-tech.com, 

Covering an array of smart home technologies, ambient assisted living is tailored to each user, but common technologies include those for fall detection, such as the UK-based Softcare, drug administration, such as the Parkinson’s-targeting Help, and Alzheimer’s care gadgets, such as Forget Me Not.  These typically use artificial intelligence, algorithms and sensors to monitor and respond as required

Remote Wifi for Disaster relief

In times of disaster, communication is essential. Relief teams need to talk to those on the ground and get access to sites. We rely on the internet everyday and when it's down, we really feel it. So imagine if this was the case for days on end as this was the case with the recent Puerto Rico hurricane. The backbone of telecom & the internet is not top of mind for us everyday but it's essential during emergencies. 

Project Loon, the initiative of Alphabet’s X delivered internet using air balloons to help alleviate the crisis in Puerto Rico. Using machine learning algorithms they were able to keep the balloons clustered over Puerto Rico and have delivered connectivity to over 100k people according to a recent tweet. 

In closing, areas like government, assisted living and crisis situations are just three areas where technology can make a drastic improvement in our lives. 

If we keep technology's good purpose in mind, we'll stay on the right track.