The Ambient unLife

I‘m interested in ambient interfaces, unobtrusive data, and augmented reality, which is why this video, The Ambient Life, caught my eye over at johnnyholland.org. According to the post, The Ambient Life,

… was created for Freeband, a Dutch research program in which a.o. Philips and Delft University participate. The video tries to show a glimpse of the future they want to see, a future where you are ’surrounded by “intelligent” electronic equipment that can provide almost all of your information and communication needs on demand: an ambient intelligent environment.’

“Sa-weet!” I thought, as I clicked play.

The Ambient Life – have a gander at your future.

I’m jiving along with the peacefully groovy music, ready to pine for a future that isn’t yet here, but gradually, minute by minute, I become more and more alarmed.

When I think about the benefits and possibilities for ambient technologies, I think about weaving them into a world that is safer, more equitable, and more sustainable (if I’m going to envision the future, I’m going to really go for it). I’m waiting for that critical mass at which point our crazy world shifts, hopefully faster than ‘gradually’, to a path that is less insane than the one we are on now.

But this video, this imagined future, projects along our current path with nightmarish force. Security and safety, to the point of exclusion and isolation (I’m almost more interested in what isn’t shown, what kind of world this ambient life is built upon) seem to be primary concerns, and the incident at 2:27 really should have been re-thought, if not for the wtf of it, for the unexplained circumstances and unemotional reactions (I mean, calm and cool under stress is a great quality, but to achieve this level of detachment you need either brainwashing or drugs in the water).

I don’t want this future.

Am I being ridiculous, or do you see it too?

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