Technology that fades into the background
You walk into a room, the lights adjust perfectly to your mood and matching music starts to play without a word spoken. This isn't only in Sci-Fi films; it's the concept of ambient computing.
With the rapid advancement of on-device processing speeds for AI, the idea of "ambient computing" is moving from a future vision to an attainable present. It's a glimpse into a future where technology seamlessly integrates into our environment, responding to our needs without explicit commands.
Ambient computing represents an opposite shift in how we interact with technology. Unlike traditional computing, which requires direct user input, ambient computing aims to create an ecosystem where devices anticipate and respond to our needs based on environmental cues.
Most of us have already experienced a form of it, albiet in a very limited form, with the IoT (Internet of Things) such as Amazon's 'Echo' and Google's 'Home' assistant. While these are closer to the vision of ambient computing, they have barriers such as trigger words and off-site processing before they can react to the command.
Trigger words are still a form of traditional computing, as they are waiting for the user to initiate them before they can do anything themselves and then the reliance on off-site processing presents latency challenges which removes the immediacy that ambient computing needs to feel seamless.
As Hector Ouilhet puts it, "Tepid technology, human warmth."
The technology needs to be tepid. That means neither hot nor cold, just room temperature. Think of a swimming pool that you step into and completely forget you're even in water because it's perfectly in sync with your body temperature.
However, the increase in on-device processing capabilites is paving the way for more sophisticated ambient computing experiences. A recent example of this is Apple's latest M series chips, which are increasingly focused on efficient, local AI processing.
The idea of ambient computing is to enrich our lives without us noticing it.
We're already seeing glimpses of this. Sensors that recognize you walking into a room and having the temperature dynamically adjusted to your liking, or your fridge automatically ordering groceries when supplies run low. These are not just conveniences; they are enhancing our lives.
It's interesting to think of a future where technology isn't about flashy gadgets or intrusive interfaces but instead, it's about creating a world where technology fades into the background, quietly and efficiently supporting our daily lives.