Upcoming interesting technological developments…

The below article gives a glimpse of six new technological developments that will be part of your life soon!

Sentiment analysis in Computers

Computers with emotions? Now, that sounds interesting and it’s a fact! Soon computers will get an additional assimilation of ‘sentiment analysis’ tools that will reflect the feeling of your blogs or any other online comments. Companies like Sentimine, Adaptive Semantics and Lexalytics have already put in their hands into this technological advancement. Currently, it is only sold to big corporations but soon it will be global, cheap or even for free!

SMS with background color by Nokia

Now, message your best friend with an emotion. Nokia is on its way to launch the new model with the latest ‘light messaging’ feature. This will enable users to send a SMS with a background color that will express their mood. The color that will be encoded with the message will be illuminated on the LED screen of the recipient’s phone of similar type.

Pet friendly car by Honda Motor Company

Finding it difficult to control your mischievous dog while driving? There is good news for you! Honda Motor Company unveiled its pet friendly car in New York Motor Show early this year. Termed as the WOW concept, this ultimate dog car has some interesting touches that will certainly make your dog feel comfortable. There is a special seat belt, a 12V rear ventilation fan, a cushioned bed, a toy bone and many more that will keep your pet busy. To keep you happy, the final additional feature that Honda features is the removable and washable rollout flooring!

Wi-Fi washing machine

Just fill it, shut it and forget it! All you have to do is throw your dirty clothes inside the see through basket of the machine. As soon as it hits a certain weight, the machine will start its job. It’s a blessing for the office goers as well. They can now operate this machine from their desk. The global leader in home appliances, Electrolux has taken the front seat to unveil this technology soon.

Wanda: the wonder fish for underwater search

Be careful while fishing, it might be Wanda!

Wanda or the Wireless Aquatic Navigator for detection and analysis is the next generation underwater search device that looks and propels like any other fish. Created by researcher Scott McGovern, the Robo-Fish can swim with ease with the help of a flexible joint tail, polymer artificial muscle and a fixed wireless camera that can give images from deep under the water. From detection of the water quality to structural damages, Wanda will sense every little change inside.

The old carpenter.

“Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past. Your life tomorrow will be the result.”

This is a story of an elderly carpenter who had been working for a contractor for the past 53 years. He had built many beautiful houses but now as he was getting old, he wanted to retire and lead a leisurely life with his family. So, he goes to the contractor and tells him about his plan of retiring. The contractor feels sad at the prospect of losing a good worker but agrees to the plan because the carpenter had indeed become too fragile for the tough building work. But as a last request, he asks the old carpenter to construct just one last house.

The old man agrees and starts working but his heart was not in his work any more. He had lost the motivation towards work. So, he resorted to shoddy workmanship and constructed the house half-heartedly. After the house was built, the contractor came to visit his employee’s last piece of work. After inspecting the house, he handed over the front door keys to the carpenter and said, “This is your new house. My gift to you.” The carpenter was shocked and upset. Had he known that he was building his own house, he would have done a better job! Now, he would have to live in the house, which is not worth staying.

Think of yourself as the carpenter. You work hard every day but are you giving your best? We put our least to the work we don’t like or do not have interest in. Later, we get shocked at the situation we have created for ourselves and try to figure out why we didn’t do it differently.

Enjoy your tasks and carry on your responsibilities with pleasure and not with pain. “Life is a do-it-yourself project”. Do your job enthusiastically and with devotion, a positive output and a pleasing life will certainly be on your way.

The butterfly

“Sometimes, struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If we were to go through our life without any obstacles, we would be crippled. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. Give every opportunity a chance, leave no room for regrets.”

A man regularly observed a butterfly cocoon lying next to his window. One fine day, he finally saw a small opening emerging on the cocoon. He waited patiently to watch what happens next. After few minutes, he finds, a butterfly struggling to force its body out of that little gap. For several hours, the butterfly gave great effort to come out but as it failed to do so, it stopped making any progress further. It seemed like the butterfly tried as much as it could and cannot go further.

So, the man decided to help it come out. He took a pair of scissors, and slowly snipped off the remaining bit of cocoon. The butterfly freed itself easily. It had a swollen body and shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch the butterfly and waited to see the beautiful insect to flap and fly away. But that never happened and the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings.

It was the mistake of the man. In his well intentioned sympathy and haste, he did not understand that the restricting cocoon and struggle made by the butterfly to get through the opening was actually God’s way of forcing a fluid out from the butterfly’s body into its wings, so that it could be ready for flight as soon as it comes out of the cocoon.

For us, it is exactly the same. Struggles are compulsory in life. If God allows us to lead a life without any obstacles, it would cripple us.

No one can avoid the difficulties and sufferings in life. Fight against them and move up the ladder to fetch the triumph.

All of us have to struggle a little to fly up high!

The flock of birds

“Teamwork is the ability to work together towards a common vision. It is the ability to direct individual accomplishments towards organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.” – Andrew Carnegie

During the winter, geese migrate to a warmer place to fight the cold. These large groups of migrating birds fly for long hours to reach their destination. The flock is focused and flies in a ‘V’ formation, which increases their flight efficiency by 71%.

Geese are one of the best examples of excellent teamwork.

Lesson 1: Working as a team and sharing the same direction helps to reach the destination faster. By helping each other, the triumph is greater.

If a goose leaves the ‘V’ formation, it feels the resistance of the air. Hence, rather than flying alone, it comes back to the formation and continues with the flock.

Lesson 2: Always stay in tune with those who are going in a certain direction. This will not only help you to reach the goal with less effort, but you will always be guided by people around you.

When the leader is tired of flying, it drops out of the lead position and fall back into one of the lines of the V. Another bird from the rear rapidly takes the leading position.

Lesson 3: Never miss opportunities to empower others in the team. Always take responsibility and build trust. Respect others in the team. Share difficult problems and tasks with the team.

The geese flying behind the ‘V’ formation quack continuously to encourage the ones leading the flock. This way they maintain the same speed.

Lesson 4: Always appreciate an individual team player’s work. Encouragement helps to motivate the team and, strengthen the bond among the members and this in turn brings positive results.

When a goose falls sick and tired, it leaves the flock. But the flock doesn’t desert it. Some of the geese leave the flock to escort and protect it, till it is well enough to fly again. Then they either catch up with the flock or they form their own ‘V’ formation.

Lessson 5: Always stand beside your team mates, especially at the time of challenges and difficulties.

The story of Brooklyn Bridge

An engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea of building a magnificent suspension bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. He had put forward his idea to the bridge building experts throughout the world but no one was interested even to think about it further and asked John to forget about it. According to them, it was a very difficult task, something, which had never been attempted before and is not practical.

Roebling however was determined and would not think of ignoring his dream. He thought about it day and night and wanted to share it with someone who would believe in his idea. John’s son Washington was a naïve engineer then. He trusted his father’s vision and believed that the bridge could be built.

John and Washington, working together for the first time, developed concepts of how the bridge could be built. A big challenge lay before them, but they were ready to face it as they had excitement and inspiration deep in their heart. They hired their crew and the construction of their dream bridge began on January 3, 1870.

The project started well, but after a year, a tragic accident at the site took John Roebling’s life. Hence, Washington took over and was in charge of the bridge. However, after few months Washington too suffered a paralyzing injury, which left him with certain amount of brain damage. He was not able to walk or talk. With no one to supervise, the construction stopped.

Everyone around the world was negative about the future of the project and felt that it should be taken off as only the Roeblings knew about the plans of construction of the bridge. These remarks hurt and shocked Washington, who lay still on the bed of his hospital. His desire and enthusiasm was still alive. He wanted to get up and continue his work, but his physical condition did not allow him to.

Washington could move only one finger and this gave him an idea. He called his wife Emily and tapped on her arm indicating her to call back the crew and the engineers. This worked well as Emily started understanding Washington’s indications by just the tapping of his finger. She conveyed his instructions to the engineers and soon the construction of the bridge was back at full swing.

For next 11 years, Washington gave instructions by tapping on Emily’s arm and she patiently decoded his messages and relayed them to the crew. The bridge was finally completed and opened with a big celebration in May 1883.

Today, the 5,989 feet Brooklyn Bridge stands over the East River as a tribute to the victory of John and Washington’s strong spirit, will power and determination. It is also a tribute to the engineers who had faith and trust in a man who was half paralyzed and was considered silly by half of the world. The bridge also reflects the love and affection of Emily towards her husband.

The story of Brooklyn Bridge portrays a very good example of having a vision, believing in it and then pursuing it with a never-say-die attitude. No matter what obstacles you face, if you have a dream then go ahead and fulfill it. Have strength of mind and be determined in life.

The names of John Roebling, Washington Roebling and Emily Warren Roebling are inscribed on the bridge as its builders.