Haptic Technology-Shape Shifting the Future

The TED Talk that captured my attention was given by Sean Follmer who is a human-computer interaction designer working on Haptic technology. Haptic technology is also known as Kinesthetic technology which uses the sense of touch by applying motion or vibration to the user. Sean has been part of a design team that has developed a 3D shape shifting table. This technology gives the user not only a tactile experience but allows for an object to change shape and change the functionality of the object. It also can provide remote interaction between two users.

Other than smell, tactile sensation can evoke the most powerful memories and powerful learning experience. While the prototypes for what is in development look fairly rudimentary, it appears this will be an exciting frontier in technological development. Most of these objects use linear actuators to provide movement, depth and vibration. Linear actuators are basically small motors with hydraulics connected to circuits. This type of technology is already used in printers, disc drives and valves. Sean did a great job of showing interactive video of some of the developments he and his team are working on: A wrist band that becomes a phone based on the way you shape it. It moves to let you know there is a call. This material can also be shaped into other objects like a game controller. Based on the shape the object would know what the function of it would be.

More complex haptic technology for the common person may be a ways off, it is currently being used in industry, science and medicine. Medical students can simulate heart operations and feel what it's actually like to suture a vessel. Soldiers can learn to diffuse a bomb by using this technology.

The first place consumers may see this technology is on their mobile devices. Nokia has the technology where the buttons on their phones have small sensors that will make it feel like you are actually depressing or clicking a button.  Haptic feedback is currently used in cell phones with the vibration that occurs with certain functions but it is the more complex movements that will be coming soon.

While it is another feature to be able to feel the functions on your mobile device I see this technology most benefitting those who rely on tactile senses. Those who are blind or maybe relate to the world in a sensory manner like autism.  Maybe even the elderly given the struggle I see my parents go through trying to use their smart phone and wondering if they have pushed a button.  No matter what it is it will be fascinating to what how this technology unfolds based on the presentation that was given.

Watch the TED Talk and see for yourself: 
https://www.ted.com/talks/sean_follmer_shape_shifting_tech_will_change_work_as_we_know_it

The Digital Divide

I was given an assignment to research technology podcasts and was provided some suggestions for popular podcasts. When I looked through the offerings I noticed how heavily male those suggestions were. Which, is not unusual since the tech field IS predominantly male. What I found interesting in exploring this assignment is that it wasn't always that way.

In 1984 37% of all computer science majors were women.  A shift in that trend began in 1990 and there has been a dramatic decline of women pursuing technology degrees.  Today, women account for roughly 17% of all computer related college degrees. That statistic was startling to me. If someone would have asked me which years those numbers were from I would have guessed the reverse based on assumptions of how gender roles seemed to have changed from then and now.

My perception was that women gained a lot of ground in terms of gender stereotypes over the past 30 years which certainly would translate into careers that were historically male dominated.  Perception is not reality and as we often see with history, as much as things seem to change, they stay the same. So, I looked for answers to what caused such a down turn for women seeking careers in technology.

I searched for women who had paved the way and were fighting against the tide to be part of the tech industry. I found, not a lot, but enough podcasts by women in tech who could shed some light on their experiences and observations about this problem:  STEMxm, Techgrlz, Women in Tech, STEM XX,  Wit Talks, and Witty Women in Tech Talk to Yaz.

One Witty Women podcast I listened to featured Karen Catlin who started in the tech field in 1985 in software building. She worked at Dreamweaver and Adobe and now owns a consulting business providing leadership opportunities for women in tech. Working during the time that there was this major shift in the field, Karen had the opportunity to see the changes first hand and reflected on one of the biggest reasons that there has been such a decline.  Unconscious bias. It hadn't occurred to me until she said it. but it made good sense.

Unconscious bias is based on social or cultural stereotypes that are so ingrained in our collective thinking that we aren't consciously aware of how it effects our behaviors and decisions. Parents guide boys toward fixing, tinkering, building, sciences and girls toward care taking, teaching, and hospitality vocations. Think about the computer geek, gamer or hacker. You likely pictured a male person. Think about a successful person in technology. You probably picture Steve Jobs, Bill Gates.

Who would you picture if you thought about a prominent woman in the tech field? It's hard to come up with a name. It shouldn't be because women have contributed great things to the world of technology but haven't been given their due credit.

This is the battle girls and women are fighting. By the time girls approach college they aren't thinking about STEM because they haven't been encouraged to consider those careers. Those that pursue careers in IT struggle with factors that make it difficult to stay in their chosen field. Retention of women in tech careers has been challenging because of the huge gender disparity. The work environments are intimidating and women are leaving due to a sense of isolation and cultural issues in the workplace. Women make up only 28% of the average tech company's entry level positions. Women in senior positions account for roughly 19%. This lack of advancement opportunity leads many female techies to leave the field and discourages other women from joining tech in the first place. It's a cyclical problem.

While the picture for success of women in the tech industry has been somewhat bleak, good things are happening for women lately. There are colleges that are making efforts to recruit women and increase enrollment in the computer science fields with great outcomes (Carnegie Melon, Harvey Mudd). There are more educational resources for getting girls interested in the STEM fields. Women who have been successful are making concerted efforts to build mentoring networks. It feels as if there is a ground swell to change the numbers.

Some companies are beginning to address the gender imbalance. By 2022 the U.S. will need 1.2 million more people to fill necessary technology jobs. The reality is there aren't enough men to meet that demand. Women need to keep this in mind. It is not too late to make a career change or encourage young girls and let them know that this is a great opportunity for them.

At the end of the Witty Women podcast Karen Catlin reflected on what her biggest regret was in her tech career. She said that she wished she had more lunches with her male colleagues. Because she was a minority in her workplace she felt compelled to drive harder than her peers to prove she was worthy. She would often eat lunch at her desk to keep ahead of schedule and achieve more. But what she realized much later in her life, she didn't build relationships and this made her job harder. She didn't know the assets her coworkers brought to the table so when she was a project lead she didn't know who the best person was for the assignment or what assets she had on her team.

At the end of the day the realization is that it isn't going to be easy for women to break the barriers you also need to keep pushing and develop relationships. Take your seat at the table and stay there.

Giving the Power to the People for Social Media Marketing

Social Media is a powerful marketing tool for companies. Frito Lay Brand and Pringles, owned by Kellog’s, have hit the mark with consumer driven campaigns that have given the power to the people to steer the successes of their products.

In 2017 Americans spent over 4 billion dollars on potato chips. Frito Lay is the leader by far with
1.6 billion in sales or a 6.7% share of the market. Pringles ranks second with over 500 million or 2.2%
of the market (Statista 2017).

To understand how each company got to this place we need to understand how potato chips came
to be such a snack favorite. There is some dispute about the origin of the potato chip but there seems
to be some agreement by chip historians that George Crum is credited with propelling the potato chip
to popularity at a restaurant in Saratoga Springs, New York. The story goes that an irascible customer
kept sending back his fried potatoes complaining they were too thick and too soggy. After getting fed
up with this dissatisfied customer, George decided to cut the potatoes paper thin, over fry them and
throw excess salt on them. The customer loved them!

That story is an example of how the customer provides for unknown variables in the marketing game.
Both Frito Lay and Pringles have capitalized on this concept extremely well.

In 2012 Frito Lay developed the Do Us a Flavor campaign. As many know, this is a contest where the
consumer gets to submit their own flavored potato chip recipe for the populus to vote upon.
Contestants easily use their mobile device via Facebook or Twitter to create and vote on their
choice to win. The beauty of this contest is that it creates a feeling for the consumer that they are
actually vested in the company since they are developing the product and then reaping the benefits
of a million dollar prize or percentage of the sales should they win. This creates brand loyalty when
the consumer feels part of the product process. This campaign also has an added bonus in that it is
not a one and done. The Do Us a Flavor contest is full of endless possibilities and allows Frito Lay to
be able to keep running this campaign without it getting stale.

While Pringles is a distant second in the chip business. Pringles has a bit of controversy as a potato
chip. In fact, legally, it can not be classified as a potato chip because the majority of the ingredients
are not potatoes. Pringles are made from 42% dehydrated potatoes and the rest is a combination of
other food starches so it must be called a potato crisp. This has not dissuaded consumers because
Pringles has other attributes that make it a fun alternative to the average potato chip. Based on the
fact it is an engineered chip it can be made in a uniform saddle shape that has made it entertaining to
stack and to make geometric shapes.  

Pringles were originally marketed as “NewFangled Potato Chips” because of their crisp recipe, shape
and their can design. In 2014 Pringles decided to capitalize on this and launched the You Don’t
Just Eat ‘Em campaign challenging people to share on twitter and Facebook what they could do
with Pringles other than just eating them. This proved to be a marketing boom beyond those two
social media platforms. People posted their creations on Youtube, Pinterest boards, and were picked
up by other blogs like Reddit because of the creativity consumers were displaying with the chip and
the cans. People were using the cans to make speakers, kaleidoscopes, pinhole cameras, hot dog
ovens, and endless craft ideas.

Both companies have realized the potential of social media to harness the creativity of the consumer
to drive marketing. But, social media presence doesn’t always translate into revenue. There are many
factors that go into the success of a company and when it comes to a food product inevitably it is
about taste. And, just based on my prolific chip consumption, I agree with the masses that Frito Lay
chips are the best tasting chips and that is where I spend the majority of my snack money. But, the
creativity of the Pringles product and their presence on social media definitely fit a different niche in
the market that appeals to perhaps a more dynamic consumer. Both have a place in the market and
it will be fun to see how they continue to use social media to propel their products.

The reason I am a student at MATC is because it is the beginning of the next chapter of my life. Over the past 2 years realized I reached the end of my current career. I explored the possibilities of what I could do for my next vocation. I knew I needed more education or a trade to make that leap. Attending a four year university didn't make sense financially.  A technical degree can allow for a faster career change and is cost efficient. I looked at the dental hygienist and medical programs. They just didn't seem to be the right fit.

I stepped back from trying to decide for a few months and applied for jobs in my field that I thought would be interesting. Maybe if I had a new job I could curb my burnout. The jobs I picked to apply for did not include supervising employees or managing large operations. I was told I was over qualified or the jobs were below my pay grade. It was evident I had hit the ceiling and in reality I just wanted out. I felt like I was trapped. I had a right. I had served my time.

I never intended for social work to be a career. When I attended UW-Milwaukee (UWM) a friend of mine worked for an agency that provided housing and support services for people with severe and persistent mental illnesses. She urged me to apply and was I hired. I changed my major from education to psychology because I was so fascinated with psychopathology. I earned my Bachelor's degree and decided to continue on and obtain my Masters. At the time, UWM had two tracks for earning a Masters degree in social work; marriage and family therapy and administration. I couldn't stand the thought of sitting in a room and listening to people talk about their problems day after day. I wanted to influence the actions of others in finding solutions to difficult systemic problems.

Post college, after years of working, I had a conversation with someone about the lack of value in social service work. This person said to me, "It's because you take care of people no one cares about." While that comment seemed harsh and over generalized, it made sense to me. People who have severe mental illness or those who have intellectual and physical disabilities aren't seen as contributors to society. They require a great deal of financial resources but don't give back economically. And, they make the general public uncomfortable with their behaviors and their needs.

I would always say to people the only reason I went into social work was that I wasn't good at math. I would have been a geologist or paleontologist had I been able comprehend chemistry and math better. It took me 25 years to realize that the reason I likely went into social work was to protect people. Those who are the most vulnerable and those who are not valued are also the most abused and less able to fight back. I fought. I did it very well for a long time but my soul was crushed by the weight of 25 years of social service bureaucracy. I was burned out. That had happened many times over the years but this time was irreversible.

The one benefit burnout had for me was I had to look for ways to balance the stress of my work life. I have had to reconnect with old hobbies and look for new interests. Creativity was the biggest way to combat burnout.

As I disconnected from my career I became interested in the world of IT.  It is vast, ever changing, growing, fast-paced, seemingly limitless. A microcosm of the universe. I enjoy problem solving and have a lot of patience. I want to make sure that I'm always learning and staying on top of what's new culturally and technically. I don't want to be left behind, obsolete. I'm naturally curious and always want to know how things work and why they work.

When I decided to finally enroll at MATC I met with an advisor who suggested I take an Accuplacer test after I told her I was interested in IT. I very assertively said no because it would most certainly indicate I should seek a career in human services. I was determined for a big change in my life.  I registered and enrolled in the network administrator associate degree program after looking at trends in the IT field and the curriculum.

What I didn't say earlier was that I attended MATC in 1987. I was declined admittance to UWM because my high school grade point was awful. Wasted potential as my mother would say. To get accepted I had to go to MATC and prove that I could do the work and achieve.  I wasn't ready for higher education when I first attended MATC but I was able to succeed enough to get accepted into UWM and graduated Cum Laude.

I have come full circle. I have returned to MATC to start my next chapter and my new career.