The Most Important Arenas for Innovation Lie in Renewables and Energy Efficiency

There are a few things – just a few — that make living in the 21st Century a pleasant experience, and they all seem to revolve around technology.  We’re living longer and healthier lives, and those of us fortunate enough to live in the developed world are enjoying more convenience and fulfillment, due to the ubiquity of information.

It’s articles like these, however, that make me wonder if the expansion of information technology hasn’t hit the wall.  Does wearable computing really add value, versus pulling out my smart phone and interacting with it via voice or touch screen?  Am I going to be happy with that thing strapped to my head?  Will I be smiling in delight, like the girl in the video?  I doubt it.

If these smart people want to develop something of value, let me suggest that they turn their attention to cleantech – in particular, renewables and energy efficiency, as this is the arena where the real pleasure/pain issue resides.  Either we develop a sustainable approach to energy, or we usher in human suffering on an unprecedented scale.

I, for one, will happily skip the next incremental “improvement” in computing to achieve a solution here.