Yes…but why bother?

This is not one of my stereotypical technology posts because instead of exciting me, it simply makes me uneasy. Before I explain why, have a look at this video clip. Go on, it won’t take long:

You can also read the article that goes with the video here:

https://futurism.com/smart-walls/

Now, here’s the thing. I can see the wall sensors becoming a part of the building process, just like light switches and plumbing, but I must have missed the bit that says why you would want to have them in your wall in the first place?

I mean, yes, walls probably should be multipurpose, but aren’t they already?

I don’t have a single wall that’s ‘naked’. I like putting up prints, clocks, the odd real painting to personalise my space. In fact, that’s one of the big disadvantages of renting – you can’t do any of that in case you damage the walls.

Nevertheless, assuming there are naked walls that should be doing something other than forming rooms, I can’t think of a single good reason to have sensors track me from room to room?

“Mum! Where are you?”

Okay, that’s a possibility, but do you really want the wall monitor to display a pixelated image of you sitting on the loo?

To be fair, I suspect the engineers who put this video clip together probably haven’t gotten past the point of making wall angels with their invention. They are probably just in love with the idea that they can put sensors in the walls. In fact, they probably haven’t given much thought to what actual problem the sensors are supposed to solve. But…

If these sensors have to phone home to Amazon, or Google or some other giant tech company to do their smart processing, then this invention goes beyond “gee whiz, look how much fun this is” to “bloody hell, I can’t even have any privacy in my own home????”

I love tech, but only when I own and control it…all of it. My home is my castle, and I don’t want an internet-of-things spying on me. Ever.

Meeks