Coexistence with an Aware System – A Business Perspective

Coexistence with an Aware System – A Business Perspective

Ubiquitous computing

Saamanjasya 2.0

Mohanbir Sawhney - Professor Kellogg Bus School

Language barrier

When communicating people say language barrier I say language is itself a barrier.

For example the latest Maruti Ad where a person sweats at the billing counter listening to the bill incurred in the car repair. I would not take names but I have seen people get an entirely different message from what was tried to be conveyed. Most shocking was that they couldn't even make out that it was a car ad. How can one expect every one to understand the mechanical parts of a car. Another ad of the same campaign with 'kitna deti hai' punchline is an excellent example of simplicity and sharpness. Bang! it hits the bullseye of milage sensitivity.

There is another instance which emphasized the importance of visuals. I could never get the old ladies of my home to operate a mobile phone until recently when I purchased a Samsung Wave which is entirely touch and motion controlled with lot of visuals added. Unbelievably they were able to open and flick through the menu and pictures stored in the phone with ease.

When preparing a message for masses visual element should be clear and use of language should be minimal.

hans le ae duniya

हमारे घर को असमान की बुलंदियां

सह न सकी

शगुफ्तगी की कमान

हाथों में मेरे

रह न सकी |

सकता तो वो बरसता ही क्यूँ हम पर

छत हमारी ही क्यूँ

गिरती हमपर |

कल ऐ दुनिया बारी हमारी आएगी

चेहरे पे हंसी हमारी आएगी,

कर लोगे क्या कर के दिखादो

एक दिन बारी हमारी आएगी, हमारी आएगी, हमारी आएगी |

Airline Cos. Wake up

Air-crash in Mangalore. Another incident that caused a lot of pain. Such accidents can happen with anyone anytime. Could they be avoided?

Almost all the reports of planes crashing suggest that fire caused by burning fuel is the biggest reason of fatalities. This made me think. Jet engines no doubt are the simplest and most efficient engines found by man till now. But I don't feel that any radical advancement has been made in the aircraft design since they were first incorporated. This leads to another question. Have the airline players thought anything beyond the realm of making their jets bigger in size?
No doubt passenger safety is a priority for this industry as one crash can lead to death of scores of people. But has anybody what could prevent people from being reduced to charcoal?

I think that the next step should be in the direction of fuel technology. The fuel used in airplanes is a very high grade kerosene which is very inflammable. With the quantity that is required to complete a flight it turn an airplane into a very well controlled missile.

Below are some suggestions from an aware layman's perspective:
Research should be funded in the direction of creating a fuel whose flash point is very high so that combustion can occur only inside the engines. Initially to heat up some lighter fuel could be used. Some what like in space crafts where solid fuel is used. This way in case of a crash the fuel tank should not burst. Lets think this from another direction. A chemical should be developed and kept inside the fuel tank in a special chamber. In case of an impact it could be released to render the fuel ineffective.

During a flight a passenger is prepared for a landing in water with flotation device and stuff. Little can be done if the plane catches fire. Can something be done to protect passengers from the impact of blast? I think the passenger compartment should be made strong enough to at least absorb the effect of the initial flare. This would give people a few crucial minutes to think and do something. Like sprinklers in a building foam sprinklers could be provided.

I have no idea of what is happening inside the walled hi-tech labs of the airline industry but I urge them to energize their common sense and do something soon enough as the actual loss of one such crash can never be estimated.

Do

A blank page.
An unwritten book.
A blossoming flower.
A rapid with unrestrained rage.
A picture of will.

The blank page
became the preamble.
The unwritten book,
the constitution.
The flower was the first.
And the rapid carved
a contution,
on the chest of a canyon.

They know not
what they are.
They know not
what they'll be.
All they know,
that there they are
and that they do.

Wake, walk, run.
Do best what you do.
There will atleast be one
witness of all.
The almighty and shining sun.