TED-Ed: a step to the future

by talkbackty on Mar 13, 2012

"What is great in man is that he is a bridge and not a goal." -Friedrich Nietzsche


There are days when it appears I am watching a bridge being built before my eyes, a bridge leading to the future. Last month I wrote about the technological singularity, the moment when our technology operates as quickly as the human mind. And day after day it is as if I am watching the path being paved in that direction.  
Last month I heard about a product that will launch by the end of 2012, Google's Heads Up Display (HUD) glasses. Taken straight out of science-fiction and video games, this version would be primarily used for Augmented Reality. Looking at your surroundings through the glasses would present different information via (most likely) a Google-Earth enabled app. They have complete 3G/4G connectivity and run on Android software. While I have never been overly impressed with Augmented Reality apps on current smart phones, it is easy to see how these glasses could become the go-to device in a few years. People first wanted something wireless and the laptop was created, then people demanded more mobility and the smart phone was invented, we are not far from the next step being taken- these HUD glasses could be it.

Which brings me back to education and TED-Ed. The wonderful people at TED have been providing free videos for years, and have announced an effort for teachers and animators to join up and provide the best lessons possible to share with the world. No longer are we limited by geographic and economics. If this plan is met with the same enthusiasm that the original TED talks saw, it is entirely possible that we are looking at the first step on a path that changes education forever.