Family Tech Blog

Tag: virtual reality

  • The State of Education Technology in 2019

    The State of Education Technology in 2019

    One of the hottest topics of last year’s CES was coding education. This year was no different. From the show floor to the FamilyTech Summit ed tech was all the rage. It wasn’t limited to coding, though. There were plenty of products at CES 2019 that featured ways to teach kids how to code, use their creativity, and even build their own robots. Most of them used an app on an iPad or Android device that used Scratch or JavaScript (two coding languages) to program a toy or robot. 

    My favorite toys were the ones that didn’t use a screen to teach coding concepts. Those were a bit few and far between this year but there were some pretty fun options. Coding Critters was one that is meant to teach coding logic to pre-schoolers. There were also a few screen free products that read stories to your children. The discussion at the FamilyTechSummit featured a lot of education talk. Mostly discussing the importance of teaching coding and creativity and how robotics, engineering, and computing can strengthen those skills. 

    Botley the Screen Free Coding Ed Robot

    There were train sets that are controlled with colored tiles placed on the tracks. The set then can grow with the kids as they learn to code using the app that comes with the trains. A Harry Potter wand that teaches coding through wand gestures and behaviors was a highlight and one that my kids will love to play and learn with. As was Specdrums, a set of finger attachments that can be programed to play notes or beats based on what colors they are touching. These little toys turn your world into a musical instrument based on the code you program into the circuits.

    There were a lot of toys designed to teach circuitry and electronics. Many of these toys contain components that allow you to build on to them with your own legos and make your creations come to life by connecting circuits and coding behaviors into them. The ability to build and create on your own was a great feature of many toys at CES 2019, even taking over the coding robot trend. Building your robots, combining your creations with an augmented reality world, and even robots like Artie which let you program him to draw and create works of art. S.T.E.M. is becoming S.T.E.A.M. whether you consider art a part of engineering or something on its own, the toy industry is buying in to the ability to create while you work out the logic and mathematics required to build electronics.

    Robots, circuits, and coding aren’t the only exciting ed tech advancements. Augmented and virtual reality are getting into the game as well. This tech takes you right into the experience you’re learning about whether a science lab, outer space, under the sea, or ancient Rome. Being able to walk around in ancient cities to learn about the lives of our ancestors is remarkable and becoming more accesible to the general public and to schools all over the country.

    Ed Tech is advancing quickly and I think it’s good that it’s moving beyond teaching the same old things just on a computer. These toys are bringing new and interactive ways to learn about the topics your kids will need to understand in order to compete for that future job that doesn’t even exist yet. While it is always important to watch the amount of screen time our kids get. If we can keep the time safe, educational, and innovative, we go a long way to protecting them as we prepare them for their future.

  • CES 2018: Family Tech Product Rollouts and Predictions for 2018 Tech

    CES 2018: Family Tech Product Rollouts and Predictions for 2018 Tech

    My first day at CES 2018 was kind of split into two categories. I spent the first half of my time at a press conference and a market research report. This may not sound fun to you but this information is why I’m here. There’s lots of information being shared and learned here that can benefit parents as we work to raise healthy kids in this digital culture. Along with a couple of videos, I wanted to present a simple list that will show you a little bit of what I learned here at CES on media day one.

    Day One Takeaways

    • Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality are being used for diagnosis and treatment by doctors and other healthcare providers.
    • Voice Controlled speakers were the name of the tech industry game in 2017 with a 279% increase in purchases with another 60% of growth expected in 2018.
    • 715 million connected devices are expected to be sold in 2018 to the tune of $351 billion.
    • Augmented reality will be making its way into our everyday lives with uses like shopping, gaming, and health tech.
    • Companion robots are bursting onto the scene. Used as a “family companion,” photos and video, security, speaker, entertainment, and even sleep and home health management.
    • People are more aware of how artificial intelligence (how websites and connected devices collect our data) works and getting acclimated to using it.
    • Virtual reality is becoming a real tool for the fitness and home gym industry.

    Family Tech Product Releases

    • Alexa ready baby monitor. By Project Nursery (More in videos)
    • In device augmented and virtual reality toy gun with 6 depths of field. By MERGEVR (More in videos.)
    • Jimu build and code robot. (Also in video)

    Final Thoughts

    Technology is continuing to move forward faster tthanwe can imagine. The biggest talk at this year’s CES is about voice command technology like Alexa and Google home, self-driving cars, and augmented reality content. As parents, our we should understand that our kids are going to be some of the first adopters of much of this technology and so it is important that we understand it. Kids aren’t watching content just on their televisions anymore, they aren’t having to type search terms into Google, and they are always always connected. That is what was said at day one the most, we are moving from the digital age to the connected age. You’re connected, your kids are connected, and so is everyone else so be sure to stay in the loop so that you can keep every connection safer.

    Stay tuned tomorrow for my report on day 2 of CES Media Days where I’ll talk about teen market research and more about the future of connectivity. Share this article with your friends and let them know that you’re keeping track of the latest tech trends by following FamilyTechBlog.com’s reporting on CES2018.

     

     

  • The iPhone Turns 10 and a Life of Balance for Your Family

    The iPhone Turns 10 and a Life of Balance for Your Family

    I remember being 18 years old and telling my friends I’ll never have a cell phone. “I just don’t want to be reachable all the time,” I would say. “Sometimes I want to be out of pocket.” Boy did that ever change. Now, 14 years later, I’m connected to every single person I know through my phone. Since I have a smartphone, I don’t even have to call anyone anymore. Text messaging and social media are the new “real world” and we are all fully aware of how we were kidding ourselves with that self-righteous “No cell phone for me” talk.

    The iPhone turning ten years old today made me realize that many of our kids have never lived in a world without smartphone technology. Our kids are being called “digital natives.” They are comfortable in a world where all desired information is a few taps on a screen away. They can connect with the people they know without ever leaving home. They are accessible all of the time and many of them don’t know any different. As parents, how can we help our kids understand the importance of balance in an extra-digital society?

    Take Influence Seriously

    Influence is a resource. The impact we have on our children as parents is the most significant force in their lives. Even being uninvolved causes ripples in their lives, behavior, decisions, and thoughts. When it comes to technology our influence over them is just as significant as in any other area of life. Whether it’s the example we set with our tech use or the boundaries we lay out for them for theirs, we have to keep in mind the influence we are having over our kids and their use of their many mobile devices.

    As we model a life of balance our children are able to, sometimes without knowing it, have a healthy view of our technology as resources instead of a way of life. Even parents like me, who are tied to their mobile phone or laptop for work, have to make obvious and intentional decisions to separate ourselves from our tech so that we can model a life of balance for our children. A major part of why this site was started in the first place was to help parents make the most of being the first influence in the lives of their children. If our kids are seeing us tapping our tablet screen all day and that’s it, they aren’t being influenced by us in the way that will help them grow into healthy, quality adults.

    Dinnertime is FaceTime

    There are multiple studies that have been released that show the value of a family mealtime. A common recommendation is at least once a week. Schedule a day when everyone must be home for dinner. Cook or order in something and sit around the table together. Make a rule that the wifi is off or paused and phones are set on a shelf or counter somewhere to charge during the planned dinner time. You may spend the first few attempts staring at each other but it will eventually be the activity that bonds your family like no other experience can. There are even websites and apps dedicated to giving you conversation starter ideas to help you break the ice for those first few experimental attempts.

    Balance is not something you find. It’s something you create. – Jana Kingsford (MumsJugglingAct.com)

    If we are going to create balance we have to either stop living at either extreme or find a way to exist in each extreme equally. If we take the time to sit and eat a meal together as a family every day or week we can start working towards a more balanced life as a family. If we are always headed our separate ways and even our times together at home are spent using our separate devices in separate areas of our house we will continue to see ourselves grow apart. Balance is the key and a family dinnertime is a great way to start your path toward that balance of screen-time vs facetime.

    Understand that Digital is the New Reality

    We aren’t living in a passing phase of technology. The digital and social media culture is here to stay and is going to get even more different as the years progress. If the three days of following CES taught me anything it’s that our world is only getting more digital. With virtual and augmented reality becoming a very real option for gaming, movies, and other entertainment it’s only a matter of time until we are updating our instagram stories by hitting a button on our smart-glasses or blinking a pattern so our contacts recognize what we are trying to post. It sounds like science fiction but it’s becoming more and more a reality.

    Since this world is becoming increasingly real, we have to understand what’s happening and get on board with helping our children use these new inventions in a healthy way. We can’t blame inventors and CEOs of companies for bringing down our culture with their products when we are the ones buying them and letting our kids have full control of their usage.

    I remember being told hundreds of times that folks aren’t ever going to want to type messages on a screen. “You have to have real buttons so you can feel them. I can’t handle that touchscreen stuff.” Well, ten years after the iPhone was announced, it’s hard to find a laptop that doesn’t fold into a touchscreen tablet. We live in the future and it’s coming faster than ever. No matter how futuristic the world seems the same principles apply. Mom and dad have to be the first influence in their children’s lives. This is how we raise kids who are safe, healthy, and whole.

    Information about our work with families can be found at SAFE.BecauseFamily.org/about.