Enchanted Objects: Design, Human Desire, and the Internet of Things

Summary

In the tradition of WhoOwns the Future? and The Second Machine Age, anMIT Media Lab scientist imagines how everyday objects can intuit our needs andimprove our lives.

We are now standing at theprecipice of the next transformative development: the Internet of Things. Soon,connected technology will be embedded in hundreds of everyday objects wealready use: our cars, wallets, watches, umbrellas, even our trash cans. Theseobjects will respond to our needs, come to know us, and learn to think on ourbehalf. David Rose calls these devices—which are just beginning to creep intothe marketplace—Enchanted Objects.

Some believe the future willlook like more of the same—more smartphones, tablets, screens embedded in everyconceivable surface. Rose has a different vision: technology that atomizes,combining itself with the objects that make up the very fabric of daily living.Such technology will be woven into the background of our environment, enhancinghuman relationships and channeling desires for omniscience, long life, andcreative expression. The enchanted objects of fairy tales and science fictionwill enter real life.

Groundbreaking, timely, andprovocative, Enchanted Objects isa blueprint for a better future, where efficient solutions come hand in handwith technology that delights our senses. It is essential reading fordesigners, technologists, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and anyone whowishes to understand the future and stay relevant in the Internet of Things.