Augmented Reality and Brain work

The world today is surrounded by Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality examples. Many are trying to bring the good out of this technology, starting from gaming, entertainment, AR and VR have come a long way to healthcare and education . Every now and then I hear a diversion that builds the hope these technologies can address issues leading to better tomorrow.

Since June , I have been attending a few conferences especially in AR and VR. The story revolves around the software and eye wear (hardware). This shows the  effort of bringing thoughts closer to reality has come a long way.

I am always looking for new ideas and concepts that are getting explored in this market. Most of the efforts are often in what we see and feel and it covers the majority of the population, but recently one company grabbed my attention.  This company is very new and is working towards building better mapping of brain especially for gifted individuals ( focusing more on Autism). For the past few months I have been spreading the thought of healthcare looking into special needs through AR and VR, the talks and thoughts have been well received but I did not come across any start-up that was looking into it , until last week..

While the technology is a great friend to mankind, we often overlook the "defined need" sector. Unlike us,these gifted individuals don't get many opportunities to explore and adapt with the advanced technology and the desire to do something for them has always been on my mind.

After helping financially challenged kids get better education and better life , I have  been looking for opportunities where service with technology can build towards a better life. AR has the potential to go deeper into healthcare and redefine the structure is now becoming a truth. IF AR can go deep into Autism today, it wont be long before it explores Cancer and more....

The success of  Virtual and Augmented Reality is still not known, but the efforts show the journey will open a  whole new direction for human race 

"While technology leads innovation, human needs direction"

The Introvert- The New Intellect

How often do you hear the statement " He/she is an introvert", or "He/she is an extrovert"? We make up our mind hearing someone else's opinion and label the person as an Introvert or an Extrovert. Once labeled , the effort of knowing  the individual takes a very low priority and it is mapped to our personal or professional needs . What does an Introvert or an Extrovert mean?  Introvert means an individual who is shy and does not talk much. An extrovert is a person who is open to talking and does not analyze too much before introducing himself.   My assumption is most of you agree with this definition, as for a long time I did too!

However, yesterday when I attended a networking event, I realized how wrong I was with the definition just like most others! At the event I got to know the real definition for these words.
The corrected definition of an Introvert is an individual who thinks and absorbs deep and before making a statement analyzes the situation. He/she needs to feel safe and give room for the other to think and breadth. He/she works best when left alone; they absorb in a group but process when alone.
On the other hand, an Extrovert is an individual who feels the need to be noticed,  acknowledged and accompanied. This individual would not like to do things alone, does not have or like down time . They absolve and process at the same time. They are always on the move (socially outgoing).
These definitions changed my thought process completely. A  depth thinker, processor and efficient individual is a great asset to the society and an organization. He/she will work in detail to get the expected results , while the fast mover will be working towards building stronger identity, the deep thinker will be building without being loud.

While driving home, it made me think how perceptions can be misguided and how it leads to conclusions that can build or break an image on an individual. It made me realize that I have a few very close introvert friends and probably because of them we all stand as a great group. For all the bubbly extroverts, the analytical introverts set the pace... and for the introverts, the extroverts add the color. This world would be incomplete without either of them

To all the introverts, you are not an unsung hero, for what you do, we the rest enjoy the results ... and to all the extroverts you showcase the introvert in the most beautiful way....

This February  acknowledge  the personality and positive qualities of the individuals you feel would add an experience to your  learning curve and leave an thought that could be open doors to newer ideas
For " Style is a reflection of your Attitude and your Personality"

Thought - Unexpected

These days parking lots feel small and crowded. People are always following others in the hope they will get a spot to park. Go to a park with the thought of spending some time out and you end up circling the parking lot trying to find a place to park, this leads to frustration and a few times we kill the idea and head back home or to a coffee shop 

Last Saturday , I was in the same situation, circling in the parking lot of Mitchelle Park trying to find a spot. We were late for the workshop and the thought of missing the beginning moments added stress to the situation. Finally, I saw a spot with a board "Ada's Cafe" . Thought it could be for the customers of Ada's cafe and so with confidence parked my car and went in for an iced tea. standing in line, I could not leave the thought that I parked in a specified spot, it kept coming back to me.

Finally, my turn came and I headed to the counter to order my ice tea. Feeling nervous , I  told the employee who was taking my order that I parked in their spot. He looked at me , spoke to his manager and then came back to me saying "Mam that spot is for our food truck and it can come in anytime now ". I stood shocked still not understanding what to do ( the only thought that crossed my mind was now where am I going to park, I need to be here for the next 2 hours and not worry about my car). 

The employee looked at my face, smiled and in a calm voice said " I will give you my spot , please follow - me "

I was shocked again, never heard such a thing. The statement made me think, sometimes we come across people who we my never see again, still they leave an impact in our lives'.

I was reading about the concept of UGC-User Generated Content  a tool that is popular in today's marketing world. I feel my post meets the guidelines of UGC, Ada's Cafe a place for good food and beverage and friendly approach  

Please share your thoughts and incidents that reflect your experience similar to this post 

Social Media and Education awareness : Hidden Gem ………Nature at its fullest in the valley

Social Media and Education awareness : Hidden Gem ………Nature at its fullest in the valley: Hiking and trekking has been a part of my outdoor adventure for a while now. Seeing new places and exploring the serenity has always ...

Hidden Gem ………Nature at its fullest in the valley

Hiking and trekking has been a part of my outdoor adventure for a while now. Seeing new places and exploring the serenity has always been an excitement and a driver for the visits. To organize a trek or a hike we travel distances in order to find a place more closely to nature. The overall experience is great, but it involves the 4Ps (planning, packing, preparing and programing), sometimes with our hectic schedule we lose the interest by the time we got to programing. The thought of finding something close to home with a short drive starts kicking. Even if we find something close it may not meet all the expectations we have has in mind and sometimes the place does not feel realistic either (looks more man-made for a hike). I have travelled to Himalays to enjoy the ultimate nature’s beauty, the fresh air and the natural greenlands.. These trips have been as long as eight or ten days!

I have always been looking for places closer to Silicon Valley to give my kids the experience of hiking/trekking. One such place which I call the hidden gem we found recently in Morgan Hill is the Uvas Canyon County Park. A beauty in its own, an experience that will motivate you to go back or look for more similar places.  Just like a travel packing it is a package of experience, hiking paths, bridges and multiple waterfalls (one as high as 20 feet). People may think how it is different from some of the famous places, the biggest difference I found is it is approximately an hour drive from Silicon Valley into the hills and a wonderful place to encourage and introduce the beginners into the world of hiking and trekking.

http://www.sccgov.org/sites/parks/parkfinder/Pages/UvasCanyon.asp

Waterfall hitting the rocks 

 

Big trees welcoming to the park

Luscious trees, beautiful waterfalls,   the sweet and musical sound of water, the little wooden bridges, the big rocks, little tunnels, blue sky, birds chirping and the pleasant wind that touches your face when you walk. It was magical, words won’t do justice to the experience.

Our journey started after breakfast and we reached the foothill of the trek by 10:00a.m. . It was bright and the sun was shining beautifully in the sky. All along the drive we saw green grass, big trees gave a country feel right from the beginning. Reaching the hilltop, we, crossing the quite Swedish village, it gave a feel of actually visiting a rural village in Sweden. The look and feel was very natural and the houses also looked like pretty little cottages, with beautiful cloth curtains on the windows, wind chimes at the entrance. I have not visited Sweden, but it gave a quick peak into Swedish village and its structure. We reached the parking area bought the day pass through an automated machine and parked.

Our journey started with a look around the waterfalls which covered 1.5 miles in total. We stopped at every waterfall to take pictures, feel the water and sometimes just to sit on the big rocks just to feel the fresh air and enjoy the water falling onto the rocks and making sound almost felt musical. Crossing all the smaller waterfalls ( Granuja Falls, Little Falls, Basin Falls, Upper Falls) we came to one of the biggest waterfall- The Black Rock Falls, hidden inside a branch trail! It is a simple waterfall, yet unlike the others it gave complete satisfaction of taking the extra effort in going up the trail to witness it. The water was cold and sweet. Having witnessed and experience of waterfalls, we had our hearts content for the hike and traced our steps back to the parking lot.  

Along with our friend’s family we had a wonderful time, kids were excited with the exploration and the experience (all were first timers) and got back into our cars to head home. On the way we saw a creek which was the missing piece in our journey

Beautiful morning 

Waterfall under the bridge 

Creek on the way back

……

I have been an explorer my whole life, but experiencing something close to the big city was a whole different thing….. All the adventurers who have been planning on hiking, trekking or planning on nature exploration should take a peek at this place to have a full journey of experience… We don’t need to go too far to relax, just pick a map and start your trail today…….

A trail is not complete without admiring the nature’s beauty and also without friends. Thanks to my friend Rimpa for showing this trail

One step at a time, see the nature’s beauty and enjoy it to your heart’s content.

…. For “ never let your Mind tell your heart not to wonder”…..  Exploration happens when we venture

Have you visited Uvas canyon yet? If yes, please share your thoughts

   

MY Social Media , What privacy

In  today's world we spend more time on social media than actual friends. We post about everything on facebook or tweet about it. Whether be a movie, review, book, app , restaurant , food  or even the  service or parking!
Be happy or sad, frustrated or enthusiastic, everything is out there in the cloud...
The more likes or comments we get the more excited we are. Gone are  days of picking a phone and calling a friend or family . The thought of just texturing and posting our status to let our friends know gives a complete different thrill..
To compete with the current social media , more are emerging , and more will keep emerging as technology advances.
Social gatherings have gone virtual  , we need to find an occasion to meet be it Super Bowl or July 4th . Ironically, even these gatherings are getting small.
Privacy has no importance in the social network world, today's prank can cost tomorrow's future..
The thrill of posting and updating our status constantly overrides the privacy factor all the time
It is not all bad about social networking... We can now read the reviews posted before we decide on a movie or a restaurant or a brand too!
This is putting the retailers and food chains on their food in looking more deeper into service, quality , quantity and the experience . CRM is more challenging with the freedom of posting on social media. The expected   service and support from these vendors has improved dramatically, which is helping the customers a better return on their money . In other words "Service what to say ---- Money well spent"
On one hand , the benefits of posting individual's  thoughts add value and importance to future preference and requirements , on the other we are tied down to what others believe and think. What do we know about their lifestyle and experience
If the concept of social media is to connect with people then why is the distance more in actual meeting ?
Our life being ruled by social media has led us into a world of worldwide friends, yet very alone and dependent on social network......
How safe are we with social networks and our privacy?