Author Archives: Pedro Dalcolmo

I found a very interesting way Brazil has been using Global Positioning Satellites according to Rocky Mountain Tracking. GPS has revolutionized how we drive, walk, move, search and work. GPS works by a MEO satellite that tracks the movement of a device. In Vitoria Da Conquista, Brazil, they have put about 43,000 GPS devices in school uniforms. This is an ingenious method of tracking the whereabouts of the students who may be exposed to hostile territories or just making sure they are attending their classes. How does the t-shirt work? These so-called “intelligent uniforms” have embedded radio frequency chips which sends a text message to their parents’ cell phones as soon as the student enters the building. If their child hasn’t shown up for school 20 minutes into the morning, a text is sent stating “Your child has still not arrived at school.” The t-shirts can be washed without fear of damage to the chip, which also features a security system that makes tampering virtually impossible. As a fellow Brazilian, I’m glad that they are putting so much care into education and safety of Brazil’s future.

-Pedro Dalcolmo

1. Since 1982, our society has undergone many technological advances like the cellular telephone becoming pervasive, as well as the implementation of the home computer.  Yet, we are still using the CD, which is now 30 years old.  Why hasn’t this medium advanced at the same speed as other areas of technology?

Currently we are on the verge of the CD becoming completely obsolete. We have various ways to store data, obtain music and play video games. Flash disks or drives are soon to replace the CD by being better in every way. They are faster,smaller and can store crazy amounts of data. The CD has not evolved as did others technologies, i think, because we had no need to advance in this are. The CD quenched our thirst for awhile. Now a days, our new technology require new and more powerful products that can support new technology.

2. How soon until CDs and CD players become obsolete?

CDs and CD players are quickly becoming useless in this new era of technology. I figure that by 2014 or 2015 CDs are going to become the new vinyl records. 30 years of a single technology without evolution is very impressive, but I’m sure it won’t reach 40. SSD(Solid State Drives) are relatively new technology that soon will be standard in all computers. This tech substitutes the older Hard drive technology which in some ways are kind of like CDs. SSDs are the new waves of the 21st century. All in all, CDs and CD players are soon to be extincted.

-Pedro Dalcolmo