Blog Post 1: Commenting on the Emerging Technology Lecture
From the lecture series, the lecture I found most engaging and informative was the lecture held by Nick Almond on Emerging Technologies. Efficiently, Almond explained how the advancements within technology are now progressing at a much faster rate, as well as, highlighted how these systems are greatly impacting the fashion industry in both positive and negative ways.
One of the elements of this lecture which I found most interesting was on Disruptive Technology, a term I had not yet learnt. Almond, N (2020) explained that “Disruptive technology is a technology that displaces or improves upon another” and how initially it is deemed a low demand product. Nevertheless, soon after, the technology begins to progress immensely at a continuous rate. This results in a huge shift within technology and within society. An example of disruptive technology, which Almond included, was the iPhone and how it was the catalyst to the digital camera becoming obsolete. Moreover, this introduced to me how new emerging technologies can be so powerful and cause drastic changes to the way we live our daily lives. This suggests a demand for more disruptive technology, that considers and focusses on improving issues such as sustainability, diversity and social responsibility within the fashion industry.
Within the lecture, Nick Almond referenced Block Chains and Bitcoin, both of which are evolving technologies that I had not yet discovered prior to the lecture. Soon, I learnt how extremely advanced Blockchains were and how these emerging technologies are introducing endless benefits to the fashion industry and the working world. Bitcoin allows users to securely store and invest money without the need for a bank; in addition to this, Blockchains can even permit users to print their own money and also introduces a platform where others can collaborate efficiently without requiring management, therefore causing more fair opportunity to a larger demographic. Currently, Blockchains are being invited to the fashion industry as they allow for authenticity checks on garments and also allow for mass-collaboration with fair reward, which therefore supports emerging young creatives like myself and also the themes of diversity, social responsibility and sustainability. However, from the lecture I also learnt how blockchain technology is problematic. As, Blockchains still remain within their incubator phase, the technology is unfinished and rather glitchy, meaning there is a demand for further development. As well as this, unfortunately blockchain technology is extremely difficult to understand and use, making it only accessible to a very small audience. Moreover, this highlights a lack of diversity so therefore there is a need for amendments to be made so it can be accessed by everyone.
In reflection, I found this lecture highly informative as it has introduced me to new technologies and systems which I was unaware of prior to the session. Additionally, this lecture emphasised how advanced technologies are becoming a reality within the industry and that they have certain limitations. Overall, this session has majorly influenced me to consider these emerging and influential technologies, within my future creative practice, to be able to positively evolve the fashion industry through the use of technology, to become a fairer and better environment targeting the issues of sustainability, diversity and social responsibility.