Bridging the Digital Divide | Jim Sevier | TEDxGreenville

Summary

The speaker, born in 1960, reflects on the digital revolution and its profound impact on society. However, he highlights the 'digital divide', where millions are excluded due to lack of access or skills. Using the metaphor of the London Underground, he illustrates the gap between those who can and cannot board the 'digital train'. He calls for a 'shamanic interface', a universal method of interaction with technology, independent of literacy or technical skills, to bridge this divide, and urges support for projects that make digital access affordable and inclusive.

Takeaways

• 📞 Growing up in the analog era involved using rotary telephones and solving math problems with pencil and paper.
• 📺 Knowledge came from black-and-white television and encyclopedias, with no dinosaurs roaming the earth.
• 💻 Witnessed the dawn of the digital world in the late 20s and spent nearly entire adult life in the technology industry.
• 📱 Seen the transformation from mainframe computers to devices fitting in a pocket and the birth of the internet and social media.
• 🌐 Despite advancements, millions are excluded from the digital world due to the digital divide, particularly in South Carolina.
• 🚇 The London Underground analogy illustrates the digital divide: the train is the digital world, the platform is access, and the gap represents the divide.
• 🕳️ Many people cannot access the digital world due to lack of skills, knowledge, or economic means.
• 📝 In 1995, FCC Chairman William Cunard highlighted the increasing gap due to lack of access to technology.
• 📊 Today, over 34 million Americans lack digital access, often due to high costs, and many adults struggle with literacy.
• 📖 Reading Daniel Suarez’s novels inspired the idea of a shamanic interface using somatic gestures to bridge the digital divide.
• 🤚 Shamanic interface uses motion and sound, similar to sign language, to provide digital access regardless of literacy or technical skills.
• 🎮 Existing technology like Microsoft's Kinect and haptic gloves can be used to recognize and translate somatic gestures.
• 🌍 Global projects are working towards affordable digital access, but more support and development of somatic gesture standards are needed.
• 🚀 The goal is to create a universally comprehensible digital interface, enabling everyone to bridge the digital divide and access the digital world.

Q & A

What year was the speaker born, and how did this influence their perspective on the digital world?

The speaker was born in 1960, which allowed them to witness the transition from an analog to a digital world and gave them a unique perspective on the development and impact of technology.

What is the digital divide, as described in the script?

The digital divide refers to the exclusion of millions of people from the digital world due to lack of access, skills, or economic ability to engage with digital technology.

How does the speaker use the London Underground as a metaphor for the digital divide?

The speaker compares the digital world to a train, the platform to how we access it, and the gap between the platform and the train to the digital divide, illustrating the barrier that prevents some people from accessing the digital world.

What did William Cunard, the former chairman of the FCC, say about the importance of technology in society in 1995?

William Cunard emphasized that in a society increasingly defined by access to information, those without access to technology would be left behind in the digital dark ages.

What are the two primary factors contributing to the growth of the digital divide mentioned in the script?

The two primary factors are access, which is the ability to obtain a digital connection, and understanding, which involves having the necessary literacy levels and technical skills to use the connection.

How many people in the U.S. are reported to not have access to the digital world according to the script?

Over 34 million people in the U.S. do not have access to the digital world due to unavailability or unaffordability.

What is the term used in the script to describe a new type of digital interface that is accessible to all, regardless of literacy or technical skills?

The term used is 'shamanic interface,' which uses somatic gestures to invoke access to the digital world.

What is the shamanic interface, and how does it propose to bridge the digital divide?

The shamanic interface is a concept where motion and sound are used to gain access and control over digital elements, making the digital world accessible to everyone, regardless of language, literacy, or technical skill levels.

What role do somatic gestures play in the concept of the shamanic interface?

Somatic gestures are physical movements and actions that, in the context of the shamanic interface, are used to interact with and control digital technology.

What existing technology is mentioned in the script that could help in understanding and translating somatic gestures into digital actions?

Microsoft Kinect is mentioned as an example of technology that can measure movement in the physical world and translate it into actions in the digital world.

What is the speaker's call to action for overcoming the digital divide?

The speaker calls for the creation of a shamanic interface and the continuation of support for projects that ensure affordable access to the digital world, aiming to give everyone an equal opportunity to engage with technology.