Future Store

Smart Fridge and Smart Wine Fridge: Video shows that when user takes the last item, for example is a bottle of wine, from the smart fridge or smart wine fridge , then the screen will display the list of product out of stock/running out of stock. This is quietly beneficial technology because the smart fridge has been programmed to sense what products are stored inside it and keep track of the stock through RFID scanning. The smart fridge can ensure the needs of the owner shopping.

Smart Washing Machine: Smart washing machine will scan the clothes that user put into the machine and then the screen will display the list of the clothes. When clothes which included have different colors and/or materials, smart washing machine will give a warning to user to correct the combination because the machine cannot wash these textiles together. Smart washing machine is quite helpful reducing the possibility of clothes from shrinking or becoming discolored due to lack misgivings of users on the use of a washing machine manual.

Electronic Shopping List: Users can create a shopping list before shopping from home pc and sent via internet to the future store. Electronic shopping list is connected with a list of product out of stock/running out of stock of smart fridge and/or smart wine fridge. It greatly increases the efficiency and effectiveness of shopping which usually done by mothers who are commonly very enthusiastic and lost in while shopping. Organizing grocery lists and sticking to them can saves money and guards against impulse of buying.

Future Card: Implementation of future card can facilitate user while shopping. From the video seen that when user synchronize future card to the trolley, the screen directly detect the name of the user and electronic shopping list that have previously been made. This will also reduce the time required for the shopping because the trolley will guide through the store to the items location, so the user does not need to be confused searching shelves for existing items on a shopping list which connected from future card.

Smart shelves: Shelves will scan the items that exist on him. Each shelves will send incoming message to display screen if the items already or about to run out, also if there is misplaced product. Incoming message is connected to the gadgets held by the employee. This will greatly help ease the work of employee, they do not need to check stocks or misplace product from one shelve to another shelve.

System Information Terminal: I think this facility on future store is pretty good but actually not urgent needs. User can see what products are for sale, how much it cost and where it is located. There is a unique feature, which I referred in above is less urgent, i.e. user can see any recipe that can be made of the product, the recipe can be transmitted to user cell phone.

Everywhere Display: I have never seen the application of this technology in the real world before. This technology informs user the location of a product they look for, by giving the sign which points to the shelves digitally on the floor where the products located. This technology is unique and can replace the use of conventional sign by a board.

Advertising Display: I think this technology is not very useful for user, but rather the owner of the product. Actually this technology is also not harmful to the user. In Indonesia, display advertising is already commonly found in alongside highway, but probably a new thing to be applied in the store.

Smart Scales with RFID:  Smart scale is used for determining the weight and the price of the items user want to purchase, all done by scanning RFID. I think this technology is not a solution that significantly effective and efficient. I think the use of RFID smart scale in real life did not significantly reduce the time because the process is not much different and requires large amount of money when we compared to manual weighing and pricing.

Smart Trolley: In my opinion, smart trolley is a very significant technology to support shopping activities. When user put the items they want to purchase to the trolley, it will automatically recognizes the items, then the items will be added to the list of Items in your trolley on the trolley display screen. Smart trolley also gives ease to user that they do not have to estimate how much the total cost will they have to pay, because the price of the items are also displayed on the trolley display screen.

Smart Dressing Room: Smart dressing room really helps user to try on clothes in a short time without need to use it. Moreover, if user wants to try a lot of clothes, they do not need to try them one by one to acquire the right piece of clothing, all done with just a touch. This technology is also profitable for the store because it reduces the damage to clothing because too often attempted by the user.

Smart Mirror: I think this technology is nearly similar to the smart mirror, which the different is only the product. Smart mirror really helps user to try on any make-up products in a short time without any need to use it. Users just have to take their own picture in front of the camera then user can customize the make-up product and try on the picture. This technology is also profitable for the store because they do not need to provide each of makeup testers.

Future Check Out: This technology improves the efficiency of the time, but it seems to require a lot of funds. Users only need to walk through the gate then items and prices are registered automatically. This process significantly will reduce the queue at a conventional store which takes a long time to scan bar code one by one from purchased items that usually cause long queues. After passing through the gate, the list of your smart trolley contents will be displayed on the display screen at the cashier. Users only need to pay according to the price displayed. The smart chip will be deactived when users pass the next gate.

It can be concluded that if we compare the future technologies above to the processes that are running this day, there are technologies which can increase the effectiveness of user activities, but there are also technologies which not give so much significant effects. Although these technologies provide time efficiency in the execution of the activities, but also there are not an urgent need. Ease and speed of process is certainly directly proportional to the costs, these technologies requires large amount of costs to be applied it in real life.

Technology Interface : Brain-Computer Interface

A brain-computer interface or also known as a brain-machine interface is a system that allows a person to control a computer or other electronic device using only his or her brainwaves, with no movement required. Electroencephalogram (EEG) sensors of human brain can be used to monitor the brain activity. Studies have shown that even people who have lost muscle control can use BCI systems by changing their brain activity so that a computer can detect their intent and translate it into device control.

BCIs can be used for communication, computer access, or control of devices such as a wheelchair or prosthetic arm, among other applications. Virtually anything that can be controlled by a computer could, potentially, be controlled by a BCI.  BCI is mostly designed for people due to brainstem injury or ALS. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative illness that results in weakening of the connections between the brain and body. In the late stages, these individuals have no ability to move or speak, though for the most part they retain normal cognitive function. This condition is referred to as "locked-in syndrome" or LIS.

Many people with disabilities use computers to communicate and to control their environments. However, conventional methods for using computers, like typing on a keyboard or moving a computer mouse, require muscle control and thus may not be useful for people who have little or no muscle control. People who already have a reliable method of controlling a computer or communication device (e.g. using hand, foot, head, or eye movement) are likely to find that BCI is slower and more complicated, and simply not worth the hassle. BCIs will be most beneficial for people who have little or no reliable muscle movement.

Many people imagine that BCI will allow them to simply think of a word or phrase and have it appear on the screen, or control a wheelchair by thinking about where they want to go. Unfortunately, this is not the case with current BCI technology. There are a variety of types of BCI systems, and each one works a little differently. People who use BCI system are required to spend considerable time training to use the system and must be willing to accept a fairly slow communication rate.

The picture above is the standard 6x6 P300 speller matrix. Most BCI spelling systems display a series of letters, either one at a time or by highlighting letters in a grid. When the letter you want lights up, your brain wave changes. The computer looks for that change and interprets it as a 'keystroke'.  For example, at the top the word "DOG" is presented then if you wanted to type the letter D, you would focus on the D and count each time it flashed, or think “Yes!” when you saw it appear on the screen. Recognizing the D would trigger a spike in your brain signals, which would be detected by the BCI system. Usually, each letter must be ‘selected’ multiple times, so typing with a BCI is quite slow.

All BCI systems require conscious effort from the user to type a message or move a computer cursor. Systems designed to control a computer cursor often rely on movement imagery. You would imagine squeezing your right hand to move the cursor to the right, and your left hand to move the cursor to the left. The ultimate goal of research is to develop a BCI system that is robust and portable enough to meet the daily communication and social interaction needs of severely disabled individuals. 

Although most people are capable of using BCI technology, it is not for everyone. Current BCI systems are challenging to use, and require expensive equipment and time-consuming setup. Current brain-computer (BCI) systems utilizing P300 detection are still only available as research tools and development stage, and are not available for purchase or independent home use.

BCI technology is constantly changing. The future will bring faster, more reliable BCI systems that work for more potential users. Hardware will improve with wireless electrode connections, and with dry electrodes that eliminate the need for conductive gel to be applied to the user’s head. Software will provide new options for typing and speaking messages; using the internet, email, and social media; creating artwork; safely driving a wheelchair; controlling door locks, light switches, entertainment systems, and other features of the home; and much more. It is hoped that the cost of BCI will decline as it becomes more widely used, and that insurance carriers will eventually cover it as an assistive technology. Since this technology is being developed for a much larger market than those with neurological disease, in the future we will see BCI devices available for many computer functions.

Source :

http://www.alsa.org/als-care/resources/publications-videos/factsheets/brain-computer-interface.html

http://www.etsu.edu/cas/bcilab/

http://www.wadsworth.org/bci/faq.html#9

Polemik Bendera-Lambang Aceh dan Sila Persatuan Indoensia

Nama : Fiena Rindani

Kelas : 1IA16

NPM : 52412928

Latar Belakang Permasalahan Bendera dan Lambang Aceh

Akhir-akhir ini, penetapan DPRD dan Gubenur Aceh perihal bendera dan lambang daerah, menuai banyak pro dan kontra. Senin 1 April 2013 lalu masyarakat pendukung bendera Aceh melakukan konvoi besar-besaran mengelilingi kota Aceh dengan mengarak bendera bulan sabit dan bintang tersebut. Aksi ini merupakan bentuk dukungan pada Qanun bendera dan lambang Aceh baru yang disahkan pada 22 April lalu.[1] 

Gubernur Aceh, Zaini Abdullah, mengatakan bahwa independensi Aceh untuk memiliki bendera dan lambang sendiri, tertuang pada UU Nomor 11 tahun 2006 dan butir kesepakatan (Mou) Helsinki. Kedua identitas daerah tersebut dianggap sebagai bagian dari kebudayaan dan perjuangan rakyat Aceh.[2] 

Di sisi lain, Menteri Dalam Negeri Gamawan Fauzi meminta diadakannya evaluasi dari DPRD Aceh terhadap bendera Aceh. Hal ini disinyalir karena terdapat kesamaan dengan logo separatis Gerakan Aceh Merdeka (GAM).[3] 

Sejak tahun 1976 Gerakan Aceh Merdeka, atau GAM berermaksud untuk memisahkan diri dari Indonesia. Namun, setelah perjanjian Helsinki terlaksana pada tahun 2005, terciptalah perdamaian di bumi Aceh.

Sila ke Tiga : Persatuan Indonesia

Sila ke tiga yang berbunyi Persatuan Indonesia adalah komponen yang krusial untuk bangsa Indonesia. Sebagai negara yang luas dan terdiri dari ribuan pulau, Indonesia membutuhkan sila ini sebagi pemersatu bangsa. 

Inti sila ini sama halnya seperti Bhineka Tunggal Eka, yaitu walaupun bangsa Indonesia terdiri dari berbagai suku, ras, agama, yang membedakan antara satu sama lain tetapi ada identitas nasional yang menjadi pemersatu semua komponen negara. Dan di sisi lain, kita hendaknya bisa menghormati keberagaman yang ada di Indonesia.

Bisa dibayangkan jika  masyarakat Indonesia tidak bersatu dan menganggap budaya atau sukunya lah yang paling benar, negara kita dapat berujung seperti Sudan yang terpecah menjadi Sudan Utara dan Sudan Selatan karena tidak bisa mengatasi perbedaan agama, atau seperti Yugoslavia yang juga tidak bisa mengatasi perbedaan etnis dan suku bangsanya.

Kita sebagai bangsa Indonesia hendaknya bisa memprioritaskan kepentingan bersama, di atas kepentingan golongan maupun kepentingan pribadi.

Apakah Bendera dan Lambang Aceh Bertentangan dengan Sila Persatuan Indonesia?

Terdapat banyak pendapat perihal apakah bendera Aceh bertentangan atau bahkan mengancam sila Persatuan Indonesia.

Pendapat pertama adalah bahwa bendera dan lambang Aceh  tidak mengancam sila ke tiga Pancasila. Sepeti yang dikatakan Gubernur Aceh, keduanya hanya merupakan bagian dari kebudayaan dan perjuangan bangsa Aceh. Selain itu, Pengibaran bendera Aceh sesungguhnya tidak melanggar kesepakatan (Mou) Helsinki, karena pada perjanjian Helsinki pasal 1.1.5 dikatakan bahwa Aceh memiliki hak untuk menggunakan simbol-simbol wilayah termasuk bendera, lambang dan himne.[4]

Pendapat kedua adalah bahwa bendera dan lambang Aceh mengancam sila ke tiga Pancasila.

Di antara kedua pendapat ini, saya setuju dengan pendapat yang kedua, karena beberapa pertimbangan berikut ini:

Kesatu, bendera tersebut dapat memotivasi kembali rakyat Aceh dengan semangat separatisme. Hal tersebut dapat memecah belah semangat persatuan negara Indonesia. Dengan pengibaran bendera Aceh, dapat disimpulkan bahwa sebagian besar dari masyarakat Aceh masih mempunyai harapan untuk memisahkan diri dari NKRI.

Kedua, meskipun pada perjanjian Helsinski tidak dipaparkan secara jelas mengenai bendera, lambang, dan himne seperti apa yang boleh dimiliki orang Aceh, tidak dapat diartikan bahwa pada pemerintah Aceh diizinkan mengadopsi lambang dari gerakan separatis yang mereka anut sebelumnya.

Ketiga, pengesahan bendera dan lambang tersebut jika kemudian hal tersebut diizinkan, bagaimana bila hal yang sama terjadi pada daerah-daerah lain di Indonesia? Bagaimana jika Papua, Maluku, dan daerah-daerah lainnya juga ingin memiliki bendera yang berbeda dengan Bendera Merah Putih? Hal ini tentu bisa menjadi awal mula perpecahan bangsa.

Keempat, Bendera Merah Putih hakikatnya adalah satu-satunya bendera nasional Negara Kesatuan Republik Indonesia yang sah berdasar Undang-Undang Dasar Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 1945. Bendera Merah Putih kodratnya bukan hanya sekedar bendera yang dijahit diatas selembar kain, melainkan lambang perwujudan semangat nasionalisme dan patriotisme yang harus di junjung tinggi oleh bangsa Indonesia.

Kelima, hendaknya pemerintah Aceh dan pemerintah pusat tidak terjebak mengenai permasalahan bendera semata, padahal ada permasalahan yang lebih esensial yang terlupakan, yaitu bagaimana membangun Aceh demi kesejahteraan warganya.

Dalam menghadapi permasalahan ini, hendaknya pemerintah pusat maupun pemerintah daerah dapat menanganinya dengan bijak guna mendapat solusi terbaik bagi kedua belah pihak.

Saya menyambut baik usulan Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) untuk mengundang Gubernur Aceh Zaini Abdullah ke Jakarta demi memecahkan permasalahan ini. Presiden menambahkan bahwa undangannya tidak hanya membicarakan mengenai bendera dan lambang Aceh melainkan juga mengenai pembangunan Aceh, meningkatkan kesejahteraan rakyatnya, dan memajukan kesejahteraan Aceh agar memiliki masa depan sebagaimana juga dilakukan oleh daerah-daerah lain di Tanah Air Indonesia.[5]

Hal ini memang seharusnya dilakukan oleh pemerintah Indonesia sehingga tidak menimbulkan kesenjangan dan ketimpangan antara pusat dan daerah. Daerah-daerah di pedalaman seperti Papua, termasuk Aceh, berpendapat bahwa pembangunan hanya dititikberatkan pada kepulauan Jawa, sementara mereka acap kali menjadi pihak yang terlupakan.

Tanpa adanya pemerataan kesejahteraan dan keadilan, maka masalah menguatnya identitas daerah seperti bendera dan lambang Aceh, dapat terjadi di tempat lain. Untuk itu, demi mencapai persatuan Indonesia, diperlukan juga keadilan sebagaimana diamanatkan pada sila ke-4 Pancasila.

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[1] Raja Umar, “Ribuan Orang Arak Bendera Aceh,”  1 April 2013, diambil dari  http://nasional.kompas.com/read/2013/04/01/1442391/Ribuan.Orang.Arak.Bendera.Aceh pada tanggal 7 April 2013.

[2] Raja Umar, “Aceh Resmi Adopsi Bendera GAM,” 23 Maret 2013, diambil dari http://nasional.kompas.com/read/2013/03/23/02160162/Aceh.Resmi.Adopsi.Bendera.GAM pada tanggal 7 April 2013.

[3] Sabrina Asril, “Mendagri Minta Bendera Aceh Mirip Logo GAM Dievaluasi,”  24 November 2012, diambil dari http://nasional.kompas.com/read/2012/11/24/01111862/Mendagri.Minta.Bendera.Aceh.Mirip.Logo.GAM.Dievaluasi pada tanggal 7 April 2013.

 [4] Amal Ihsan Hadian, “Apa isi naskah perjanjian Helsinki RI - GAM?,”  6  April 2013, diambil dari  http://nasional.kontan.co.id/news/apa-isi-naskah-perjanjian-helsinki-ri-gam/2013/04/06 pada tanggal 7 April 2013.

[5] “Presiden Panggil Gubernur Aceh,” 6 April 2013, diambil dari Harian Kompas pada tanggal 7 April 2013.