Telephones did it.
Overnight delivery did it.
Fax machines did it.
Email did it.
Instant Messaging did it.
And now
Vocera will again disrupt personal communication. In a good way.
Are you frustrated by constantly playing phone tag with your wandering coworkers? What if people could communicate one to one irrespective of their physical locations? Technologies like Vocera are bringing the Star Trek communicator badge to life. Users simply push a button on the small wearable device and ask a computer to locate the person they want to talk to. "Vocera, find Joe." The computer uses voice recognition software to interpret commands and connect users to each other. Superior to walkie-talkies by providing one to one connection and superior to wireless phones with the simplicity of one touch operation and voice recognition. No extension numbers to remember. The system also interfaces with telephone systems for routing incoming calls to individuals not just telephones. Refine this with a triangulating geo-locating system that can know when and where someone is within the Wi-Fi network area but unavailable to communicate (i.e. auditoriums, meeting rooms, bathrooms, etc.) and you have the makings of a ubiquitous transparent technology-like, say, the telephone.
Vocera like any communication technology has the potential to increase productivity. By using a computer based technology to enable live synchronous voice communication between mobile individuals saves time and speeds decision making. However, this is also a slide down the slippery slope of the stressful always "on" world of today's info culture.
With rapid fire communication coming at people from all directions time for thought and reflection can be hard to come by. I once worked for a man who refused to get a wireless phone despite significant daily road time. He insisted on protecting his in car time for thinking. Today, we can not only take and make phone calls in the car we can send and receive faxes, email and instant messages. When there's no one to communicate with or you are "out of service area" just take time to turn down the satellite radio check the refrigerator for a cold or hot beverage to enjoy while you spin a DVD on the video system. If you have any attention left you can, let's see-talk to the kids? or, humm, DRIVE?
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