Dealing with the tough situation of a pandemic, you might agree that technology has improved our living standards. While the world was in lockdown, we were still able to study and work remotely. Not only that, we could even order food and shop online. As technology advances, it simplifies the way to do things. All these eventually benefit mankind and make living standards better. It’s easier to seek a luxury life in today’s time than it has ever been. You can get more control of your time with digitization and eliminate unnecessary travel and waste of resources. This is just the beginning—we have covered fascinating areas and examples for you. Let’s get rolling.
Why aim for a boost in living standards?
Humans are notoriously known for being unsatisfied with what they have. Well, why be comfortable when there’s new potential and opportunities to uncover? But again, all these should be done healthily. There are quite a lot of reasons why people strive for improved living standards.
The primary one is that the higher living standard gives more freedom to make choices. You can compare living standards to shopping. With a high living standard, you can purchase more and even afford all the goods at the store. On the other hand, with a low living standard, your choices are limited, and you might have to settle for necessary goods or shop within a budget.
Aspects technology influences and improves living standards
As we mentioned earlier, technology improves the way things are done. It brings more innovation, reshaping the world at a quicker pace. Technological advancement and resulting hardware and software fulfill a wide array of human needs, ranging from work to hobbies to entertainment. The information is made more accessible, and the way we interact with our society is transformed. It provides us with more convenience and helps us become more productive. This has positive impacts on the economy as well, giving rise to a better standard of living.
Now that we know why living standard matters and how technology improves them, it’s time we look at notable examples to explore the topic further. The following are factors worth considering to comprehend the impact of technology on the standard of living.
1. Access to healthcare
Technology has enhanced healthcare access significantly. There is telehealth, allowing patients to connect with their doctors remotely. It is especially useful for patients living in rural or isolated communities. Along with them, patients with limited mobility, time, and transportation options can benefit from it.
Then we have wearable technology that allows patients to monitor vital statistics such as heart rate, blood sugar, and oxygen level to communicate with the health care providers. Additionally, it tracks movement, helping users achieve their health and fitness goals.
Be it managing weight or stress levels, you can count on technology. We use our imagination to reduce our stress levels, but this has limitations. Virtual reality technology is a perfect alternative. It generates relaxing scenes, creating an immersive surrounding that helps you de-stress.
Most importantly, there are electronic health records that provide highly accurate and up-to-date information about patients at the point of care. Furthermore, it helps effectively diagnose patients and decrease medical errors. To sum up, technology boosts the convenience of health care, eventually leading to better living standards.
3. Availability of education
During the pandemic time, Zoom became the go-to teaching technology tool for educational institutes. But that’s just the beginning. Now there are Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) available. According to the Research Institute of America, the retention rate has increased by 25% to 60% because of e-learning. This means more students complete their education and even pursue higher education with the flexibility and convenience that technology brings. In the year 2000, there were 378 million children worldwide that weren’t getting an education. This number shrunk to 258 million in the year 2018, thanks to technology.
Artificial intelligence makes education globally available. In fact, with AI tools, students who have visual or hearing impairments can get the most out of the courses. Moreover, students speaking different languages can also get real-time subtitles to learn better.
The technology also provides personalized learning for individuals which further makes education more comfortable. Technology also brings gamification to education. Video game design and game elements motivate the students and enhance their learning experience. To summarize, technology not only makes education more accessible but also fun and interactive.
3. Growth of household income
Technology creates more employment opportunities and therefore increases household income. Nowadays, people are working in positions that didn’t exist a few decades ago. Some of these designations are YouTube content creators, digital marketers, and social media managers. In fact, according to the Institute for the Future (IFTF) report, the future is well on its way.
Less than 85% of jobs that will exist in 2030 have not been invented yet. This means that as technology progresses, you will come across more job roles to choose from.
The pandemic situation forced people to work online, and now we are seeing immense benefits. So much so that, companies are looking to hire a remote workforce. Technologies such as 5G, virtual reality, productivity assistance, and training tools promote remote working. People no longer have to limit themselves within geographical boundaries. With technology, they have all the tools they need to develop skills and explore opportunities, raising their income and standard of living.
Technology improves living standards by unlocking unprecedented convenience, fostering economic growth, and empowering individuals with the tools to lead healthier, more connected lives.
Tech Quintal
Summing up impacts of technology on living standards
Coming to the end of our analysis, we can say technology has improved our standard of living in various ways. We have explored access to health and education, as well as growth in household income.
| Aspect of Life | Technological Advancements | Impact on Living Standards |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare | Telemedicine, medical devices, AI | Improved access, better diagnosis, longer lifespan |
| Education | Online learning platforms, e-books | Access to education, lifelong learning |
| Communication | Smartphones, video conferencing | Better connectivity, global communication |
| Transportation | Electric vehicles, ride-sharing | Reduction of pollution, convenience, and safety |
| Energy Efficiency | Smart home technology, renewable energy | Lower energy costs, reduced carbon footprint |
| Food Production | Precision agriculture, GMOs | Increased food production, reduced hunger |
| Entertainment | Streaming services, virtual reality | Diverse entertainment options at home |
| Economic Opportunities | E-commerce, remote work | Broader job opportunities, work-life balance |
| Environmental Impact | Environmental monitoring tech | Sustainability and preservation of resources |
| Quality of Life | Wearable fitness tech, home automation | Enhanced personal well-being and comfort |
They all play a major role in raising living standards. Technology has provided us with tools to tap into our potential and make the most out of the opportunities available to us. Most importantly, it has increased our productivity, which is linked to delivering more goods and services that increase living standards.
Top 3 Smart Gadgets to Improve Your Life
There are a lot of ways we can use technology to improve our lives. Some say technology has helped with our healthcare and some choose transportation as the biggest benefit given to us by technology. Now, all these are bigger ways to look at it. There are also smaller things and gadgets by technology that we can use to take our lives to the next level of comfort.
1. Smart Lock
Things were not so good for smart locks a few years ago, but the time has changed. Now, it is finally time to ditch your keys and invest in smart locks. Now, you may be a little skeptical at first about trusting your valuable things on something you have never tried before, but once you try it, you will realize how much space and tension you are saving.
With smart locks, you do not have to worry about forgetting your keys or taking care of the space of your growing keychain. There is also a lot of convenience that you will enjoy with a smart lock as it can be operated from anywhere with a click on your phone.
2. Smart Robot Vacuum
Smart Vacuum cleaners are becoming increasingly efficient and useful day by day. There are a lot of options available in the market already, but what might be a good option for you to try is the iRobot Roomba i7+. Now, we all know we like to clean up under our beds and couches once every few decades, but with this vacuum cleaner, we are free from that as well.
This smart vacuum cleaner has a charging base for suctioning everything out of the bin into a bag that can be sealed. It also has some great smart features that will help you operate it even more efficiently. The robot will create a virtual map of your home so that every corner of your home gets cleaned.
3. Smart Indoor Security Camera
It might be one of the most essential gadgets one should have at home. It has become very important to install a security system not just outside of your house, but even inside. For example, the Logitech Circle 2 Indoor camera allows you to go to work without feeling any worries about what might happen at your home when you are not there.
It is easy to set up and does not require any hardwiring. You also get 24-hour cloud storage, so even if you are gone all day, you do not have to worry about the recording. The Logitech app allows you to keep an eye on what is going on at your home from afar.
These gadgets might seem pricing at first, but this one-time investment can help you live a better and safer life in the future. If these specific gadgets might not impress you, there are plenty of options available in the market. Do not forget to check them out.