Google Research & Development Initiatives

In your final case study, you will analyze five Google technologies that are current under research and development, including the self-driving automobile and four other technologies of your choice. The last chapter of your textbook discusses the search and advertising technologies of Google. While Google is best known for their search and advertising technologies, they also have a multi-billion dollar research and development department that works on cutting edge technologies ranging from self-driving automobiles to renewable energy. For your final case study, you will research 4 technologies (in addition to the self-driving automobile) that Google is currently developing, other than the search, advertising, and Gmail features that we are already familiar with.

Google technologies currently in research and development include:
1.Self-driving automobile
2.Project Wing (a drone delivery project)
3.Google Fiber
4.Smart Contact Lenses
5.Google Glass
6.Project Loon (providing Internet service via balloon)
7.Home Automation and Smart Thermostats (Google Nest)
8.Renewable Energy and Sustainability Solutions (Advanced Wind Energy, and several others)

Spend some time Googling and searching online and you will likely discover several other technologies currently being developed by Google.

Here are a couple links to get you started in your research into Google —

Google’s Self-Driving Cars:

http://reason.com/archives/2014/07/28/the-moral-case-for-self-drivin/print

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/09/self-driving-cars-could-save-300000-lives-per-decade-in-america/407956/

http://www.computerworld.com/article/2486635/emerging-technology/self-driving-cars-could-save-more-than-21-700-lives-450b-a-year.html

Google’s Project Wing:

http://www.theverge.com/2014/8/28/6080369/googles-project-wing-is-a-secret-drone-based-delivery-system

Google Fiber:

https://fiber.google.com/about/

Research at Google:

http://research.google.com/

Questions for Discussion:

1. In addition to the self-driving automobile (which everyone will analyze), which other four Google technologies would you like to research for your Final Case Studies?

2. Share one interesting finding with the class about each of the five technologies you will be researching (your four chosen technologies plus the self-driving automobile).

3. Which of these technologies do you think has the greatest potential to improve our society in the future? Why?

Forum Rubric for Grading:

Rubric for Learner Posts

Points

Synthesis of concepts in 250 or more words (critical to class performance)

30

Applications of personal experience

20

Writing standards

ANSWER

Google Research & Development Initiatives

Google Technologies

Other than self-driving automobiles, I will also research on Google’s Project Wing, Google Fiber, Project Loon as well as Google Glass that provides internet services by using balloons.

One Interesting Thing About Each Technology

For the self-driving cars, one of the most interesting findings is that the company has undertaken the longest-running safety tests based on its autonomous vehicle that had travelled for more than 700,000 miles with only one notable accident. More interesting is the fact that the accident happened when a human driver rear-ended the car (Teoh & Kidd, 2017).

The most interesting aspect of the project wing relates to its application. Project Wing has found great utility in undertaking food deliveries in Australia. In places that undertake drone testing, people are offered with round trips for close to 40 minutes in case they have forgotten items in their shops (Floreano & Wood, 2015).

Another technology is Google Fiber, which offers super-fast internet and guarantees both upload and download of up to 1000 Mbps! Who does not need such a speed? Such a speed would literally be more than 100 times than what is used on other platforms (Johnson, 2019).

It is interesting to note that Google Inc. which is a renowned organization, had its Google Glass collapse on what is interestingly said to be an error of coming up with a solution before a problem is clearly defined (Leue, Jung & Dieck, 2015). For Project Loom, the interesting bit is the acceptability it received since its introduction. The application saw Google partner with Telesat a move that most people were in doubt about.

Application That Has Potential to Improve Society in Future

Even though all the technologies developed by Google are important, I believe Project Wing will have a great impact in the society. For instance, it will make it easier for products to be delivered almost at the doorsteps of clients, provide humanitarian aid as well as carry packages from one location to another (Lin, Shah, Mauntel & Shah, 2018). In the future, they could as well be used to distribute medication on a large scale.  If the application is able to undertake such tasks, service delivery will be much improved in society…