“The fuzzy line between cyborg and human and how direct-to-eye technology will change the world” As computing has progressed over the last 60 years there have been 2 unceasing trends: miniaturization, and distributed computing. The combination of them has culminated in the ability to deliver instant, contextual, and relevant information to virtually anyone, anytime. Today that is done mainly with the smartphone, but what about tomorrow? Shane will argue that direct-to-eye technology will play a prominent role in the very near future, and explore the philosophical ramifications of our increasingly human-integrated technology. In particular, at what point does a human cross over into being a cyborg? We already have many people with machine implants, so perhaps the line should be drawn when cognitive functions go digital?Surprisingly, there is increasing evidence that line has already been crossed, so that future may be much nearer than you would think. Recon Instruments is the world leader in Heads-up Display (HUD) technology for athletes. Their multi-patent technology platform integrates a Heads-up Display with a cutting edge micro-computer. The HUDs deliver instant access to navigation, communication, and performance metrics direct-to-eye, and unobtrusively. With worldwide distribution, including being sold in Apple stores, and partnerships with some of the best eyewear brands in the world, such as Oakley, Recon continues to define and evolve the HUD category.

1. Recon Instruments Inc.
World’s first HUD for action sports

2. Recon Instruments Inc.
Computing Evolution

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Wearable is already here
• The wearable computing market will hit $1.5 billion by 2014 up from $800
million in current sales. The growth is fueled by fitness and healthcare
related devices
Jupiter Research
• Wearables have enormous potential for uses in health and fitness,
navigation, social networking, commerce, and media. In three years, we
believe wearables will matter to every product strategist, just as mobile and
tablets matter today
Sarah Rotman Epps, Forrester Research

4. Recon Instruments Inc.
Direct to eye is next
• Google Glass
• Kopin Golden-I
• Vuzix M100
• 4iiii Sportiiiis
• Instabeat
• Telepathy One

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How the (near) future may look

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Why use a Heads-Up Display?

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It all comes down to speed
• As computers get smaller and more connected, their
main advantages are all about speed
• They compute faster, so bigger data sets can be handled
• They can access and cache extraneous data on the fly
• They can go where you do, so you don’t have to wait to
get home or the office to see what you need to know
• With wearables, the data gets to you faster than ever
before

8. Recon Instruments Inc.
Consider Cycling
• Every 5 seconds a rider spends looking down costs them
~ 0.2 seconds
• More importantly, having instant access to data that can
inform and push you, enables you to perform optimally
• This is the same reason personal bests are usually set
when you’ve got someone on your heels (or you are on
theirs)
• The edge may be small, but is a game changer at your
limits

9. Recon Instruments Inc.
When it comes to speed, speed
matters

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Where to after wearable?

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• "You can see how Moore's Law is slowing down. We've
been waiting for that transition from 28nm to 20nm to
happen and it's taking longer than Moore's Law would
have predicted...I'm saying you are seeing the beginning
of the end of Moore's law.”
• John Gustafson – Chief Product Architect, AMD Inc.
• This is not engineering, it is physics. I.e. This is
physically binding for silicon-based computing.
Moore’s Law is not so binding

13. Recon Instruments Inc.
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Silicon Semiconductor Size Over Time
Size in nm
You can see this effect in your own computers

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A revolution is needed

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Your brain is already all cyborg’d up
• “the current explosion of digital technology not only is
changing the way we live and communicate, but is
rapidly and profoundly altering our brains.”
• Gary Small – UCLA
• You “outsource” memory
• You solve problems differently, by remembering
where to find solutions, rather than solutions
themselves