I began thinking about building a new house in the early 1990s. 
I wanted to design a house that would include changing technology, but in a way that technology was the servant, not the master.
I found some land on the eastern shore of Lake Washington, a short distance from my office. Living space will be about average for a large house. The family living room will be about 14 by 28 feet, including an area for watching television or listening to music. And there will be small spaces for one or two people, although there will also be a room large enough to seat one hundred comfortably for dinner.
First thing, as you come in, you'll be given an electronic pin to put on your clothes. This pin will tell the house who and where you are, and the house will use this information to try to meet and even guess your needs. In the future, perhaps a camera will recognize your face and the pin won't be needed, but for now this isn't possible. When it's dark outside, the pin will cause a moving area of light to follow you through the house. Empty rooms will be dark. As you walk around you might not notice the lamps ahead of you slowly getting bright and the lamps behind you going dark. Music, a movie, the news, or a telephone call will be able to follow you around the house, too. If you get a call, only the telephone nearest you will ring.
The technology won't be obvious, but it will certainly be easy to find. You'll use the controls in each room to turn on the monitors and tell them what to show. You'll be able to choose from thousands of pictures, recordings, movies, and television programs.
One of the many fears expressed about computers and the Internet is that they will reduce the time people spend with each other. Some people worry that homes will provide so much to enjoy that we'll never leave them. I don't think that's going to happen. Although things may change, I believe people will decide to spend almost as much time out of their homes.
The Internet will not only make it easier to keep up with distant friends, it will also allow us to find new companions. It is natural that friendships formed across the Internet will lead to getting together in person. Suppose you want to find someone to play bridge with. The Internet will let you find card players in your neighborhood, or in other cities or nations.
I enjoy experimenting, and I know that some ideas for the house will be better than others. Maybe I'll decide to hide the monitors behind paintings or throw them into the rubbish. Or maybe I'll get used to the technology in the house, or even get fond of it, and wonder how I got along without it. That's my hope.
Words: 491
High Technology in the House 课文讲解
»
