Chapter 1: The Current Landscape of Smart Devices

Let's begin by recognizing a somewhat unfortunate reality: for most individuals, our 1.4 kg brain primarily serves to stabilize our head while we navigate from the fridge to the restroom. This peculiarity has led automotive manufacturers over the past fifty years to develop increasingly sophisticated safety features to shield us from our own ineptitude.

They have introduced innovations such as safety cages, crumple zones, airbags, antilock brakes, automated braking systems, traction control, and seatbelts equipped with pretensioners, alongside headrests that mitigate whiplash. Additionally, we've seen safety glass, lane-keeping assistance, blind spot monitors, driver alertness systems, and progressively semi-autonomous driving functionalities. The likelihood of an average person mastering the art of driving effectively is as remote as an earthworm mastering calculus.

In light of this, the automotive industry serves as a model for how smart devices must progress to avert a flood of lawsuits arising from accidents and injuries.

Today, the smartphone reigns as the defining personal device of our era. While I recognize the convenience of making calls, receiving texts, and checking maps, I find it perplexing how individuals transform into "phone zombies" upon waking, remaining in this state until they either (i) finally sleep or (ii) accidentally step into traffic. This addictive nature of smartphones keeps users engrossed in a virtual realm of mindless distraction, effectively preventing any meaningful thoughts from surfacing.

Thinking is inherently challenging, yet our modern society is designed to eliminate the need for deep contemplation. The smartphone’s role is to ensure that no genuine thinking occurs.

Though smartphones excel at their primary function, they expose a crucial issue that future device manufacturers must address. Phone zombies frequently collide with one another, oblivious to their surroundings as they engage with the latest trends from influencers. They text while driving, causing countless accidents despite their vehicles' safety measures. They walk into obstacles and traffic, completely absorbed by their screens.

Now, envision the chaos that may ensue when everyday people start using affordable VR glasses...

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As manufacturers of VR headsets focus on enhancing pixel refresh rates for a more authentic visual experience while also minimizing weight and cost, it’s clear that the emphasis will eventually need to shift toward ensuring user safety. The daunting task ahead is to create immersive devices that not only entertain users (a relatively simple endeavor given the abundance of trivial content) but also maintain an AI awareness of the surrounding environment, identifying potential dangers.

Individuals using VR glasses are likely to behave even more recklessly than your average phone zombie. Therefore, immersive devices must be equipped with the ability to scan their surroundings in three dimensions, assess potential hazards, and encourage users to take evasive actions. One potential approach could be to use mild electric shocks through wearable pads, although this may not be the most appealing solution.

The computational requirements for these features will surpass those needed to deliver a mere image of an influencer discussing trivial topics.

An alternative to electrocution could involve integrating VR glasses with a Zorb. Given that many of us are nearly Zorb-shaped, this wouldn't necessitate drastic changes in fashion, and the Zorb's cushioning would absorb much of the impact during collisions, reducing potential harm.

However, even a Zorb-based solution would still need to address various real-world hazards, necessitating considerable AI resources to keep users safe.

This level of computational power will demand a significant energy supply, likely from wearable batteries. With China as the main refiner of lithium and its limited availability, we might see a transition to sodium batteries in the next two decades. Sodium, being plentiful and affordable, could decrease the cost per watt-hour, even if sodium batteries currently have lower energy density than lithium counterparts. However, scientific advancements could optimize sodium batteries, potentially surpassing lithium in energy density.

But what if we could harness the world's most abundant resource—human folly—as an alternative to conventional power methods? Imagine if the very stupidity that makes phone zombies hazardous could be repurposed to mitigate risks from the outset.

Moreover, if engineers could tap into the boundless potential of human folly, the possibilities are limitless. Vehicles could operate without large batteries or traditional fuels, powered solely by the driver's blunders. Even space travel might become feasible, with a future Captain Jimbo T Trump commanding, “Engage Moron Drive, warp factor huge,” and setting off on an unpredictable journey.

Regrettably, the technical challenges of utilizing human stupidity as an energy source seem insurmountable, and we may have to rely on more conventional methods to power the extensive computational needs that will ensure VR device users remain safe from their own obliviousness.

Alternatively, we could allow natural selection to take its course, gradually enhancing the gene pool until people possess enough intelligence to prioritize meaningful experiences over mindless VR entertainment. We might even witness a revival of genuine human interaction, moving away from mediating connections through screens.

Sure, call me an idealist, but we must cling to some glimmer of hope.

Chapter 2: The Future of Immersive Technology

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