[Xmca-l] TECH FLASH: update on the foibles of The Internet of Things, oh and also the honey bees

[Annalisa Aguilar]

Hello!


Saw this article by Cory Doctorow:

http://www.locusmag.com/Perspectives/2016/01/cory-doctorow-wicked-problems-resilience-through-sensing/


For people who've begun to hear the phrase, "The Internet of Things (TIOT)" and don't know what the hoopla is about, this is perhaps a nice introduction of what it might be and, importantly, various ethical implications that derive from a network of things that can talk to other things (with or without our knowing it). Software Defined Radio (SDR) is how it will work.


So then... there's this thing about the bees:

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jan/06/honeybee-populations-decline-pesticides-united-states-epa-study-imidacloprid


Is there a reflection of SDR interference with TIOT between neonicotinoids interrupting bee pollination? ....maybe!


If only Hedy Lamarr was still around to do the math for spread spectrum frequency hopping, but instead of bumping torpedoes off course she could provide our little bees anti-neonicotinoid kneepads (say that 10 times fast, eh?).


Kind regards,


Annalisa