Memex

For this weeks online assignment we were encouraged to read Bush’s 1945 article entitled “As we may think”, compare it to his 1967 version, and then find an insightful commentary associated with his vision of the “Memex. At the heart of his vision is an information infrastructure he called the Memex, which is essentially a workstation constructed from analog technologies. Bush was primarily interested in creating a tool that could eventually change the landscape of scientific information and technology to come. Bush was a pioneer accurately depicting the nature of the information environment of his time and his understandings are revealed in today’s technology. As I performed a Google search on “Memex” I found an extremely interesting video titled “ MMX Memex and Beyond.”

This video takes a futuristic approach to Bush’s original vision of the Memex and expands on his concept. The silent film links ideas that we already know to be true with Bush’s ideas and take a revolutionary twist on it all possible with advanced technology. As the student sits at his desk, we see him tracking materials and saving history by interacting with oxygen through the use of his hands. This extremely compelling take on the Memex illustrates one’s ability to navigate tangible motions through the use of your mind. For example, one could write a paragraph or even highlight a textbook all from the use of your mind. In the video “Jesse relates one information with another to understand them and get an idea for his design. He learns how airplane sensors detect the motion of air and thinks that he can visualize aero-dynamics like a map for pilots.” This interaction interface suggests that in due time computers won’t even be necessary, but rather the thoughts one has can map out your desires. Similar to Bush, whose ideas were extremely revolutionary for the time, Jesse envisions an age where “touch-screen” will span far beyond the use of a device. Although this notion encompasses ideas that are beyond our time, there is ultimately no telling where our society is headed in years to come.

Video Link: http://vimeo.com/96667485