A Disclaimer: Though I would like to think that I came up with these ideas first and I am the only one who came up with these ideas, the reality is that there are many others who would have come up with the same or much better ideas and worse, some of these already exist and I just don’t know about them!

Credit Cards/NFC (Near Field Communication) – Many banks now give you the option to get emails or texts when your credit card charges are over a certain limit. Now that many merchants are accepting payments via NFC through mobile phone, the same applies. Great feature. What I need additionally is the receipts for purchases also be communicated along with it, so I don’t have to print receipts. Similarly, if I want to return something, no need to hunt down the receipt, just use the same credit card/NFC and the merchant can pull up the receipt. I know that some privacy advocates wouldn’t want this, so make it optional.

Virtual Libraries –  I am talking about a different kind than what exists now. A library like ours has an electronic catalog of all of our holdings including location. We have several systems that allows one to explore this through a directed search. However, if we marry this with the physical layout of our stacks, you can basically create a virtual environment where a user can walk through and look around and browse. Click on a book and whatever electronic information we have access to, ranging from catalog details to a preview (like in Google Books) to the entire book if we have access to such a version. This will provide an environment similar to a visit to the stacks (and not replace it) where one can wander around, browse and discover things that is hard to emulate with search. It is the case that some systems provide not just the search results but also suggestions, but it is not the same.

Google Maps GPS devices – The traditional GPS devices no longer provide the value that they once did. Google Maps, especially after they took over Waze is proving to be far superior because they combine real time information in routing you to the destination. Besides, with a touch of a button, you can tell where the nearest Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks is. I have not checked this, but they may also provide information on the nearest toilet (because Google knows that you have to go!). Rather than using the mobile phone to serve as a GPS, why can’t Google create a dedicated device for GPS? The issue with Mobile phone is, it gets all sorts of other notifications and therefore distracting. Instead, a dedicated device running Maps would be preferable and no, I am not ponying up a lot of money to get a second phone. What I need is a cheaper device.

Customizable Classroom Technologies – A faculty member should be able to go to a website and customize what they want to see in a touch panel in a classroom. Then, they walk into a classroom, identify themselves via a login or swipe the ID card and the touch panel should present them what they wanted.

Other random things – Genetic engineering/nano technology solutions can help us in some of these – grass that grows to a desired height and stays there needing no mowing; hair that can be set at desired length so that one does not require a haircut; an adaptive molecular clothing that repels stains and ring around the collar which can learn about new stains and adapt strategies to combat them. And the cloth should also be able to change colors and designs on demand.

Now, on to an exciting day to discuss collaboration around MOOCs with colleagues from Colgate, Davidson, Hamilton, Harvey Mudd, Smith, and Trinity…