NASA looks to mobile games to promote space exploration
The game industry has long been considered a field of entertainment. Games offer people an escape from boredom and a chance to enjoy a virtual world that they would not get to experience normally. Mobile games have become very popular, as they can be played anywhere and at any time. They are also becoming increasingly important in the world of science, where the concept of gaming is having a profound impact on research.
Developers called upon by NASA
NASA has issued a call to hundreds of game developers, many of whom specialize in mobile games. These developers are being summoned to the agency’s Ames Research Center in California, where they will participate in an initiative designed to combine games with science. Developers answering the call will be asked to create games that are designed to make real science and technology appeal to the general public. These games will highlight the advancements being made in aerospace exploration.
Mobile games may encourage people to get involved in exploration
NASA is eager to find new people that are interested in exploring space, and believes that gamers may be the ideal candidates. Mobile games will be used to reach out to these people, encouraging them to examine the prospects of space exploration and discovering the secrets of the universe. The games that will be developed at the Ames Research Center will touch upon a wide array of scientific theories, all of which are firmly rooted in actual science and not science-fiction.
NASA has a history with games
This is not the first time NASA has shown interest in mobile games. The agency is responsible for Moonbase Alpha, a lunar exploration game, and Mars Rover Landing, which mimicked the Curiosity’s recent arrival to Mars. Whether mobile games will make space exploration more appealing to gamers has yet to be seen, as many of these people have been steeped in games that depict a somewhat scientifically inaccurate representation of space for the sake of entertainment.
Apple shows strong interest in wearable technology
Rumors concerning Apple’s development of wearable technology reached a fever pitch this week as Bloomberg reports suggest that a watch-like smart device could generate more revenue for the company than its line of iPads and its potential foray into the world of TVs. It is rumored that Apple has been working on a wearable device that speculators call the iWatch. This device is, essentially, a smartphone combined with a wristwatch, and while it may sound very simple, the device could have major implications for the company’s financial future.
Patents point to wearable technology from Apple
Apple has filed 79 patents concerning the development of wearable technologies. Some of these patents pertain specifically to devices worn on the wrist. Apple has shown strong interest in moving smart technology beyond the realm of cell phones and tablets, believing that wearable technologies may be attractive products for future consumers. Apple’s interest in the watch industry is not misplaced, as analysts from Citigroup suggest that the global watch industry will generate more than $60 billion in sales this year.
iWatch may be a promising opportunity
Analysts suggest that the iWatch represents a $6 billion opportunity for Apple. Moreover, the development of such a device could have major implications for the company’s future. When Apple released the iPod, it was considered something entirely new in the realm of consumer electronics. The iWatch may have a similar impact on the sector, returning Apple to the proverbial throne of mobile technology, which was recently taken over by Samsung.
Innovative steps must be taken to compete with Google and Samsung
Apple has not announced any definitive plans concerning the development of a wearable smart device. CEO Tim Cook has alluded to the company positioning itself to compete with both Samsung and Google more aggressively in the near future. The company has plans to take innovative steps in the realm of mobile technology in order to compete in the consumer electronics market, but whether the iWatch is anything more than rumor has yet to be seen.
