From this week’s material, I gained knowledge of the ordering of countries’ life expectancy

that was directly correlated with income. I also gained a new understanding of how air pollution
is a chronic problem in many countries like India, claiming millions of deaths prematurely. This
of course piques my interest in future innovations that can solve the major problems of sanitation
and air pollution, etc. In the Connected Humanitarianism expert talk, I admired the speaker's idea
for doctors to be trained via online schooling, to produce more needed medical professionals.
The re-engineering of the brain expert talk intrigued me with the innovative capabilities to
stimulate the brain to regain capabilities.
I learned about all the numerous factors involved in accepting new trans-human technology.
Ethics and moral concerns temper advances by questioning if we should be “playing God” and if
such technology will render unsustainability on earth with extended life spans. Moreover,
security remains a liability with such innovative technology. Conversely, trans-human
technology can advance the quality and quantity of life as we know it.
I learned the comprehensiveness needed to succeed in human centered design. It is important
to not only interview the user, but also observe and look at analogous experiences. Besides
interviewing users, it is helpful to gain insight from experts, entrepreneurs, and NGOs. All of the
above has informed my understanding of how engineering and technology can be used to
improve world health, extend life expectancy, solve air pollution problems, and improve medical
technology.