The main concept that stood out to me from the reading was that of telematics. The text defines it as,
“the science and study of exploring the actual and philosophical issues of sensing and acting at a distance using computers, networks, and feedback sensors.”

The text’s example of robot-assisted microsurgeries prompted me to consider another type of telematic endeavor humans have undertaken – rover explorations on Mars.

The video explains how engineers use telecommunications to “speak” to robots, telling them how and where to travel. Rovers then transmit information and data captured by cameras back to engineers’ computers for analyzing. Through telematics, rovers can accomplish many other tasks for us on Mars, such as digging, drilling, and collecting. The information gathered from these seemingly rudimentary tasks have advanced our scientific knowledge greatly. I just think it is amazing how telematics allow us to control an object millions of miles away and aid us in the understanding of our universe. Talk about “extended self” – these rovers last longer and learn more than any astronaut could.

The science of telematics has also made its way into many creative sci-fi movies such as Gravity (2013) and The Martian (2015).

In The Martian, the main character is left behind on Mars, for his crew thought he was a victim of a violent dust storm. However, after surviving the storm and waking up by himself, the astronaut had to figure out how to survive. By utilizing telematics and telecommunications, he was able to take advantage of his equipment and remain alive until rescued. Although Hollywood may have embellished the science itself in a few ways, the concept remains the same, and could very well advance further in order to serve humanity in future space exploration.