Do kids want augmented reality or something else?

I noticed with something akin to horror an article in The Times about the contact lens that lets email appear before your face – sort of in mid-air! Apparently, researchers at the University of Washington have made a contact lens that includes a display that can do everything that an iphone or computer does, but in front of your eye. A sort of “augmented reality”, they call it, that would let soldiers and doctors, for instance, receive real-time info relevant to what they’re doing, or let you and me browse our music collection while still seeing normally through the lens. It could also monitor our state of health, since blood passes the eye. Mind you, it’s only been put in a rabbit’s eye to date, not even turned on, because it generates rather a lot of heat…

I can’t help but have my own augmented sense of reality as I read this. Clever as the engineering achievement is, it’s like a symbol for how out of touch people are with what makes for mental good health. Do we need to add this to our lives? Will it make us happier? Healthier? More able to cope with stress?

A child said to me the other day (a pretty normal one, in the counselling world): “It’s so bad I don’t really want to wake up in the morning.” Another claimed he hated school, and then elaborated: “It’d be OK if no one was there, only me and you and the teachers. No bullies.” A third said he was worried about the world and how long his life would be.

Depression, bullying, despair – this is what needs solving. Our children don’t really care about ultra-reality contact lenses and other hi-tech stuff (despite what we heap on them). They’d settle for safety, love and a reason to live. That’s the message I get in my therapy room. Perhaps it’s the same in yours?

ChildLine has a more useful focus – with their colourful and attractive magazine that has advice and information for young people about keeping themselves safe. Maybe all our schools should have copies available to the kids.