Living Life in a Future Smart City: Evening Routine

Dr. Jacquelyn Schreck, Human Factors Engineer

Catch up with Part 1: Morning Routine, and Part 2: Daytime first!

By the time I am done working, it is 6 pm, and I know SEAA is getting dinner ready. Two hours ago, I told SEAA I wanted lasagna, so she ordered groceries, had them delivered, and started making the meal. After prescribing medication to at least 50 patients, I put away my work tablet and turn on a new documentary that SEAA recommended to me. It is about how sea levels had risen by 2 feet, and the entire world finally started working together to combat climate change. Though the sea level will never decrease, we were able to slow down the ice melting rate by 50%. According to this documentary, we were headed toward a world so ridden with pollution we would need oxygen masks just to walk outside. Though I am glad it didn’t come to that, I can’t help but feel the heaviness of the topic continue to weigh on me even after the movie is over. Maybe next time I will ask SEAA specifically for a more lighthearted program that would be better for relaxing. 

“SEAA, is that burning I smell?” 

“Yes. The oven malfunctioned, and the temperature was set too high. The issue has been resolved without ruining the food. Dinner will be ready in ten minutes.” 

When it is dinnertime, I go to the same island counter where I ate my breakfast, and there is a plate of food prepared for me to eat. There is also garlic bread as a side, which I did not ask for, but SEAA thought I would like. She was right, but now I will have to work out for 30 extra minutes later on, and that was not part of my plan this evening. 

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Image created using Craiyon

After eating dinner, I sit down for a few minutes before it is time to work out. I go to my exercise room’s full body mirror and select a guided Pilates workout that is one hour long. This mirror tells me my weight, BMI, body fat percentage, heart rate, and other physiological measures that help me track my fitness. It also guides me on my form and encourages me to keep up the good work, even though sometimes I feel it is not good work and the AI is lying to me to make me feel better. 
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Concluding my workout, I hear running water coming from the bathroom and know my shower has started and should be at my preferred temperature in less than ten seconds. Once I get in, I can tell it is perfectly 103 degrees Fahrenheit, and I enjoy the warmth, allowing it to calm me down as I prepare to settle down for the night. I am not too concerned about wasting water, as this water is collected rainwater and will return to the gray water tank to be cleaned and used again. While in the shower, I brush my teeth and then get out and get in pajamas. 

As I am getting ready to get into bed, my friend holo calls me, and we talk for a few minutes before hanging up. Now that it is 11 pm, I am ready to climb into bed. The lights started dimming 30 minutes ago, but I asked SEAA to give me an extra 15 minutes since I had a holo call. After climbing into bed, the curtains completely close, and the lights turn all the way off. I spend about 30 minutes scrolling through social media before my eyes start getting droopy, and I fall asleep.

​Food for thought: 
Is it creepy or nice that SEAA knew the protagonist would like garlic bread with their meal without them asking? 
How can we make people care that current practices are ruining the planet? Is it feasible to think the citizens of Earth will one day work together to combat climate change? 

Don't forget to read part 4:  Life Living in a Future Smart City: Dating

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