Eight Technologies That Will Change the World

lostincyberspace writes "This story looks at existing advanced technologies, and contemplates how they may combine in the future to create the technology of 70's TV shows. Sensors + Mobile Power + Biomanufacturing = ... Bionics. ("We have the technology") The most fascinating part is that all of these new technologies seem like they'll be available in the not too distant future."

Re:technologies of 70s TV shows?

[garren_bagley]

Hopefully it'll be more advanced than that. That was 60's technology.

Cognitronics

[IxnayOnTheIxnay]

This tech will allow people to "drive a car simply by thinking about doing so" Of course, thinking about driving will be an entirely new skill, now only inherent in about 10% of the population.

Number Nine: Weird Science

[delphi125]

Dildonics

The big idea:

Providing pleasurable massage sensations without using hands, in the privacy of one's own home.

Image of three intersecting circles, labeled 'Internet connectivity', 'AI', 'ultra-delicate tactile stimulators'

The challenge:

There are two major issues still to be solved: making sure the electrical parts don't get wet and sticky, and hiding the gadgets from the unsuspecting parents.

(I hope I didn't use any naughty words there!)

Re:Future Soldiers

[HiQ]

Pwaaah, well our soldiers will be manufactured from the ground up from carbon nanotubes, assembled by our Lego Quantum Storms (tm) molecular building set, and they will run on biodiesel, or even on a quantum nucleonic fuell cell. They will all be linked in on big matrix by our new cognitronic network. So where will your soldiers be then, huh?

Business 2.0 Front Cover

[donnacha]

With regard to the front cover's question, overlayed on possibly the smuggest Bill Gates photo I've ever seen:

"How To Beat Him"

I'm hoping that the answer boils down to "with a large wooden bat, spiked with rusty nails".

Re:technologies of 70s TV shows?

[BLAMM!]

Where's my flying egg?

Re:Gee-whiz predictions the future tend not to wor

[Anne_Nonymous]

Agreed. Plus, this sounds like some bad Cosmo article headline:

Eight Technologies That Will Change the World
Eight Makeup Tricks to Make You Look Thinner
Eight Ways to Keep Your Man Interested
Eight Hot Looks for Summer

Technology increase

[Kushana]

The Venn diagrams of the article remind me of the pretty pictures I see whenever I get a new technology in Alpha Centauri or Civilization. How long do I have to wait for Matter Transmission [gamespot.co.uk]?

Re:Future Soldiers

[Skevin]

Made of carbon nanotubes?

Well, what's going to happen if you want to snap a picture of them [slashdot.org]?


Solomon