forget foldable displays, the future of display technology is VRD

This company is developing the future of screens :

http://www.microvision.com/about_microvision/history.html

and it has nothing to do with folding or flexible screens.

I'm pretty sure the real follow up of the walkman will be a retinal projector. This is the technology which will give us internet everywhere one day.

Combine this with the wearable computer technology and an interface to your brain for navigation, detecting brainwaves or just interfacing directly.

And here you are, always connected to the internet.
Dream or nightmare? I don't know. But it's coming to your future no doubt about that.

one step closer to practical wearable computers

We have all seen the images of the wearable computer in the eighties and nineties, if these things were capable of anything it was making you look like a freak.

The wearable computer has benefits of course but only if it really is wearable, so it has to be either beautiful and ultra light or invisible and ultra light.

The second option has come a step closer when at a recent conference in Brussels (Belgium), technologists from IMEC presented a 3D integration process enabling flexible electronic systems with a thickness of less than 60 micrometer. This new ultra-thin chip technology allows integrating complete systems in conventional low-cost flex substrate. This paves the way to low-cost, unobtrusive wearable electronics.













IMEC’s flexible wireless monitoring system for vital body parameters with embedded microcontroller chip.

So the day may come soon where the wearable computer is finally here, comfortable to carry and use. Now we just need a wearable interface to the internet.

more information at the IMEC site

11 technologies that may provide you with (near) superhuman powers in the future

genetics

At big sporting events they are already afraid of gene-doping which may become one of the biggest problems.
In the future there may be so many possibilities of genetic manipulation and modification a race of super humans may come in to existence.
How scary this may sound it doesn't have to become a big problem, society changes as technology evolves.
If we look back a few hundred years, the possibilities technology gives us today would have been interpreted as superhuman then.

powersuit

Already in development and prototypes have been build. I heard a type of power suit is coming to market aimed at disabled people in the coming year.
This is not going to be an elegant device for a while, but when the technology improves and becomes smaller we might all be walking around in a powersuit some day.

brain interface

Also already in development and being tested with disabled people and by scientists, it's very possible to detect the radio waves produced by the brain and use them to control
things in your environment. Especially in combination with other technologies this could prove to be the future of interfaces.

nano technology

This is the most promising technology at this moment, according to many this is going to change the world in a way and at a rate which
has never been experienced before. The possibilities of this technology are almost limitless, new medications, ultra strong fibers, cheap energy and what's most
interesting for the subject of superpower: nano machines
nano machines are machines on nano scale (what's in name) these can be complete factory's but it could also be machines in your bloodstream, repairing damage on your body
as soon as it occurs. Instant regeneration in fact! While this may sound impossible, imagine living in the middle ages and being told about curing cancer with radiation.

super fiber

Already in existence, only very expensive. Super light and strong fibers might make it possible to get very close to bulletproof and flying might get a little closer too.
ultra light carry-able flying devices and super cheap bullet proof clothing. Super small fold-able devices can be made with super thin super strong fibers, giving you the gadgets you always dreamed of.

cloaking technology

Theoretically possible, the technology to make things, maybe even yourself some day, completely invisible.
Read my previous post for more info about this.

stem cell technology

If we find a reasonable way to get stem cells for research. this may give us replaceables for our organs and limbs some day. So if you get shot in the line
of superhero duty and you make it back to the batcave in time you can have the damaged goods replaced.

brain implants

Already here, this is a certainty, the brain implant will become mainstream one day. I'm very much convinced about that. Giving memory and brainpower and possibly a lot of fun in the future.
These are already in existence for medical purposes. One day at least the rich will have this goodie to be able to compete for jobs with robots.

superfood

Science will find you the superfoods, possibly genetically engineered that will give you more possibilities. Super efficient food created specifically for your body.
This will make it easier to become a supersporter, maybe provide your body with tailored energy and micro elements to make you achieve at the absolute top of your physical abilities.

virtual reality training

While it will not provide you with instant "I know karate" I think it will be possible in the not to distant future to learn marshal arts from your personal virtual trainer.
Providing feedback for your moves by showing reruns and making corrections easier by showing where your arms, body and legs should have been at what moment.
Maybe even in real time with a 3D virtual you, crossing your moves. This will make the learning of the difficult marshal arts a lot easier.

superdrugs

Drugs as in mind and body altering substances and in medical substances. In the future there will definitely be more substances giving endurance,physical and mental power.
And better medications. Maybe even without destroying your body.


This was it, if you can think of anything else give a cry in the comments!!!

Making objects invisible for fun and profit

magic

While it sounds like magic only available in science fiction movies and fantasy stories, the possibility of making things invisible is coming more and more to reality all the time. Cloaking, which is the term for making objects disappear by making them invisible to the human eye or electromagnetic waves, is a rapidly developing technology.

Breakthrough

Already in 2006 this was ranked the number 5 breakthrough of the year by science magazine. The problem with this still theoretical technology was that it does not only make the cloaked object invisible, but by guiding the light waves around the object, effectively it also renders everything outside the cloaking device invisible to what's inside.

Bending light

These devices work by bending light around the object, which makes it impossible to see anything from the inside. Now scientists have come up with theories for building invisible tunnel for light, related to the idea of wormholes, making it possible to look trough a device without bending the light.
There's also a theory using a cloaking device as an anti-object.

more information about the invisibility cloak in the siam article:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1137/080716827

Applications

When I first heard about this I only thought about military applications, but there are many applications for making objects invisible.

Possible applications include surveillance systems, alarm systems, invisible camera's. But if this technology will ever be easy and cheap to mass produce the applications are endless. Imagine driving your car and looking trough it's body as if it's not there! No windows needed in your car will make it possible to structure it much more efficiently, safer and you'll be able to see everything around you, no dead spots anywhere. This will safe lives. Medical applications where you could look trough equipment would give a much better look on what your operating on.

Real estate

And think of the possibilities for real estate, if you want to buy a flat with a sea view you pay a lot. If you buy one close to the sea which has something blocking the view it's a lot cheaper. Use cloaking to remove the object blocking your view and boost property value. The possibilities are endless, I can't wait for the future to see this happening. Changes are we will all be looking at trees again in the future instead of ugly buildings.

My view

This is my view on the technology of tomorrow, I'll be regularly updating this site with my take on tech news and it's impact on the future.

comment

If you like to discuss this or if you have any ideas or another view on the subject, please leave a comment.