*☆Timeline of the Future! Only the Good Parts☆* (Tech)

[N3rdoSteel]

ive always felt that right now was truly one of the greatest points to be alive in human history. we live in the dawn of mankind's technological greatness. we can say to our grandchildren (and possibly great great great great great grandchildren) that we were there when it started. we created it. we watched it. your welcome

[BradyBConner]

2039 AD

Full immersion virtual reality

Towards the end of this decade, computers are becoming sophisticated enough to bring full immersion virtual reality to the mainstream.*

In other words, users now have the option of actually "being" in a video game and experiencing its graphics, audio and other effects (e.g. tactile feedback) in a manner that is practically indistinguishable from the real world.

This stunning breakthrough has been achieved through exponential trends in computing over the previous decades - including a billionfold improvement in processing power and price performance, combined with a 100,000-fold shrinkage of components and circuitry.*

For the first time, human brains are actually being merged with computer intelligence. Rather than viewing games on a screen, users now experience the game from within their own nervous systems, as though it were an extension of their mind. Players undergo a simple, minimally invasive procedure to insert nanobots (blood cell-sized devices) into their bodies. These microscopic machines are self-guided towards the neurons in their brain responsible for visual, auditory and other senses. Here, they remain in a dormant state, but in close proximity to the brain cells.

When the user wishes to experience a simulated reality, the nanobots immediately move into place, suppressing all of the inputs coming from the real senses, and replacing them with signals corresponding to the virtual environment. If the user decides to move their limbs and muscles as they normally would, the nanobots again intercept these neurochemical signals - suppressing the "real world" limbs from moving, and instead causing their "virtual" limbs to move within the game. This means a user can be sitting in a fixed position, while experiencing a high degree of activity and movement.


Although most people are initially wary of these devices, they have been around in some form since at least 2025 (eg. for medical purposes) and years of testing, security and safety measures have gone into this latest generation. Detailed regulations are now in place which cover any possible eventuality. For example, a power cut means the nanobots simply detach from the neurons - automatically returning a user to the real world - while checks are constantly performed to ensure there is no danger of being "trapped" in a virtual environment.

Furthermore, the machines are not permanent and can be removed from the body altogether if desired. In any case, it is practically impossible for them to damage nerve cells or cause any lasting damage, due to their small size and limited functionality. Over the next few years, many people come to accept them as a natural part of their bodies – just as bacteria and other small objects are part of their stomach, digestion and other internal processes.

Full immersion VR isn't just limited to games. With such huge creative scope, it is being used for a whole range of applications now: from business to education, training, healthcare, engineering, design, media and entertainment.

Tourism is being revolutionised, since people no longer have to travel great distances or spend large amounts of money to explore the sights and sounds of another location – they can simply go online. For this reason, a number of travel firms are going bust around this time, or else drastically changing their business models to account for this new medium.



Of course, that’s not to say these online holidays are intrinsically better than the real thing. Although on a different scale of technical wizardry compared to graphics of previous decades, they are still somewhat limited in their accuracy of towns and cities. At this stage, many of them lack sufficient AI, are often sparsely populated, and miss out vital details or subtle characteristics of foreign culture... things which make real-life travel such an enriching, worthwhile experience. Decades of refinement will be needed before VR is entirely convincing.

Nevertheless, this new phenomenon is so profound in its depth of interactivity – as well as sheer convenience, accessibility and ease of use – that it presents a serious threat to old-line travel agencies.

One way that the industry adapts to this is by offering more detailed, advanced and sophisticated holiday environments, for a fee. However, this becomes only a temporary solution, as certain users find a way to pirate these programs, which are then duplicated and shared online. The problem is exacerbated by groups collaborating to form their own free/open source programs, which combine the best elements from these and others, and are easy to customise by the casual user. In some cases, "hybrid" versions of holiday destinations are being created which offer wholly new, surreal and bizarrely dreamlike experiences. One such example might be a recreation of New York with a tropical coastline, populated by characters from Star Wars.

Just as the internet led to a decline in the music industry, the same is now happening to the travel industry. From the 2040s onwards there is a massive decline in air travel and overseas holiday bookings. The effects of climate change and worsening environmental crises are also playing a part here. A growing number of citizens are choosing to stay at home, with most communication and interaction being done online. The same is true of businesses – especially with regard to meetings and conferences, which are increasingly being held in virtual settings.

One area of commerce with no such troubles is the adult entertainment industry. Full immersion VR allows users to meet and interact with people in astonishingly lifelike ways. This includes virtual recreations of glamorous celebrities and film stars…




Universal translators are ubiquitous

On-person devices that instantly translate speech, text or handwriting from any of the world's 6,000 languages are widespread by this time.* This includes contact lenses with Internet connections, capable of displaying subtitles in the wearer's field of vision.* Every website and virtual environment now has translation facilities too.

This technology has the effect of speeding up many bureaucratic/administrative procedures in business and government – as well as improving trust and cooperation at both a national and individual level.



Nanotech fabrics are ubiquitous

Nanotech fabrics are everywhere now. They are available for a huge range of clothing, footwear and accessories, some of which are remarkable in their design. For instance, many clothes can be programmed to change their molecular structure to alter their colour, texture or style. Others have self-cleaning abilities, with micro-thin layers of disinfectant to regulate germs and dirt.

Others have more exotic properties. One such example is a material that can replicate the texture of geckos' feet. This allows people to stick to vertical surfaces, giving them Spiderman-like agility.* In addition to outdoor adventurers and climbers, a number of radical activists are making use of this. Eco-protesters for example are often seen on the news, scaling prominent buildings to unveil banners and placards. A number of government offices and corporate headquarters are being targetted in this way – raising fears of more serious incidents involving terrorists. Many companies are forced to improve their security measures.

More advanced "chameleon"-style fabric is being utilised by special forces. This comes in the form of fully-enclosing suits which change colour to match the wearer’s environment, providing a near-perfect means of camouflage.



Part IV will follow...

[Parsons7]

sounds legit, would be cool if it was true.

[BradyBConner]

ive always felt that right now was truly one of the greatest points to be alive in human history. we live in the dawn of mankind's technological greatness. we can say to our grandchildren (and possibly great great great great great grandchildren) that we were there when it started. we created it. we watched it. your welcome

well said man, i feel the same way

we are at the knee of the exponential growth curve. Various aspects of tech double every 1.5-2 years.

In a few years, that doubling is going to EXPLODE. Just gotta keep living to experience it.

[BradyBConner]

Sounds legit. They said we'd have flying cars by now. We're still killing each other over oil.

Hopefully we get our act together, but not likely. Humans are wired to overreach, and with it comes that dere greed.

sounds legit, would be cool if it was true.

Always get the same responses. Always bringing up the 'flying car'


Please watch those two videos first. Seems very far fetched. But if you know the science behind it, its pretty much inevitable.

[BradyBConner]

2040 AD

Clean energy is widespread

Widespread use of algae biofuel, nanotech fuel cells, solar PV and wind power are gradually relegating fossil fuels to obsolescence. The latter are, in any case, dwindling in availability - and have been for some time. Fusion power is also close to being developed now.


Fusion power is nearing commercial availability

A prototype commercial fusion reactor is entering its final phase of operation.* DEMO (DEMOnstration Power Plant) is the successor to ITER and has built on the success of that project, achieving a number of major breakthroughs. Among the earlier problems which have now been solved are: containing the plasma at high enough temperatures, maintaining a great enough density of reacting ions, and capturing high-energy neutrons from the reaction without melting the walls of the interior.

Constructed from 2024 to 2033, DEMO is now close to being perfected - having undergone several years of testing, expansion and upgrades. Later this decade, it will be capable of producing a sustained output of 2 gigawatts (GW), making fusion commercially available for the first time.



"Energy islands" are appearing in coastal regions

Many countries are now suffering chronic water shortages due to the effects of climate change and overpopulation. This is a particular problem in developing regions. Higher global temperatures are causing lakes, wells and reservoirs to run dry, even as populations continue to rise.

One strategy being used to alleviate this crisis involves compact, floating "energy islands". These combine offshore power generation with desalination plants. First demonstrated in the 2010s, significant numbers are now being deployed in tropical coastal areas, where conditions are ideal for ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC).

Each island is hexagonal in shape and interlocked with other islands, forming artificial archipelagos. Wind turbines and concentrated solar power are installed on the topsides - while on the undersides, flash-evaporated seawater is used to drive turbine generators, in turn producing drinkable water.*

A single 250-megawatt OTEC plant can meet the energy demands of 250,000 households and provide 600 million litres of drinkable water each day.* Any surplus water can be used to support local agriculture and industry.

These islands also feature housing developments, fish farms, greenhouses and eco-tourism complexes, in addition to the water and power production facilities.

In the 22nd century, they will evolve into much larger versions - entire "micronations" capable of roaming the seas.




Virtual telepathy is dominating personal communications

The first generation of brain-computer interfaces reached the consumer market in around 2010. This technology was crude and limited to begin with: more of a novelty than a serious application. Devices could perform only the simplest of operations, such as directional commands.** Some university experiments were successful in creating text messages using thought power alone,* but were slow and required bulky equipment to do so.

Advances by 2020 enabled the sending of messages via wireless headsets and visors* - but the process remained sluggish and unreliable, often demanding a high degree of concentration.*

By 2030, however, exponential progress had been made in mapping and understanding the brain and its neuroelectrical signals.* This was filtering down rapidly to the consumer market. Detailed, real-time messages were becoming possible, using non-invasive methods. The graphical interfaces used in composing messages had also been much improved, with more intuitive navigation and features.

By 2040, the technology is largely perfected for everyday use. It works well and is cheap enough to have spread to even developing countries. Privacy and security issues have been resolved, with personal firewalls able to restrict any unwanted intrusion or hacking attempts. The headsets, visors and earphones necessary for users have been miniaturised and made more comfortable. Some are even fully implantable. Whether for business or personal use, people everywhere are now enjoying a faster, more sophisticated, more private way of communicating.

This form of "virtual telepathy" - and the convergence of other network-based technologies - is radically reshaping society and culture during this time. A speculative bubble is formed on the stock markets, with investors everywhere forecasting a revolution in telecoms. This temporarily overheats the economy, resulting in a crash similar to that of the dotcom collapse of early 2000.



Ultra-personalised healthcare

By now, most countries have established a national biorepository and genomic information system, with mandatory entry for every person.* In other words, governments now have a genetic sample of every citizen. This is needed for a variety of reasons - from national security, to public health, citizen ID, immigration control, resolution of crimes and more - but the most common use is in healthcare.

These genomic information systems are integrated with electronic health records and personal health records, allowing identification and treatment of individual disease/healthcare issues at the earliest opportunity. Hard data from these systems allow doctors and surgeons to better treat their patients, while government and researchers can target time and resources more efficiently. By utilising such a broad spectrum of information, medical schools and healthcare providers can train and employ the best mix of specialists for their patient population.

The focus of healthcare has shifted dramatically in recent years - to preventative methods, rather than traditional reactionary methods after a disease state has occurred. In addition to saving more lives, this is having tremendous economic benefits too.

One or more nanotech implants are now utilised by the majority of citizens.* Once again, these devices are tailored to meet their exact personal health requirements. For example, they can be used to identify a patient who is unable to communicate for some reason. Or they can be stored with vital clinical information about a patient during an emergency situation. They can be used as tracking devices for patients with a mental illness. They can also be programmed to monitor specific conditions - and to dispense medication as needed, while simultaneously alerting a healthcare provider.



Claytronics are revolutionising consumer products

Claytronics - also known as programmable matter - are now embedded in countless everyday items. This technology involves the manipulation of tiny devices known as catoms (claytronic atoms). Joined electrostatically, these work in concert to produce dramatic changes at the macroscale.

Objects featuring these catoms can be radically altered in form and function. Furniture can morph into new types, for instance. A bed could suddenly become a sofa, or a large table. Chairs can be instantly moulded to precisely suit the individual. Walls, carpets, ceilings, doors and other surfaces can modify their colour or texture on demand.

Electronic devices feature this exotic material. They can be highly adaptable to their environments, for instance - altering their structure to cope with dust and heat in a desert, then later shifting to resist humidity and moisture in a jungle, or even becoming completely waterproof. They can be personalised too: devices worn on the head or ears can mould themselves to fit the individual.

Many vehicles now make use of claytronics. Car surfaces can change colour at the touch of a button. Or they can self-heal: fixing bumps, scratches and other damage. Tyres can be instantly adapted for different terrain types or weather conditions. Transparent windows can be instantly blacked-out for privacy.

Claytronics are especially popular in children's toys, with figures taking on astonishingly lifelike forms.

Various other everyday objects are now becoming highly configurable and morphable. Further into the future, claytronics will enable the creation of entire simulated humans.

[rrbb]

but will sloots still be able to sloot in 2050?

now that is the question that needs to be asked.

[BradyBConner]

but will sloots still be able to sloot in 2050?

now that is the question that needs to be asked.

By 2050, full immersion virtually reality would be commercially available.

You could just slip into the matrix and smash sloots at this point. Feeling and all because nano-....

****, you should probably research this stuff yourself. Can't continue without sounding bat**** crazy
here's a vid

http://bigthink.com/ideas/14533

[BradyBConner]

2045 AD

Humans are becoming intimately merged with machines

In some fields, the pace of technology has become so fast that humans can no longer comprehend it - unless they augment their own intelligence. This is particularly true of computing, nanotechnology, medicine and neuroscience, all of which have seen exponential progress.*

The typical home PC of today has an integrated AI system equivalent to over a billion human brains.* This machine can think for itself, communicate with its owner and suggest new ideas in ways that surpass even the greatest minds on Earth. Due to the flood of data being exchanged on the Internet and elsewhere, these computers receive literally millions of emails, status updates, news reports and other alerts each day.

The only way for a user to interpret this avalanche of information is to merge their consciousness with the machine. A growing segment of society is now turning to on-person hardware to achieve this. The most advanced method involves the use of microscopic, wireless, implantable devices linking neural activity directly to electronic circuitry. These "nanobots" have already been used in full immersion VR and certain medical procedures. The latest versions are capable of marrying AI with human intelligence in ways that combine the best aspects of both.

No monitor or projector of any kind is required for the latest generation of computers. The nanobots instead produce a virtual image of the screen which is augmented in the user's field of vision.




This operating system is controlled by their thoughts - and those of the AI - running at speeds vastly greater than a real time physical version would allow. Thousands of individual actions can be initiated within a microsecond, thanks to the robust wireless connections between the nanobots and neurons.

If necessary, the user's entire sensory experience can be instantly shifted to a full immersion virtual reality. This is a popular choice for gaming and entertainment, but also has many practical applications in the world of business. Meetings and conferences can be hastily scheduled between vast numbers of participants from around the globe - sometimes with barely a few second's notice - and lasting only a few seconds in duration. Communicating at this speed is no longer possible using conventional means, which is creating an enormous divide between those who have the technology and those who don't.

For many people, nanobot implants are becoming permanent and essential - rather than temporary and optional - due to the bewildering speed and level of information now being encountered in day-to-day situations together with the explosive growth of AI. Military personnel, scientists and medical staff were among the first to take advantage of them, but mainstream society is now following.

People are merging with machines in various other ways, too. Nanobots can boost immune systems, for example - helping to exterminate pathogens. They can also regulate blood pressure, or repair some of the damage caused by the ageing process, or accelerate the healing of wounds. Cybernetic organs are now available that almost never fail and can filter deadly poisons. Brain-computer interfaces are increasingly used in middle class homes to open doors, control lighting and operate everyday appliances.

The most extreme cases of enhancement involve people opting for "decentralised" circulatory systems - along with a form of synthetic blood - reducing physical vulnerability still further. This particular option is only available to the rich, as it involves a highly complicated procedure that radically alters their internal anatomy. The end result is that a person can survive multiple gunshot wounds or other damage relatively easily. Certain politicians are taking advantage of this - especially those in unstable regions - along with gangland bosses and career criminals.

The line between man and machine is starting to blur. Later this century, there will no longer be a clear distinction.




Reversible biostasis is available

Nanotechnology has continued to progress exponentially, transforming society in ways that were only recently considered science fiction.** Towards the end of this decade, it's becoming possible to actually "freeze" people in a form of suspended animation. This is achieved by shutting down their metabolism and preserving cell structures, using a complex

These microscopic machines have been around for a while now, in a variety of roles. They are already a staple of military hardware, medical equipment, entertainment devices and general-purpose computing. This latest generation reaches a new level of sophistication. Networked together in the trillions, they are self-guided through the bloodstream and into every cell. Here, they can block the molecular machinery of metabolism and tie structures together with stabilising cross-links, held firmly in place. As water is expelled and replaced with preservative fluid, nanobots pack themselves solidly around each cell, preventing any damage or deterioration.*

Once the patient has been fully stabilised in this way, they are essentially frozen in time. They can be kept in this condition for years, if necessary. To a casual observer, they would appear cold and dead.

The procedure leads to a number of useful applications. In medicine, for example, it provides the deepest possible anaesthesia, giving surgeons unlimited time to work. It can be used for medical emergencies in remote locations, stabilising a patient's condition until help arrives. In space travel it helps future astronauts with long journeys, avoiding problems of boredom and/or food supplies. It can be used in covert spying missions, where an individual might be required to lie in a restricted space for extended periods of time. More commonly, it can be used by citizens as a life extension technology, or for personal financial reasons.

The process is reversed with cell repair machines - so only very minor damage is done, without any lasting harm. Nanobots enter the patient's tissues and remove the "packing" around cells, replacing it with water. The cross-links are then removed; any damage to structures is easily repaired. Salt, ATP and blood sugar levels are then restored. Finally, the metabolic machinery is unblocked and the patient's body rapidly comes to life again.



Part V will come tomorrow or later today if i have time. Stay tuned

[musD]

won't be as fast an advancement and we'll be lucky if half of whats supposed to happen will come true.

[BradyBConner]

won't be as fast an advancement and we'll be lucky if half of whats supposed to happen will come true.

Exponential growth has been constant for decades





heck, even the rate of exponential growth is growing.

[PowerD]

If you can be combined with a super computer to experience VR, and to take over your senses, you could have it take over your emotions, mental state, etc. Eventually wouldnt you just tell it to take control of your body and make you go wherever(grocery store etc..)? Once you told it to take control, it would seem as though you probably couldnt regain control, as it would know that it will make better decisions than you.

On the plus side, go go gadget coked out VR

[BradyBConner]

If you can be combined with a super computer to experience VR, and to take over your senses, you could have it take over your emotions, mental state, etc. Eventually wouldnt you just tell it to take control of your body and make you go wherever(grocery store etc..)? Once you told it to take control, it would seem as though you probably couldnt regain control, as it would know that it will make better decisions than you.

On the plus side, go go gadget coked out VR

lolwot


i'm sure they'll figure out a way to stop this

[Rigour]

2100, the human race will begin to undergo extinction as all of the Earth's resources are being used up due to overpopulation caused by immortality granted by medical solutions.

[coynemoney]

Can't wait for Gen-X to reshape global politics. Srs

[BradyBConner]

2100, the human race will begin to undergo extinction as all of the Earth's resources are being used up due to overpopulation caused by immortality granted by medical solutions.

Nope. Molecular manufacturing.

[Comboking]

epic thread, some seem highly doubtful but others also seem highly probable...

personally i think, curing diseases will become easier, but when newer more advanced illnesses come out they might be too strong... also i don't think teleportation will be a big thing until at least 2200... its just a thing we would like to have but 99.9% impossible as of now..

[Dr_Dolan]

very cool. remember seeing that site before, has some neat stuff

[YeBro]

what about hairloss!

[Hrcules]

LOL @ Aids and cancer being curable in 2030.

Implying it isn't already, but they don't release them because they make too much money out of people being sick.

[BasedPrincess]

Can't wait for Gen-X to reshape global politics. Srs

This.

[BradyBConner]

LOL @ Aids and cancer being curable in 2030.

Implying it isn't already, but they don't release them because they make too much money out of people being sick.

This...

So much money is made from chemo, its ridiculous.

[BradyBConner]

2049 AD

Robots are a common feature of homes and workplaces

Robots are now appearing in mainstream society in a wide variety of forms and functions.* Mobile androids are especially popular amongst the elderly, widowed and those who are disabled or incapacitated - in which role they serve as companions, guides and carers. They are also popular amongst the lonely and socially anxious, who can develop relationships without the fear or hang-ups normally associated with human company.


Sports enthusiasts are making use of robots - as running partners, for example, on squash and tennis courts, and in certain fighting/fencing games where they can simulate world-class players. Countries such as Japan and Korea have even started broadcasting their own "Robot Olympics", attracting millions of viewers.


The cheapest android models are available for less than $1,000 now, and are stocked by many high street retailers - including hardware stores, department stores and electronics shops. Some of the more advanced models feature lifelike skin, hair, eyes, lip movement and other features. All of the personal information required to cater for their "owner" is pre-programmed into the android's brain.

Government legislation regarding these machines is complicated - and requires years to be fully implemented - but in every country, without exception, the machines adhere to three basic laws. These were postulated almost a century earlier by the science fiction writer, Isaac Asimov:

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm
2. A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law

In urban locations, robots are usually powered by wireless energy transfer. In more remote outdoor environments they can utilise internal super-batteries and photovoltaic polymers coated on their bodies. Piezoelectric meshes in their skins - which generate small amounts of electricity through movement - provide a tertiary source of power.

Practically every warehouse and factory in the developed world now has operations run entirely by robots - which can navigate their way through aisles and shelves, identify products and load them onto delivery vans with little or no human intervention (and at speeds and efficiencies which far outpace the latter). Even most delivery trucks are now automated, thanks to advanced AI and road traffic systems, with robots unloading goods when the vehicle has reached its destination.

One particular fad at the moment is for robot cats, dogs and other domestic pets with highly realistic movements and behaviour, often indistinguishable from the real thing. These have a number of advantages - such as never getting sick or dying, never requiring food or water, never scratching or biting their owners, and never leaving a mess around the home. Certain species of tropical fish are also popular in robot form, especially those which have recently become extinct. In museums and outdoor exhibitions, breathtaking recreations of dinosaurs and other prehistoric life are now on display.


Almost every large office and corporation features robots now - from wheeled models which distribute post, to those in reception-based roles which meet and greet visitors and assist with queries, to more advanced models capable of handling security and maintaining facilities.

In hospitals, delicate procedures involving nanotechnology devices are given over exclusively to robot machinery, capable of far greater precision than human hands.

Agriculture and food production is heavily reliant on robots. With much of the world's arable land turning to desert, hydroponic "vertical farms" are a common feature of urban centres. These carefully controlled environments are tended by robots and automated systems, and often require the analytical skills of machines rather than humans.

The physical side of military operations is handled extensively by robots now - on land, in the air, and at sea. Formidable humanoid machines equipped with a plethora of devastating firepower can be sent deep into enemy territory, left to operate autonomously for months at a time if necessary, and serving in a wide variety of roles; from solitary patrol and scouting missions, to offensive strikes involving thousands of machines working in unison. Human enemies stand little to no chance against this kind of onslaught, which is giving developed nations an overwhelming advantage over terrorist renegades.

In space, robots have probed and explored hundreds of moons in the outer solar system, and are playing a key role in the Moon colonies.



2050 AD

Smaller, faster, hi-tech automobiles

Increased living costs and environmental regulations have resulted in smaller, cheaper, more energy-efficient cars.

More people than ever before are choosing to live and work alone, while the number of children per couple has also dropped sharply; two additional factors which have led to these lighter, more compact vehicles - a large percentage of which carry no more than one or two passengers.

Nearly all cars in the developed world are now computer-controlled, while traffic flow and road management issues are handled by advanced networks of AI. The resulting fall in congestion has boosted some economies by tens of billions of dollars.

The inherent safety of being controlled by machine, rather than human hands, allows for greater speed of travel: over 200mph on some motorways. Even when crashes do occur, which is extraordinarily rare, the built-in safety features and toughened materials (including the use of carbon nanotubes) means that fatalaties are becoming virtually non-existent.

Meanwhile, a number of the largest automakers are conducting long term research into hovering/flying vehicles, based on existing military technology.



Major advances in air travel comfort

The vast majority of aeroplanes are now hydrogen powered, or use some combination of hydrogen and other renewable energy. In addition, travel times have greatly improved. Hypersonic engines, which entered use in 2033, have seen further development - aided by the rapid growth of artificial intelligence and the resulting advances in computer-automated design evolution. It is now possible to reach anywhere on the planet in under 2.5 hours.

The interior of some planes are breathtakingly luxurious compared to those of earlier decades. New materials have enabled the use of transparent walls and ceilings, flooding the fuselage with natural light. The seating areas are beautifully spacious and filled with interactive technology.

When flights are running at less than full capacity, unneeded seats are shuffled to the rear, where they collapse and are hidden from view. The remaining seats are then redistributed, rearranging themselves to offer everyone the maximum possible legroom. These seats also morph to fit passengers' bodies. They can re-energise travellers with vitamin and antioxidant-enriched air, mood lighting, aromatherapy and acupressure treatments.*

In the middle of the plane is a hi-tech zone offering a range of activities - from virtual golf, to conference facilities and bar/lounge settings.




2053 AD

Moore's Law reaches stunning new levels

Due to Moore's Law, desktop PCs now have AI systems equivalent to all of the human brains on Earth combined.

It is becoming difficult to distinguish human from machine intelligence, with online services now host to entities of astonishing realism and interactivity. Many programs are in fact merging with human intelligence, as the drive towards brain-computer links increases - fueled by the breakneck pace of the global economy and the need for hyperfast exchange of information.

With such raw computational power available, the consumer market has been revolutionised. Video games of today provide fantastically lifelike simulations, with deep levels of interaction.

Although full immersion VR has been available for a while now, recent advances in AI have led to Matrix-style worlds of breathtaking scale and ingenuity. Entire new societies are forming in cyberspace, with many in developed nations spending their entire leisure time engaged in them. Mounting stresses from the outside world have also served to increase demand for this form of recreation: as a means of escaping from reality itself.



Genetically engineered "designer babies" for the rich

The ability to manipulate DNA has come a long way since its discovery in 1953. A century on, wealthy parents now have the option of creating "perfect" babies in the laboratory. This is done by picking and choosing their best hereditary traits. Gender, height, skin, hair and eye colour - along with hundreds of other characteristics - can be programmed into the embryo prior to birth. The embryo is then grown in an artificial uterus.*

The most advanced (and controversial) techniques involve manipulating the brain to improve the child's intelligence, behaviour and personality. Many conservative and religious groups decry what they see as the commercialisation of the human body.



The vast majority of countries are democratic*

The ongoing flow of information - aided by mobile communications, social media and other technology - continues to spread democracy. The vast majority of countries now have free and fair elections.

However, the trend has begun to plateau in recent decades. Climate change is now having a significant impact on regional stability, particularly in Africa and the Middle East, where concerns over scarcity of resources have created conditions allowing dictators and authoritarian governments to make a comeback.

In any case, a number of cultures are simply more compatible with monarchies, theocracies and autocracies at the present time. These parochial nations will remain undemocratic for some time to come.

[DWP26]

Sounds amazing, immortality.
Who would decide something like that to be available to everyone.
I personally think the idea is quite dangerous, although I would love to live to see some of these technologies!

[BradyBConner]

Traditional media have fragmented and diversified

By now, traditional Western news corporations no longer exist. News gathering, analysis and distribution has instead fragmented - shifting to millions of creative individuals, bloggers, citizen journalists and small-scale enterprises. Each of these works cooperatively and seamlessly, utilising a "global commons" of instantly shared knowledge and freely available resources. This includes information retrieval not only from cyberspace but also the real world; embedded in everything from webcams and personal digital devices, to orbiting satellites, robots, vehicles, roads, street lamps, buildings, stadia and other public places.

Even people themselves have become a part of this collection process. Bionic eye implants (for example) can relay data and footage on the spot, in real time, from those willing to participate.

Traditional Western TV channels have largely disappeared, replaced by unique "personalised" web channels, covering practically any subject or combination of subjects imaginable. These are filtered and customised to the exact tastes and requirements of the individual and are viewable anywhere, at anytime. They can be highly interactive and are often experienced in virtual reality settings, rather than on a screen. This is especially true of movies, many of which have non-linear plotlines allowing the viewer to influence the outcome themselves, or even to become characters within the film.

Mass advertising, too, has undergone a revolution in Western societies. Some of the oldest outdoor media still exist - such as posters, billboards and leaflets - which continue to survive in holographic and other forms. However, online web and televisual product/service information is now accessed almost entirely from on-demand, advanced customer feedback networks along with automated, semantic web assistants. Together these can provide instant, factual and trustworthy information on a highly personalised level: automatically filtering any marketing bias or corporate propaganda which might have influenced a consumer in the past.

Despite the increased choice and empowerment, one major consequence of this fragmentation (a trend which began in the 1980s) has been increased isolation of the individual. A decrease in the shared experience of media has led to a further decline in Western family and community life.

Poorer nations are still reliant on traditional forms of media gathering and information dissemination. However, in the decades to come, many of them will begin to make the transition too - thanks to exponential trends in price performance and improved access to web technology.


2056 AD

Fully synthetic humans are becoming technically feasible

In 2010, scientists created the first synthetic cell. Mycoplasma laboratorium was an entirely new species of bacterium, with a man-made set of genetic code, placed on a synthetic chromosome inside an empty cell. Using its new "software", the cell could generate proteins and produce new cells.*

This was followed in subsequent years by a variety of specialised organisms. Some were able to generate new vaccines and medicines; others produced biofuels and similarly useful products.

As the decades went by, larger and more complex life forms were created in the laboratory, including multi-celled animals large enough to be seen by the naked eye.

Synthetic genomics continued to advance exponentially, driven by the breakneck pace of information technology. Large animals - variants of birds, fish and mammals - became available with fully customisable limbs, sensory organs and other features, for use in a variety of commercial, scientific and industrial roles. New plants were created too, some with bizarre yet extremely useful abilities. Certain trees, for example, could be programmed to grow and shape themselves into furniture or building components.

By 2056, the number of cells that can be synthesised in a single organism is reaching almost 100 trillion: equal to the total number in the human body.* Debates are now occurring over "synthetic people" entering the population. What rights and freedoms would they have? Countless moral, ethical and legal arguments are raised.

For now, the vast majority of countries are unable to authorise the technology; the cultural lag is simply too great. Just as stem cells were controversial in the USA during the early 2000s, the creation of synthetic humans represents a step too far, for many people.

However, a small number of countries - notably China - secretly push ahead with the project. Test subjects are successfully created, then made to take part in biotechnology experiments. Although hidden from public view, rumours begin to emerge of horrific abuses.



Part VI will follow...

[DTO]

Don't know about you but some of this **** scares me

[NF0913]

in b4 generation x ruins everything, generation y is a bunch of *******s too (srs)

[PHZA]

brb VR porn and living in VR dragonball z world being jacked and flying. The future is looking up for miscers.

[socrates07]

full immersion... I was on a big time over dose of a psychedelic a while back and had what i believed were visions of the future.

One of those visions was that the future was going to be like one huge video game where the world is involved. Like people basically play games for a living "inside" the game.

[Atspace]

"At the 2068 Olympics, a major landmark is passed when a black male athlete completes the 100m sprint in less than nine seconds."

Nothing unusual.