| I was speaking with a friend the other night about his | | | | thermal energy conversion (OTEC) uses the |
| great grandfather. His great grandfather was born in | | | | temperature differences in the ocean layers to |
| 1875. He lived until 1965. Can you imagine the | | | | produce energy. And OTEC can utilize this colder |
| technology that this man saw come online? Let me | | | | water (36 degree F cooler) in other things like on |
| name a few: the typewriter, the electric dental drill, | | | | shore agriculture and refrigeration. And the list goes |
| the telephone, the phonograph, the incandescent light | | | | on.Massive interest was generated in alternative fuels |
| bulb, the hearing aid, the electric fan, the dishwasher, | | | | this past year when gas prices hit record levels. New |
| the escalator, the airplane, the Model T automobile, | | | | developments in battery technology could help. One |
| the air conditioner, the defibrillator, the atomic bomb, | | | | such development is Millennium Cell's hydrogen |
| the electric guitar, the nuclear submarine, nylon, the | | | | battery technology. This technology differs greatly |
| polio vaccine, and the laser. He died right when the | | | | from traditional rechargeable batteries in that it's |
| first minicomputer was coming to fruition. All of that | | | | instantly rechargeable. It also has a much great |
| in the span of his lifetime. Which leads me to the | | | | efficiency for energy conversion, so it is much smaller |
| topic of this article. Technology has completely | | | | and lighter. There is also greater reuse efficiency |
| changed the way we live. And technological advances | | | | since you don't need to replace the entire battery. |
| have accelerated at unbelievable speeds. Technology | | | | You only need to replace the energy module. |
| is converging in ways no one could have foreseen. I | | | | Developments are continuing in biodiesel, electric, |
| want to highlight some of the most interesting | | | | hydrogen, methanol, etc. I think there could be some |
| technologies out there. These are technologies that | | | | serious future synergy between nano technology and |
| will change the world, for good and bad.Nano | | | | alternative energy."Bionetics"This is my name for the |
| TechnologyProbably the most interesting and | | | | incorporation of technology into the body. The |
| frightening of the emerging technologies is nano | | | | dermal display is a great indication of things to come. |
| technology. Nano technology is a cross disciplinary | | | | Though I have yet to find a working demo version |
| field that deals with building and synthesizing materials | | | | of this concept, I have no doubt that it will become a |
| at scales of 100nm or less. Nano technology usually | | | | reality. The display would be driven by millions of |
| works in one of two ways. It either pulls smaller | | | | nanobots. These nanobots would display light when |
| parts together to build or it breaks bigger parts | | | | touched. This would print a display onto your hand, or |
| down. The parts are then used to form smaller, new | | | | wherever the nanobot display would be housed. And |
| materials. But why is nano technology so | | | | this is where it gets really interesting. The display |
| important?Nano technology is important because it | | | | nanobots would be connected to millions of other |
| will have massive effects across every area of life. | | | | fixed and mobile nanobots throughout the patient's |
| As I write this, researchers are working on a nano | | | | body. This would give instant readings on hundreds of |
| particle to target cancer cells in lungs. In 2004, Rice | | | | vital statistics. Again, nanotechnology plays a strong |
| University tested gold nano particle cancer treatment. | | | | role here.The bionics revolution is already underway. |
| In this treatment, these 150 nanometer gold particles | | | | There have been four major cases of robotic limbs |
| were injected into the blood stream of cancerous | | | | recently, the latest being a woman. The robotic limbs |
| mice. Gold particles at this size pass into tumors, but | | | | take advantage of the functional nerve endings in the |
| not healthy tissue. The researchers then passed | | | | limb stump. These nerve endings are used to actuate |
| infrared through the mice. The tumorous cells | | | | the robotic limb and to provide feedback to the brain. |
| absorbed the infrared, heated up, and were | | | | More money is being poured into robotic limbs every |
| destroyed. They are also working on quantum dots | | | | year."Functional bionetics" are implants that enhance |
| that allow doctors to easily identify multiple diseases | | | | our lives. And you may be surprised to know that |
| quickly and accurately. But the uses don't stop there. | | | | people are actively doing this as I write. People are |
| Nanotechnology will drive down the scale of | | | | inserting tiny electronics in their bodies that will unlock |
| electronics. This will lead incredibly small devices. The | | | | their front doors and their cars. The same technology |
| applications are limitless. And you can bet that the | | | | is being used to unlock computers. But it doesn't stop |
| military will be clamoring for nano technology. The | | | | there. There is talk of implanting devices that will |
| military is looking to have numerous nanotechnologies | | | | carry health information. You could be carted into a |
| online by the year 2015. Such advances include | | | | hospital totally unconscious and they would be able to |
| performance enhancing nanotechnology that aids | | | | access all of your past medical history. Most of this is |
| bodily functions. These will include response times, | | | | done through RFID technology."Bionetic networks" will |
| oxygen use, and heightened senses. But | | | | be networks of connected bionetic devices. This |
| nanotechnology can also be used for reconnaissance | | | | would allow people to share sensation, feelings, and |
| and combat. Nanobots could scout areas without | | | | communication. If this sounds completely fictional, I |
| being seen. They could also enter into enemies for | | | | invite you to consider the work of Kevin Warwick, |
| espionage. They could kill targets from within the | | | | Professor of Cybernetics at the University of |
| host's body. The possibilities are frightening.Alternative | | | | Reading, England. He has implanted an extra-sensory |
| Energy & FuelsWhen gas prices skyrocketed this | | | | device that interfaces with one put in his wife. They |
| past year, many people suddenly took an interest in | | | | were implanted in their arms. The first experiments |
| alternative energy and fuels. And because demand | | | | are aimed at exchanging sensory inputs, like pain. The |
| rose, companies suddenly found themselves forced | | | | hope is to extend that to other, more complicated |
| to take interest. Most of the common arguments for | | | | neurological processes like thoughts and emotion. |
| alternative energy and fuels center around issues of | | | | Obviously, that would drastically change relationships |
| pollution, cost, dependence, and jobs.What most | | | | and indeed the world. Forget about your teens text |
| people don't realize is that alternative energy and | | | | messaging, maybe they will be brain linking in the |
| fuels always have environmental effects. This can be | | | | future. Now that's really scary!What will we be able |
| in the form of heat generation, air pollutants, waste | | | | to say came online in our lifetimes? I'm sure we could |
| by-products, land usage, extraction, etc. Instead, we | | | | already list a lot of important technologies. But keep |
| have to talk about pros and cons around each type | | | | your eyes out for these emerging technologies. They |
| of energy and fuel. There is no silver bullet. Costs, | | | | are set to change the rules of our world. These |
| dependence, and jobs also vary depending on the | | | | technologies will upset economies, change military |
| energy type.There are a host of alternative energies | | | | tactics, empower people, and be used to control |
| being tested. Wind powered energy plants are | | | | others. Keep an eye on them.Paul McGillivary has |
| already in place in many parts of the world. Solar | | | | been a technologist for 15 years. In that time, Paul |
| energy production has taken huge steps forward | | | | has experienced thousands of technology problems, |
| with the help of nano technology. One such company | | | | challenges, and products. He brings this experience to |
| is Nanosolar. Nanosolar is producing solar cells that are | | | | bear in the articles that he presents.For more great |
| 100 times thinner than conventional cells. Not only are | | | | emerging technology information, visit us at Emerging |
| the cells cheaper to produce, but they also convert | | | | Technology. |
| the solar energy much more efficiently. Ocean | | | | |