10 years

As energy becomes a more expensive commodity, and as developing countries demand more power, we face a substantial challenge in finding ways to bring technology to distant places. One technological advance proposes a solution: kinetic power.

In the Third World, people must charge their electrical devices (such as cell phones) wherever they can. Most nations do not have a reliable electrical grid, most homes are not wired for electricity, and electrical outlets are scarce. However, devices powered by the electricity generated by motion can overcome these limitations.

Consider that, since the 19th century, battery-less wristwatches have run on the small electrical charges created by swinging one's arms while walking. In the 21st century, the XO low-cost laptop now provides its own electricity through the use of a hand crank that charges an internal battery. Small devices, such as cell phones, could use kinetic motion to power them when they are not in use, yielding longer talk-times in more distant locations.

Also, small devices that primarily use RAM chips require much less power than hard drive based devices. As these smaller devices (such as PDAs) become more prevalent in developing nations, they can draw power from the movement of an active population.

15 years

In 15 years, Transhumanism, or the use of technology to enhance the human mind and body, will no longer be the realm of science fiction writers. Already, scientists are proposing ways to integrate cellular technologies into molar implants (read: a cellphone in your fillings), and many are seriously looking into ways to bridge the gap between the tools we use and the tools we are. In a recent April Fool's Day joke, Qualcomm released a video of a 'new technology' that will make cellphones obsolete by literally putting the technologies in the palms of our hands (see it here).

At first glance, the idea is scary, and we are wise to be suspicious of any philosophy that claims to make humans 'better.' Without careful scrutiny, the integration of technology into our physical being could lead to dangerous breaches of privacy; it may even destroy our notions of 'ourselves' as discrete, biological entities that inhabit a particular space.

Five Years

E-ink is still a fledgling technology, but it presents a number of interesting possibilities for educators and students.

At present, the greatest limitations associated with reading information online are related to the machines we use to interface with these technologies. Laptops have short battery lives, and are impossible to read in direct, bright sunlight. Cellular phones and PDAs are small, and cannot display enough text to make reading a pleasant activity.

E-ink provides some solutions to these problems. The technology uses an electric charge to align particles suspended in a sheet of polymer. Unlike LCD technologies, these sheets do not require a backlight, and so can be read anywhere one can read a book. They can also be erased and rewritten instantly, and could conceivably contain moving images.

Rudimentary tools like Amazon.com's Kindle and Sony's eBook reader already show that the technology has some value in the marketplace. However, it may take many years before people make practical use of them. Right now, I can only hope for the day when I can access news, entertainment, and video from a wireless device that I can use in broad daylight.