Smart Clothing | Hydrogen Fuel | Robot Nurses

   Home > What's Coming

A Layperson's View of Future Technology and Society   

Artificial Intelligence | AI | Future For All

 The Future

 

What's Now?

 

What's Coming?

 

What's Possible?

  The Future Of...

 

Artificial Intelligence

 

Biotechnology

 

The Brain

 

Chemistry

 

Communication

 

Computers

 

Earth

 

Electronics

 

Energy

 

Home

Future of Imaging

 

Imaging

 

Medicine

 

Nanotechnology

 

Physics

 

Robotics

 

Society

 

Space

 

Transhumanism

 

Transportation

 

Virtual Reality

 More Links

 

About Us

 

Contact Us

 

Disclaimer

 

Students! Thinking about your future?
Click here for a special section of our site made just for you. Tons of career and homework resources..

What's Coming

Mission Invisible

I can easily imagine the things I could do if I had an invisibility cloak. However, the only solid objects I have ever seen disappear are the Statue of Liberty* and one quick-footed blind date. Soon, thanks to new materials and fabrication techniques, we may all get a glimpse at the invisible.

Invisibility cloak

Artificial Humor

I like the idea of comedic computers. I wish my ATM had a better sense of humor. Find out why artificial intelligence researchers are creating computer programs that can recognize a good joke.

Artificial Humor

Hydrogen Fuel Cells

Hydrogen fuel cells promise to power our vehicles, homes and offices more efficiently and will be less harmful to the environment than traditional energy sources. What is the state of this technology and what stands in our way of using this clean, renewable energy resource?

Hydrogen Fuel

Beyond the Future

Web chats with noted experts examining the technological advancements in the next 100 years.

Beyond the Future

Big Brother is Watching

This article from the BBC News covers the increasingly sophisticated devices used by governments to keep individuals under surveillance.

BBC News

WiMAX

WiMAX, is a technology standard that could make Internet access on mobile devices much faster and more available than current service.

Wikipedia
WiMAX Forum
WiMAX Wherever I May Roam?
WiMAX promises to transform wireless Internet world

Blood test for lung cancer may be possible

A simple blood test may be able to detect lung cancer in its earliest stages with unprecedented accuracy.

Blood test for lung cancer

Vision for All

Guardian.co.uk article about Josh Silver, a professor of physics at Oxford University, and his quest to make glasses affordable for everyone by the year 2020.

Inventor's 2020 vision

Future Inventions

Here is a great future gadget concept sent in by FFA visitor DennisB.

Personar - a device attached to or worn on the body that produces a holographic energy shield covering the body (can be self programmed) to reproduce any configuration of garment(s) thereby eliminating the need for actual clothing. Will also incorporate temperature control allowing the wearer to venture into any environment, and will also provide protection to an extent, from knocks & scrapes due to its force field capabilities.

Related Articles and Links

Futuristic Cyber Suit keeps you safe down dark lanes

Force fields in Star Trek

Controlling the Weather

New satellites, computers and high tech measuring equipment are helping scientists and researchers learn more about the weather patterns of the earth. By mid century you can expect more accurate weather predictions and eventually, controlling the weather itself.

Future weather control

High School of the Future

This paper from Art Shostak, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, Drexel University, takes you on a visionary tour of a 2015 public high school that emphasizes forward thinking.

Institute for the Future at Anne Arundel Community College

Brainstorming the Future

A Forbes article about 20 venture capitalists, entrepreneurs and Washington strategists that were asked to imagine life in the year 2050.

The Future is Not What it Used to Be

British Telecom futurologist Ian Pearson's job is to imagine where technology will lead us.

AI entity will win Nobel by 2020

The Future of the Workplace

Imagine a work world with no commute, no corporate headquarters and perhaps not even an office in the physical world at all.

The Future of the Workplace

Terminator Too?

Notable persons in the fields of artificial intelligence, robotics, sci-fi and more comment on the probability of time travel, killer networks and robot takeovers. From H+ magazine.

Is a Terminator Scenario Possible?

More Articles and Links

10 Forecasts for 2009 and Beyond

The Future of Video Game Input: Muscle Sensors

Smart Fashion


Image courtesy of FrAcTuReD...fOtOs from Flickr

Your underwear won't be able to help you with your taxes, but your briefs may soon know when you need air. Smart fashions are the next wave in textiles and they promise to dazzle consumers with their style and innovation. Here are some of the hot products to look for on the runways of the  future.

Researchers in the UK have developed an adaptive fabric that controls air flow by opening invisible micro shutters when the humidity goes up. A separate layer keeps the rain out even when air is flowing. Adaptive fabrics like this are now being designed in a variety of ways for undergarments, sports wear and fashion products.

Painting the family room? No need to change the drapes, just press a hidden button to adjust the color and texture to match your new decor. New inter-connection technologies using conductive fabrics allow sensors and processing devices to be networked together. This technology can produce fabrics that change color to suit your mood, or your new handbag. The military is also interested in this chameleon-like technology to improve camouflage techniques.

Another area of development in smart clothing is wearable computing. Head mounted displays are already available for purchase online. Other high tech gear include fabric keypads embedded in the wrist sleeve of your jacket and backpacks with MP3 players, GPS and battery charging solar panels.

These new "techstyles" are being designed differently than your Grandmother's flannel pajamas. Smart clothing design requires a team of artists, designers, scientists and engineers bringing their individual talents together to create garments that are as appealing as they are functional.

Expect to see plenty of innovation in the textile and fashion industries in the next few years thanks to advancements in bioengineering, nano technology and 3D scanning techniques. 

Visit these web sites for more info:

Electric Plaid

Color changing fabric

Wearable computing

Interconnection technology

Future Smart Clothing

The Hug Shirt™

Clothing with a brain: 'Smart fabrics' that monitor health

Carbon-Nanotube Thread

A Blinking Fashion Statement

Cities of the Future

Masdar City


Image courtesy of the Masdar Initiative

Abu Dhabi has broke ground on Masdar City, the world’s first zero-carbon, zero-waste, car-free city.

Masdar City

Asphalt Jungles


The homes and buildings in future cities will likely feature a good coat of green. In addition to being pleasing to the eye, designs of this nature can help a city stay cooler in the summer and reduce its carbon footprint.

Image from Archinect

15 Vertically Vegetated Buildings

Green Architecture

Best Green Houses

Vegetation Systems Atop Buildings Yield Multiple Environmental Benefits

terreform.org

The Bad News About Green Architecture

Vertical Park: Stackable Solar Skyscraper for Mexico City

The King of Green Architecture

Treedome

Green Roofs for Healthy Cities

More Links

Communities on the Sea

The Seasteading Institute intends to create permanent dwellings on the ocean on floating platforms.

SeaSteading Institute

The Freedom Ship is a proposed community of up to 100,000 people living on a massive floating structure continually moving around the world.

FreedomShip

Cities of the Future Articles and web sites

City 2.0

Victory City - future city concept

Future city competition

transfuture.net

dynamiccity.org


Image courtesy of Transfuture.net

 

References

Article

Sources

Mission Invisible

Article by futureforall.org
Image licensed from istock.com

Smart Fashion

Article by futureforall.org
Image courtesy of FrAcTuReD...fOtOs from Flickr

Warning: Many of the articles found on this web site are from non-technical, amateur writers that couldn't tell you the difference between hydrochloric and high colonic. We try our very best to provide you with useful, accurate information, but we don't always get it right. Please read our full disclaimer before quoting us at work, school or world conferences.

All trademarks / logos are the property of the respective owners
© Copyright 2005-2009, Future For All