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