Future Culture

Futurist Writer Lei Kalina writes her tongue-in-cheek musings and ramblings on the growing worldwide phenomenon of the growth of the Future Culture in the 21st Century

Future Culture In The 21st Century

Future Culture In the 21st Century

Futures Studies, Foresight, or Futurology , according to Wikipedia, is the science, art and practice of postulating possible, probable, and preferable futures and the worldviews and myths that underlie them. Futures studies (colloquially called "Futures" by many of the field's practitioners) seeks to understand what is likely to continue, what is likely to change, and what is novel. Part of the discipline thus seeks a systematic and pattern-based understanding of past and present, and to determine the likelihood of future events and trends. Futures is an interdisciplinary field, studying yesterday's and today's changes, and aggregating and analyzing both lay and professional strategies, and opinions with respect to tomorrow.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Machines That Heal

From Popsci.com :


Control a Robot with Your Mind

Mind control technology reads thoughts, prompts a robot's actions


What: Brain-Machine Interface by Honda, which lets you control a humanoid with your mind
Where: Tokyo
Why: Disability affects one in five Americans.
Wow: Requires no surgical implants and boasts a 90 percent accuracy rate

[ Read Full Story ]

Turbo-Powered Physical Therapy

A hard exoskeleton helps speed recovery time after a stroke


What: An exoskeleton that dramatically speeds up recovery times from stroke
Where: Santa Cruz, Calif.
Why: An estimated 780,000 Americans will suffer a debilitating stroke this year.
Wow: The robot can simulate 95 percent of the motions of a healthy human arm.

[ Read Full Story ]



Our Bodies, Our Holodecks

Accessing the virtual body to save money




What: Caveman, a virtual-reality rig that simulates the anatomy and physiology of the human body
Where: Alberta, Canada
Why: Because the world needs a more affordable, less invasive alternative to body scans
Wow: Hit zoom to see a blood cell eight feet wide.


[ Read Full Story ]



Cut-by-Color Surgery

Dyes pinpoint cancer, make it easier to remove


What: Fluorescence- Assisted Resection and Exploration, a new technique that makes cancerous tissue glow during surgery, one cell at a time
Where: Boston
Why: Of the 1.5 million cases of cancer diagnosed annually, nearly all of them require surgery.
Wow: Pinpoints the spread of cancer in seconds

[ Read Full Story ]



Nursebot Says Sit Up and Eat Your Nice Jell-O

A hulking Japanese healing machine


Robo Nurse

What: A robotic servant that can help the elderly live more-independent lives
Where: Tokyo
Why: About 85 percent of people over the age of 65 suffer from at least one chronic health condition.
Wow: Lightly tapping force and pressure sensors in Twendy-One's chest tells the robot to back off.

[ Read Full Story ]
READ MORE ABOUT > future of medicine, future of robots, july 2009, machines that heal, smart robots




Laser-Beam Psychiatry

Coherent light as a way to keep depression -- and tremors -- at bay




What: A laser device that can treat neurological and mental disorders, including Parkinson's and depression
Where: Palo Alto, Calif.
Why: The World Health Organization predicts that depression will be the second biggest killer after heart disease by 2020.
Wow: Stops tremors in rodents with the flick of a switch.

[ Read Full Story ]



Tuesday, June 9, 2009

New Inventions @ IdeaConnection.Com

Thanks to fellow futurist Mike Du for this link www.ideaconnection.com. :)
Check out these interesting reads to feed your futuristic fantasies.


New Products and Inventions

New inventions and innovative products are posted here every day, from medical devices, nanotechnology and scientific discoveries to emerging technologies and engineering breakthroughs. To add your Interesting New Products and Inventions Send us an Email


First Video Watch

First Video Watch



Makers of the 3G Watch Phone call it the world's first video watch with its touch-screen dial, camera, and speaker that let you to make video calls
over a high speed
internet connection.



Portable Air Tester

Portable Air Tester



The LED in this air tester turns red in the presence of bad air and green when the air is clean. Its normal white state indicates normal air conditions.





Robot Inspector

Robot Inspector



The HyDRAS robot climbs on its own like a snake. Its built-in camera and other sensors, enable it to investigate out-of-the-way areas that pose danger to human inspectors.



Stylish Product Scanner for Blind Shoppers

Stylish Product Scanner for Blind Shoppers



Info Jewelry identifies products on store shelves buy scanning the bar code and relaying the product information to the user's ear. In addition, the ear phones look like jewelry.

Bright Safety Bike

Bright Safety Bike



The Bright Bike looks black but turns bright white when car headlight beams shine on wherever its special vinyl covering has been applied. Bikes may soon be available with the covering or it can also be applied to any bike.



Robot Assists with Biopsies

Robot Assists with Biopsies



A disposable, remotely operated robot, called the Robopsy, simplifies biopsies for lung-cancer patients. It rests on the body of a patient during a CAT scan, from where a radiologist inserts and operates it.



Eye-Problem Detector

Eye-Problem Detector



This invention, the inventor claims, detects cataracts and other eye
problems, and could help prevent some people from going blind. It's also
affordable enough to be made and used in developing countries.

Electric Cadillac

Electric Cadillac



The Conver Concept is a Cadillac powered by GM's Voltec propulsion system—a
16-kWh lithium-ion battery driving an electric motor with a range of 40 on a charge. A flexfuel
engine-generator and a tank of fuel extends the range considerably.



Quantum Cascade Laser

Quantum Cascade Laser



Ordinary electronic materials can now emit laser beams, thanks to a new mechanism. This development could mean more efficient laser devices that operate at higher temperatures. Applications include medical diagnostics and environmental monitoring.



Braille Camera

Braille Camera



This camera takes photos that present themselves as embossed images for the vision-impaired. It works just like a conventional camera, except that the instant, touch-readable pictures emerge from the camera's built-in printer.





Guitar with Built-In Studio

Guitar with Built-In Studio



The iDea Ovation guitar comes with its own, on-board MP3 recorder-player, input and output jacks, and pre-installed accompaniment features. Musicians can record songs and musical ideas without additional recording equipment.



Cancer Catcher

Cancer Catcher



Scientists have developed what they call a lethal lint brush that captures and kills as 30% of cancer cells passing through the bloodstream before they spread throughout the body


Wifi Camera

Wifi Camera



The Wifi Cybershot connects directly to the Internet without a computer or cell phone, which means you can upload snapshots or video to sharing sites as you shoot them.


Aqua Submersible

Aqua Submersible



Shaped like a dolphin, this single-passenger submersible watercraft sails above and below the water.




Security Tear-Off Address Label

Security Tear-Off Address Label



Whether you want to remove a label to reuse the envelope or to protect your identity, this handy, tear-off label does the job in a jiffy. The pre-scored label removes a series of perforated parts of itself, leaving the remainder illegible.




Constant Power from the Wind

Constant Power from the Wind



A new way to keep wind turbines generating power when the wind slows involves storing kinetic energy when incoming wind power exceeds an average rate and releasing it when wind power falls below the average.





Fast, 8-Wheel, Electric Car

Fast, 8-Wheel, Electric Car



Powered by lithium-ion batteries, the The Eliica puts an 80-horesepower, electric motor behind each wheel. It's expected to start at zero to 60 in four seconds and reach 230 mph.


Car Gives to and Takes from Electric Grid

Car Gives to and Takes from Electric Grid



The V2G concept allows electric cars to not only take from the grid but
also to replenish it. Car owners would charge up when demand for
electricity is low and the power company could draw from the car battery
when demand is high.



Mind Reader to Aid Communication

Mind Reader to Aid Communication



A new technique can determine a person's preferences with the help of infrared-light brain imaging. The subject needs no training. The idea is to help people who can't speak or move to communicate instantly.


Cell Phones Turn On Street Lights

Cell Phones Turn On Street Lights



In an effort to save energy and about 50,000 Euros a year, a town in Germany allows its street lights to be operated by text messages from citizens' cell phones.



Wireless Electricity

Wireless Electricity



The longtime dream of wireless electrical power is beginning to become a reality in experiments, demonstrations, and now in wireless products like this power mat. Soon extension cords, cigarette lighter plugs, and the rest may
become obsolete.





Hand-Powered Eco-Printer

Hand-Powered Eco-Printer



In this eco-friendly design concept, users not only move the printer's ink cartridge back and forth, they make their own ink with water and the dregs of their coffee or tea cups.




Solar Cell Sets Efficiency Record

Solar Cell Sets Efficiency Record



A new record for solar cell efficiency has been set by concentrating sunlight on a specially constructed multi-junction solar cell.




Better Ice Tray

Better Ice Tray



A simple and ingeniously effective ice cube tray releases one cube at a tome and eliminates twisting or using a lever to release all the cubes at once.



Single-Electron Pump to Improve Processors

Single-Electron Pump to Improve Processors



A new breed of chips powered by electron spin and like quantum forces could usher in the next generation of computing speed and efficiency.


Cargo-Friendly Scooter

Cargo-Friendly Scooter



This new Cargo scooter gives its rider lots of room for everything from a briefcase to the much bigger and bulkier loads a commuter might want to carry.



Wing-Climbing Robot

Wing-Climbing Robot



A blade-climbing robot promises to improve the overall efficiency of the wind-turbine system by providing a safer and more reliable way.



Scuba-Mask Video Camera

Scuba-Mask Video Camera



This hands-free, underwater video camera is built into a scuba mask. It shoots video with audio as well as stills.





Blood-Pressure Implant

Blood-Pressure Implant



Placed in the femoral artery, this one-millimeter pressure sensor
monitors blood pressure 30 times per second. The sensor connects to a
transponder, also placed under the skin.



Roadable Aircraft

Roadable Aircraft



A new vehicle flies above the road and drives on it. The wings fold in and extend out as needed. It costs $194,000 and can fly 500 miles on a tank of gas.


Computing Help for People with Manual Disabilities

Computing Help for People with Manual Disabilities



The Perch computer operates with a touchscreen and easy-to-handle square chips that initiate applications when perched in a tray above the computer screen.




Brain Imaging in 4-D

Brain Imaging in 4-D



A new, 4-D, colorimetric technique maps four dimensions of brain data enabling technicians to see oscillatory activity of the entire brain as it evolves in time.

Inflatable Window

Inflatable Window



A secondary glazing system seals windows 50% better and improves insulation by 68% with the help of an inflated rubber tube in the window frame.



Water-propelled JetPack

Water-propelled JetPack



This low-altitude, recreational vehicle called a JetPack is propelled water jets fed by a tube connected to a pump positioned on the water, behind the flier.




Solar-Powered Pleasure Boat

Solar-Powered Pleasure Boat



Christened "The Loon," this solar-powered pontoon boat can sail approximately 35 miles per day at a top speed of seven knots. It contains natural fibers, such as bamboo, and recycled plastic.



Rubber Einstein Touts Creativity

Rubber Einstein Touts Creativity



Organizers of a technology event trotted out a rubberized, robotic interpretation of Albert Einstein in an attempt to encourage creativity among the attendees.



New Engine Makes the Most of Ethanol

New Engine Makes the Most of Ethanol



A new technology called Ethanol Boosted Direct Injection (EBDI) makes ethanol-fuelled engines perform better than gasoline engines and near the efficiency of diesel engines.



Three-Plug Outlet

Three-Plug Outlet



This three-socket outlet eliminates the need for adapters and possibly fewer outlet strips.
Bullet Train

Bullet Train



Japan is getting ready to launch its fastest rail service with this ten-car, 200-mph E5 Bullet Train. Initial service is planned for the spring of 2011 with the train reaching top speed in March of 2013.




Flexible Electronics

Flexible Electronics



Smart clothing and video dispalys that fold almost like paper may soon be available with the use of ultrathin films fabricated from single-layer sheets of carbon atoms.




Tiny Green Fuel Cell

Tiny Green Fuel Cell



This tiny fuel cell generates power while consuming no power. It holds the promise of eventually driving cell phones, mp3 players, and the like with
green energy.



Generator Door

Generator Door



Everyone who passes through the revolving door at the Driebergen-Zeist railway station generates electricity to help operate and light it. This
eco-friendly system should save around 4600 kWh a year.



Solar Shades

Solar Shades



These stylish sunglasses don't just block the sun, they also absorb solar energy and power your electronic devices from an outlet at the end of one
arm.


Digital Polaroid

Digital Polaroid



The five-megapixel Polaroid PoGo Instant Digital Camera has a built-in printer, and works just like the original film Polaroid. Just shoot and print out a snapshot.


Mobile Phone Projector

Mobile Phone Projector



The Samsung Show is a handheld pico projector built into a cell phone. It's available in Korea.



Driverless Transport System

Driverless Transport System



Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, poised to be the worlds first zero-carbon, zero-waste, car-free city a new, personal rapid transit system that provides the podcar rather than public rapid transit.