What is the next big thing?

[Saint Nick]

Throughout the seventies and eighties, it was the innovation and development of the personal computer. Whats the next big thing?

The only thing thats been done with computers since then is that they are getting smaller and smaller and becoming wireless and portable. Everything is seemingly re-invented or have small additions to them.

What do you think is the next big thing? Meaning... what are random college kids doing all over the nation, what are they dreaming up?

 

[tasmanian]

A complete virtual reality. Where your living in a "real" world.

 

[So]

Carbon Nanotubes. Find the company that's going to mass produce them for cheap, and you'll be a rich man.

 

[I Saw OJ]

Flying cars.

 

[frostedflakes]

Something like Ghost in the Shell maybe, complete integration of the mind and computers/networks.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Sensa-porn! (Think USB enabled fleshlight)

 

[huberm]

nanotechnology definitely

 

[NanoStuff]

Depends who you ask. There are many "next things". If you mean for computers specifically, 3D displays, 3D web, limited functionality quantum computing, gigabit internet via fiber, perhaps procedural textures and/or sound through ray/beam tracing respectively. Biological systems simulations, including neurological, materials, chemical, ecosystems, social pattern simulations, semantic web through communicative AI.

If you mean for everything, I don't think my keyboard could handle the wear & tear. A cure for human stupidity should be made priority.

 

[FallenHero]

sleep

 

[WildHorse]

Stem cell stuff

Learning how to nudge living cells back toward the direction of stem cells having some degree of plasticity, and then direct them to regenerate whatever the need is:

regrow severed limbs, regrow missing teeth, regrow eyes in the blind, regrow brain cells for the Alzheimer?s victims, regrow skin on burn victims, etc.


Energy stuff

Get away from deriving energy from any type of combustion. Tesla stuff. A better way.

Sociological

More people leaving the anonymous cities, and trending back to the land, living in smaller close-knit tribal or communal groups with a tangible sense of community life. A better way.

 

[NanoStuff]

Originally posted by: scott
Sociological
More people leaving the anonymous cities, and trending back to the land, living in smaller close-knit tribal or communal groups with a tangible sense of community life. A better way.

Hahahaha. For a moment there I thought you were serious.

 

[ShotgunSteven]

A media storage format that moves away from moving parts in general and fragile spinning discs in particular, has a faster access speed, and a memory density great enough that they don't have to compress the media to death.

 

[Zero001]

Another vote for nanotech.

 

[shortylickens]

Originally posted by: frostedflakes
Something like Ghost in the Shell maybe, complete integration of the mind and computers/networks.

Thats sort of what I'm thinking.
Bionics, cybernetics, neural implants and more.
Shadowrun or Cyberpunk are good places to get started for ideas.
I seriously think that stuffs going to happen one day. Maybe not in my lifetime, but eventually.

 

[alien42]

fuel cell progress should be interesting in the next decade

 

[3NF]

Nanotech and genetically engineering human robots to perform the meaningless tasks in society like selling sandwiches and collecting trash.

 

[PhoenixOrion]

Another vote for alternative energy source.

Next two decades we should see major development for efficient use of ethanol, hydrogen, etc.

Along the lines of personal computing, we should see better energy usage, better portable batteries, etc.

 

[ForumMaster]

Originally posted by: So
Carbon Nanotubes. Find the company that's going to mass produce them for cheap, and you'll be a rich man.

you can easily buy 100g of the stuff for around $100 on the net.

nanotechnology is probably going to become quite big in the coming years.

 

[IronWing]

Nano nano. Robin Williams was sooo ahead of his time.

Printable curcuits (spray-on coating process like ink jet). Leads to cheaper solar, live newsprint, live coatings of all sorts. Need to figure out how to spray on batteries and make it all stable.

The water carburator (just kidding)

Mass transit resurgence - this won't be a tech innovation but a change in mindset. Public transit doesn't have to pay for itself on a cash basis to be benefitual.

 

[StevenYoo]

Holodeck.

 

[moshquerade]

the beer launching fridge is the next big thing. followed by the robotic portable chair side bathroom.

 

[toolboxolio]

Harnessing the practical uses of Quantum Physics.