Nanofuture: less poverty, radical healthcare, fantastic gadgets

By Dick Pelletier

      

    Historians consider medieval times as a barbaric period in human history. Average life expectancy was 30 years; there were no anesthetics, people performed long hours of back-breaking work, and most of today's personal freedoms were unheard of.

    As we go forward into our nanofuture, we may one day look back at early 21st century life and consider this time barbaric too. Today, less than 1% of the global population is considered affluent; risks of contracting horrible diseases are commonplace; maximum life expectancy reached in developed countries is only 80 years; and of the more than 50 million worldwide deaths each year, most are caused by age-related diseases – all preventable with future technologies.

    But scientists say this is all about to change. Tomorrow's nanotechnology promises to transform our lives beyond the wildest imaginings of science fiction.

    First, this futuristic technology will increase affluence worldwide by rearranging atoms to produce goods in "Star trek"-like countertop replicators called personal nanofactories, which are expected to be available free and could arrive by early 2030s. Personal nanofactories will provide housing, food, clothing, medicine, cars, electronics and more – all labor-free and with low material costs.

    Next, nanomedicine will create a mind-boggling healthcare revolution. In Transcend: Nine Steps to Living Well Forever, authors Ray Kurzweil and Terry Grossman, MD describe a 2034 nanofuture where artificial white blood cells destroy infection, pathogens, even cancer cells; and ‘smart' robotic red blood cells could one day replace the heart altogether.

    Our heart is remarkable, but it has major problems. It's subject to failure that often cause instant death and is usually the first organ to wear out, placing the body in extreme jeopardy.

    "Getting rid of the heart", the authors say, "involves robotic blood cells that provide their own mobility. If blood can move by itself, pressure required for pumping can be eliminated. And here's a big plus. With artificial blood cells providing access to oxygenation, we could also eliminate the lungs. Nanobots could provide oxygen and remove harmful carbon dioxide in the process."

    Wow! Living without a heart and lung! You could never suffer a heart attack or stroke, and more amazing – you would not require breathable air. But this would take some getting used to; few will adopt these radical changes readily. Game-changers like this may take a decade or more for acceptance. However, if it creates a safer life free from most unwanted deaths, people will eventually embrace this bold nanofuture.

    Other wonders include solar systems producing renewable energy cheaper than the cost of burning today's fossil fuels; auto-drive self-repairing cars, self-cleaning homes, and human-like household robots that thrive on love and affection.

    Foresight Institute President Josh Hall recently designed a cloud of microscopic ‘bots that connect with one another to form a chair, car, or almost any object. Hall calls this system "utility fog" and believes that it could one day become an irreplaceable part of tomorrow's nanofuture.

    Although artificial cells are only in beginning stage of development today, most experts believe that by mid-to-late-2020s, these clever creations will be curing diseases in medical centers around the world. Get ready to enjoy what promises to become a mind-blowing "magical nanofuture."

This article appeared in various print publications and on-line blogs. Comments always welcome.