The 2030s: moving towards mid-century and beyond

By Dick Pelletier

      

    The 3rd part of our 5-part series on what to expect as we move towards mid-century and beyond, highlights four areas that promise huge worldwide impact: nanotech and information technologies slash poverty in developing countries; driverless-pilotless skycars become popular transportation; nanomedicine arouses public acceptance for indefinite lifespan; a robot outthinks humans.

    The Millennium Project's 2009 State of the Future report reveals that in 2009, one billion people lived below poverty levels on just $1.25-per-day. But during the 2010s and 2020s, molecular nanotech made cheap manufacturing possible, and low-cost cell phones connected to an information-loaded Internet, raised intelligence levels throughout the world. Most 2030s citizens live a healthy lifestyle while enjoying more of technology's creature comforts.

    Nearly every home has an environmentally-friendly vehicle parked in the garage that can fly as well as drive. Backing out the driveway, the onboard avatar hears our destination. The skycar, powered by a superconductive electromagnetic drive rises quietly; then glides gracefully through the sky. A quantum GPS system prevents accidents on the ground and in the air. For longer trips, we board a 500-mph maglev train, or hop a scramjet to anywhere on Earth in an hour.

    In his book, Engines of Creation, nanotech pioneer Eric Drexler correctly predicted that by 2030, researchers will develop nanorobots that swim through arteries, destroy pathogens, and repair any damage the body sustains. It will heal wounds, eliminate infections, cure diseases, and reverse devastation caused by aging; and because these conditions are the result of atoms being in the wrong place, putting them where they belong, corrects problems with 100% accuracy.

    The success of nanomedicine has convinced people that to enjoy perfect health in a youthful body for an indefinite period of time is no longer theory; it is now reality. Most doctors view indefinite lifespans as the natural progression of continued good health. But we're not immortal yet, expert's caution – accidents and violence can still take lives – however forward-thinkers believe that new technologies expected in the future may eliminate all risks to human life. Stay tuned.

    In the best-seller, The Singularity is Near, futurist Raymond Kurzweil argues that the exponential pace of technological progress makes emergence of smarter-than-human intelligence the future's only logical outcome. Most forward-thinkers believe that by mid-2030s, researchers will produce a robot that is smarter than its maker. Programmed with parallel processing similar to that found in human consciousness, this intelligent machine mimics thoughts so accurately, that some say it could be used as a medical tool to better understand human behavior.

    Among the many breakthroughs discovered with this revolutionary technology includes the ability for humans to enhance their brains by adding non-biological neurons, then link directly with the intelligent machine to copy its rapid-learning abilities.

    Our 2030s world appears to be on the threshold of becoming an affluent, peaceful global village, focused more on protecting Earth's environment and scattering its populations to the stars, than wasting energy on petty conflicts. Will this 2030s "magical future" become reality? Time will tell.

    Next week: The 2040s – the space elevator lifts off; thought-speak becomes more popular than voice talk; interactive high-tech homes provide luxurious life; the Singularity launches a bold future.

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