May 24 2008 / by Joe Meme
Category: Technology Year: 2008 Rating: 3 Hot
Well, they’re not exactly walking amongst us yet, but I wanted
to further highlight a video that Jack
linked to yesterday. The progress in robotic ambulation is
quite remarkable as we’ve seen with Asimo’s ability to
climb stairs and walk in a perfect circle as
Jason alluded to in his recent future fiction piece. The
progress towards sophisticated androids is still in its early phase
but will only accelerate from here.
May 17 2008 / by Joe Meme
Category: Health & Medicine Year: 2015 Rating: 8 Hot
Waking Up
My smart house gently wakes me from slumber with the same
calming accuracy that it lulled me to sleep with the night before.
My days of harmful sleeping pills and sleepless nights are
comfortably in my past. Light is diffused through the room as the
intelligent windows de-shade – the temperature of the room slowly
climbs. 
During the night, my sleep is monitored and micro-adjustments to
my sleeping position via my smart-bed and temperature and humidity
controls are made constantly. My breathing, heart-rate, sound and
movement patterns are analyzed by an increasingly sophisticated
algorithm. Aromatherapy is used as well as sound therapy to
facilitate falling and staying in a powerful and restorative deep
sleep. During my deepest sleep advanced learning programs are
played at optimal levels so the time is used to greatest advantage.
I step out of bed and feel great. (cont.)
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April 06 2008 / by Joe Meme
Category: Biotechnology Year: General Rating: 12 Hot
A link posted a few days ago on the Future Scanner by
Al Fin from a story on Eureka
states that scientists have been able to induce completely
reversible and apparently not harmful suspended animation in mice
using a small amount of hydrogen sulfide gas. If reproducible in
humans, one of the primary benefits would be to put people who have
suffered traumatic injury into this state to prevent acceleration
of injuries while they can be transported to a facility for
critical care. 
One of the things it made me think of immediately was
biochemical warfare and the use of this concept in film. I can
imagine the benign (in terms of lasting health effects) use of this
chemical to temporarily paralyze a local population while state
actors take over a city or George Clooney and Brad Pitt knock off
the U.S. Mint in Ocean’s 19. Given the issue of lack of available
oxygen in commercial air travel these days – an iteration of this
could be used for passengers. Perhaps once we level off to a
comfortable cruising altitude the gas could be administered and
everyone would be in suspended animation for the duration of the
flight. It would certainly save a lot of money on meal service,
eliminate bathroom lines and could be available in case of
emergency for the dreaded ten hour tarmac delay.
Of course most women can tell you that sex or beer, pizza and a
tv already have this effect on most men.
