From advancements in stem-cell research to breakthroughs in new forms of power, the year ahead is going to see some impressive technological advances, says Eoin Gleeson.
Stem cells come of age
Objectors have regularly persuaded governments to strangle stem cell research in recent years. But at the start of last year scientists found a way of harvesting stem cells without having to destroy embryos. And recently some key legal barriers have been dropped. The British government, for example, has passed the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act. So stem cell research is set to boom. In November, biotech giant Genzyme (Nasdaq: GENZ) announced it was investing $1.4bn in the stem cell technology of Osiris Therapeutics (Nasdaq: OSIR), bringing stem cells close to commercialisation. And with scientists recently discovering a way to grow tissue from stem cells, raising the prospect of replacement organs being grown, 2009 could be a crucial year for the industry.
Clean-tech scams
With Barack Obama at the US helm, Americans are eagerly anticipating a glorious dawn for wind and solar power. "A job in clean technology is now akin to working for UNICEF," says Venture Beat's Chris Morrison. But the real story in alternative energy this year, according to Morrison, will be the unpleasant whiff of scandal that surrounds clean technology. So, get ready for complaints about corruption and intimidation at wind projects in upstate New York, tales of toxic solar manufacturing pollution in China, project application fraud in Spain and lawsuits between electric car firms.
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Robots will run riot
No new year list would be complete without robotics. They have been creeping into our lives for a few years now. The Japanese, for example, have laid plans to bring 3.5 million robots into the workforce by 2030 caring for the elderly and replacing secretaries. But the robot that will have the biggest impact on our lives this year will be a bit less sophisticated.
Software robots which help us with simple web tasks, catering to our tastes when we search and shop online will exercise an increasing degree of control over our lives this year, according to technology forecaster Paul Saffo. In fact, they are already busy working away behind the scenes. If you apply for a mortgage, for example, it's not reviewed by a human, it's reviewed by a softbot, says Saffo. "Soon they will be all over the web handling transactions, airline tickets, making decisions about the future of your life."
Solar space power
In the wake of the 1970s oil shocks, desperate governments dreamed up a host of outrageous projects to solve the energy crisis. One of the more outlandish was Japan's "New Sunshine Plan". This involves sending a solar-panelled satellite into space that could train the sun's energy back to earth. Sound a bit futuristic? Well, the American army doesn't think so. Stung by the huge cost of sending fuel to forces in Iraq, the US Department of Defence is looking at developing a solar space project that could power its troops' electric vehicles, radar stations and electrical generators.
It seems the Canadians, Japanese and Australians are interested as well. As John Mankins of Managed Energy Technologies told the Economist recently, a low-Earth orbiting SSP system could be built by 2015, at a cost of less than $1bn. With space tourists and hotels a real prospect in the coming years, we could see the start of a new kind of space race.
The return of 3D cinema
One of the big stories in entertainment last year was the success of 3D cinema. What could have been a desperate move to revive the ailing cinema industry donning funny glasses to watch monsters and other objects lurch out at you from the screen proved a hit, especially with kids. Teen pop film Hannah Montana grossed $1bn. So another 15 3D movies are billed for this year, from big directors such as James Cameron and Steven Spielberg.
A new game from toy maker Mattel will also have heads spinning this year. Mattel claim that their Mind Flex device has a headset that can read the brain activity of a player and use it to turn brain waves into energy, explains Urmee Khann in The Daily Telegraph. The aim of their latest game is to concentrate hard enough to generate sufficient energy to power a fan, which in turn causes a ball to levitate and move through a series of hoops. The result is you'll either feel super human, or you'll be left with a searing headache. Probably best to let someone else in your family try it first.
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