10 unique technologies of the future

Half a century ago, silicon would probably only remind you of a chemical element, while the transistor image would be the light bulb. And it is the fairy tales today that will be realized as intimate objects of tomorrow.

1. Elastic silicon

Scientists at the University of Illinois are experimenting with nanotechnology-based flexible silicon manufacturing technology. According to Professor John Roger (University of Illinois), the key lies in the 100-nanometer-thick silicon sheet, which is about one-thousandth of a hair strand.

First, they still use the usual way to create a silicon wafer. They then used special etching to separate the silicon plate, then place it on a thin rubber sheet. ' You have to replace the silicon backing with rubber, ' said Professor Roger.

Testing on flexible silicon, transistors and diodes all work as well as conventional silicon. The technology is still in its early stages, according to Roger. They established Printable Silicon Technologies technology company to test production and commercial development.

2. Mixed computer

William Ditto, Dean of the Department of Biomedical Sciences at Florida University and colleagues based on the principle of chaos (Chaos) to develop a new type of computer chip with faster calculation speed, cheaper than the way it was made. usually, common, normal.

Chip is a super-electronic version based on human stem cells, but works more efficiently and flexibly. Common chip logic gates, only take on a predetermined task. In mixed chips, it can change functionality. This means that computers do not need to use multiple chips, but only one chip. Of course, this chip must have its own software to control it. Ditto said: ' One of the wonders of the algorithm is to write a software that can change the function of the hardware while operating. Using Photoshop, need more memory in a few seconds, you will control the chip for more memory. If you need to calculate without memory, the software will put the chip into the state of a CPU chip '.

The mixed system, in fact, is very organized, but not in accordance with the rules. A logic gate, can create many different logic functions in very fast time. Ditto founded ChaoLogix to develop this technology and is expected to conduct a demonstration in 2007.

3. Virtual reality

Have you ever thought that you could be a clone like Qi Tian to appear in two places at once? 10 years from now, you can do that. Researchers at the Institute of Telecommunications and Information Technology (University of California) are using very high resolution projectors, large screens and broadband Internet connections to receive images and sounds to create this effect. Telepresence effect has been used in Disneyland parks.

The key factor is super-bandwidth Internet connection, with speeds from 1 to 10GB / s. At this speed, images are transmitted with high definition, the size of real life. To create a real effect, researchers are collaborating with psychologists, anthropologists and multimedia media to complete the experiment. If successful, you will find that the distance between you and your family does not matter.

4. Nano crystal screen

Like OLED (light-emitting organic diode), nanocrystals help increase the accuracy of display colors and wider viewing angles than LCD technology. The biggest advantage of this technology is the price. The cost to create a nanostructure with a diameter of 1 nm is no different from that of a 100 nm diameter. The reason, according to Larry Bock, president of Nanosys in Silicon, is that they use the same cycle.

The cycle of creating nanoparticles on the screen surface is almost the same as inkjet technology, thus reducing production costs. Nanosys is studying how to organize nanocrystals in order. In the future, Nanosys technology will be used in medicine, solar cells.

5. Multi-touch screen

In some ways, we are limited when interacting with computers. The touch screen has been improved a lot to increase the interaction between people and machines. However, its limit is still a touch of a certain place in a specific time.

Scientist Jeff Han (New York University) and Philip Davidson have developed optical techniques that can create a multi-touch interface. This idea is based on a simple experiment. Placing a transparent glass under the light, the light rays pass through the glass. When someone touches the glass, some light will leak out. If a camera chip is placed under the glass, it will record all the places where the glass is touched. This, according to Han, will change the way people interact with computers. " You can use one finger to move the image, another finger to rotate the image simultaneously " - Han said.

6. Transistor transparent

The invention of a transparent integrated circuit will create a change in image display. Electronic engineer John Wager (Oregon State University) created such a circuit and Hewlett Packard registered to own the technology.

The idea of ​​a transparent integrated circuit appeared in the movie Minority Report (2002), information about the object appeared right on the wall when the character appeared. This is thanks to all transparent circuits. Industrialists said that the ability to apply this technology to display the car glass announcements for drivers when warning of accidents or incidents . In addition, this technology will change Advertising, health, mobile and toy manufacturing industries.

7. Silicon brain

Simulation of human brain activity is a study by IBM and scientists from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Sweden.

Using Blue Gene supercomputer, scientists simulate the mechanism of neocortex activity, which plays a role in controlling cognition. When the project is complete, according to Professor Henry Markam, people can understand the whole mechanism of brain activity, thinking, remembering. This makes the construction of robots and artificial intelligence in the near future more capable of being closer to humans.

Previously, scientists in Europe used neuro chips, including 16,000 transistors, hundreds of capacitors in a chip and attached neurons to transmit electrical signals to the chip.

8. Bacterial camera

Using an alga gene, a gene responsible for coding light-sensing proteins in E coli bacteria, scientists at the University of California San Francisco created a bioluminescent sensor. When there is light, the pigment in the gene changes color. If you combine many bacteria, you will get a monochrome photo, but its resolution is up to 100 Megapixel per square inch, 10 times higher than the resolution of a good digital camera today.

Image acquisition technology, according to assistant professor Christopher Voigt, will help biochemists create a bacterial camera or a bacterium capable of finding and killing tumors. Voigt said: ' We are entering the new era when we have fully decoded the chromosomes '.

9. Battery does not charge

After many years of research, the battery of digital devices has improved but life expectancy is limited. The aim of energy technology researchers is to create a battery without charging, called a Beta battery. This type of battery is currently used in sensor systems such as traffic sensor systems, communication satellites.

Larry Gadeken, a researcher at BetaBatt, said that Beta batteries are not based on chemical reactions, but that energy comes from the disintegration of Triti, a hydrogen isotope with three times the mass of normal hydrogen. After 12 years and 4 months, Triti's volume decreased by half and after 40 years, its size was only 1/10 of the original. This has created a battery that has a longer life span than current batteries.

10. Fashion changes itself

The idea of ​​organic glowing didode clothes to meet the need to display digital images on fashionable clothes. MediaLab (MIT) project manager Judith Donath said, if successful, you will have a shirt that changes colors and patterns every day. Images are sent via wireless connection. MediaLab has now experimented with a Sharp Zaurus PDA to receive and receive information via Bluetooth or infrared.