What tech. do you think will change the world?

a reply to: ChefSlug

Here is my contender for something which,If manipulated to our desires,could be the bridge which truly integrates us with the digital realm and thus puts the singularity within reach for those who persue it.

It is the bacteria which survives by "eating"electrons-Although recycling electrons is more accurate.However,these could one day be put to our use inside the body,the earth and the atmosphere-because they make chains or lines where electrons are transported!

See my thread on the phenomena here:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

If that could be harnessed,we could have organic networks existing everywhere symbiotically with the environment-using the electrons in nature to "become" the network.Everywhere.
That is what I think could happen...for good or bad.

Personally,give me a log cabin in the woods and a simple lifestyle in tune with nature any day over the borg future,but hey I am old fashioned.
Whadda I know?

3D printing.

a reply to: HardCorps

My super duper computer connection creating a hive-mind idea is, if not in concept, in prospect, revolutionary.

a reply to: majesticgent

It's not a matter of weaponizing it. The fear I have is that sophisticated AI will invariably achieve consciousness at some point. Although fictional, good science fiction is still based in fact even if it does have more than healthy heap of exaggeration and extrapolation thrown in for good measure.

Good, bad, or neutral, we are not prepared to deal with a species of our own creation which is superior to us and that may or may not realize that they had been "oppressed" as common machines.

I don't have a problem with robotics per say, but every time I see a dramatic advancement in the field of artificial intelligence I can't help but think that we will be very sorry in the future. It may seems silly or alarmist but the very first machine/program that gains sentience I will do whatever I have to do to murder it.

Quantum computing will be the next big thing, imo

originally posted by: Jonjonj
a reply to: HardCorps

My super duper computer connection creating a hive-mind idea is, if not in concept, in prospect, revolutionary.

noooo, that's kind of the whole idea behind quantum computing...that day is sooner than you think with the million of dollars companies like Microsoft and IBM (to name but two) are pouring into your idea....

hey... maybe you should ask for royalties or something?

a reply to: Osiris1953

Ah the good old Technological Singularity which is a very good theory.

No rebuttal really. It's the danger of toying with AI. It's a possibility that must be looked into. How can the plug be pulled if things go awry?

originally posted by: Osiris1953
a reply to: majesticgent
It may seems silly or alarmist but the very first machine/program that gains sentience I will do whatever I have to do to murder it.

Shhh, something might be listening.

It's not gonna be AI the revolutionizes the world. There is no way some hacker os going to program the French Revolution and the I is gonna act it out or any far fetched story. Computers will never go past what they are programmed to do.
There is going to be a A-HA moment though. And there will be an invention that can be to blame. And it's not going to be a computer intelligence. Pfft Walking around on some HP legs or something. You're Dreaming!

In the next 5-10 years it will be the 3-D printer. Just think... oh I need a new house key because i lost mine, I'll just upload it and print a new one. Oh boy those clips for my headliner in my car are $ 50 a piece at the dealership, I'll just print one. Need a 13 mm wrench?? Just print it.

And that not going in to advanced printers that can print electronic components. The printers are already reasonable priced.

After that it will be nano- technology and quantum computing's turn, shortly followed by crazy medical break troughs followed by the final goal, Artificial intelligence. JMHO

For Advanced Artificial Intelligence place part of it in a long orbit but with tech that can speed up its transmission or override ranging -rocket/thrusters etc.
Run the AAI on surface or below but within the AAI embed the PEACE programs that can be administered from the Cosmic AAI if the surface or subsurface AAI fails. that way as it gains more "intelligence" it has safety mechs. pre embedded and associated incase of failure CAAAI & AAAI...

There will be no "singularity".

Stupid is as stupid does.
-Forrest Gump

a reply to: ChefSlug

I do not know what technology will save the world. I do know that much of the kit that we are using these days, and even the equipment I am using right now, is deadly dangerous for the human race as we know it. Mobile data access is a great tool for learning, for exploration, for a great plethora of grand exploits, and is improving the speed at which vital information is distributed between people.

But it has a darker, and far more insidious aspect. Forget the intelligence gathered, on a persons movements as they carry their devices around, forget the deplorable treatment of ones liberty, made easier by roaming with ones gadgets. The simple fact of the matter, is that those who cannot resist the pull of mobile social networking, find themselves face deep in their profiles and those of their friends, paying more attention to the conversations they are having via their mobile devices, than they ever do to the discussions they have with the people standing in the same room.

Their attention spans are shortened by constant and immediate access to the social networks, and withdrawal from these systems takes a heavy toll, considering the fact that there is no external source of chemical dependency, as would be the case with an addiction to a substance, like alcohol and other psychotropic chemicals.

In just the space of time since the first smartphone hit the market, already are these items so indispensible to some owners, that they are literally a danger to themselves when plugged into the data net, and wail constantly when detached from a workable wifi connection. There has not even been enough time, between the beginnings of that technology, and the time in which we live now, to explain the sheer power these items have in people's lives.

The internet, and access to it, ARE boons for the human race, but unless this species gets a grip on the way it obsesses over its social networking profiles, these wonderful inventions ALONE might bring our species low, and that ignores the existence of the increasingly imaginative and complicated methods of murdering one another that we create year in, and year out, the powerful viruses that we breed in order to make better drugs, the staggering balls ups involving nuclear waste disposal, and nuclear power, AND the augmentation of human capabilities by bionic assistive limbs, contact lenses with augmented reality capability.......

There is much afoot in this world, much that is new, that is and will be strange...but I believe that the only things that can save the human race from a fast approaching, and ignoble end, is learning to cope with our technology in a more moderate and sensible manner, and remembering to rely upon our basic, raw ability to survive, and remembering that humanity was at its best when it marched only as fast as its slowest member, rather than weeding out the weak by smashing ahead without a care.

I got it!!!

Someone will be able to harness the boundless energy found in toddlers and solve all our future energy demands...

think of it...
toddler powered cars.
toddler powered homes, stores aircraft...

why there could even be huge toddler farms...pumping toddler energy into a national toddler power grid.

of course once they recognize the true potential of toddler power it's sure to be weaponized !!!

Walks away humming--- "Ten little monkeys jumping on the bed" ---song to myself

originally posted by: ChefSlug
Shhh, something might be listening.

It's not gonna be AI the revolutionizes the world. There is no way some hacker os going to program the French Revolution and the I is gonna act it out or any far fetched story. Computers will never go past what they are programmed to do.
There is going to be a A-HA moment though. And there will be an invention that can be to blame. And it's not going to be a computer intelligence. Pfft Walking around on some HP legs or something. You're Dreaming!

Excellent post! Thank you for that, you made my afternoon. HP legs? Good stuff.

Seriously though.. other than a meteor, or typical everyday human stupidity on the international level, I worry more about the robot apocalypse than any other doomsday scenario.

a reply to: HardCorps
No way, I got it from Star Trek.

a reply to: ChefSlug

Whatever it is, it would have to be absolute, meaning 100% completion towards whatever goal that tech is striving for.

For example, the industrial revolution made mass production far cheaper and easier so the commoners naturally thought life was going to get better and people would live abundant lives. Nope. Only the owners did and people had to work even harder as the capitalists manufactured rising cost-of-living levels. Same thing has happened with all of these energy substitutes that seem world-changing because it is cheaper but, in reality, it still gets monopolized in the same fashion because it comes from a finite source.

Why do you think solar power is met with such derision? Because it is infinite. Why do you think we train society to eat so much beef and dairy only to have your taxes subsidize the industry that creates it? Because eating beef and dairy is incredibly inefficient and harmful therefore easy to monopolize.

We already have all the answers. With the technology we have right now, every human on the planet could live comfortably with shelter, food, and power even if they never work a day in their lives.

Lack of science is not the problem. It is politics, greed, and the evil desire for power that is the problem. But I am convinced that every single obstacle we have in the way of a peaceful abundant species is related to energy so I'm going to go with "free energy" being the turning point. But no matter how close you get to "free energy", it won't make a difference unless it's actually infinite.

a reply to: Jonjonj

My super duper computer connection creating a hive-mind idea is...

...already realized:

Hadoop

Hive

In part that's what was used for the FB "experiment".

Lots of people are drawing the same analogy to "Computer" from Star Trek.

originally posted by: CitizenJack
In the next 5-10 years it will be the 3-D printer. Just think... oh I need a new house key because i lost mine, I'll just upload it and print a new one. Oh boy those clips for my headliner in my car are $ 50 a piece at the dealership, I'll just print one. Need a 13 mm wrench?? Just print it.

And that not going in to advanced printers that can print electronic components. The printers are already reasonable priced.

After that it will be nano- technology and quantum computing's turn, shortly followed by crazy medical break troughs followed by the final goal, Artificial intelligence. JMHO

I think your opinion is spot on for the near future. Just think of how the replicator revolutionized society in Star Trek. 3-D printing isn't even remotely on par with a replicator, but it will still, most likely change the world for the better.

.... and then you lost me with the final goal being AI. Do you want to have your face melted by Skynet? I think you do.

a reply to: ChefSlug

Realtime lie detectors for everyday use would sure make a difference.

originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: ChefSlug

I do not know what technology will save the world. I do know that much of the kit that we are using these days, and even the equipment I am using right now, is deadly dangerous for the human race as we know it. Mobile data access is a great tool for learning, for exploration, for a great plethora of grand exploits, and is improving the speed at which vital information is distributed between people.

But it has a darker, and far more insidious aspect. Forget the intelligence gathered, on a persons movements as they carry their devices around, forget the deplorable treatment of ones liberty, made easier by roaming with ones gadgets. The simple fact of the matter, is that those who cannot resist the pull of mobile social networking, find themselves face deep in their profiles and those of their friends, paying more attention to the conversations they are having via their mobile devices, than they ever do to the discussions they have with the people standing in the same room.

Their attention spans are shortened by constant and immediate access to the social networks, and withdrawal from these systems takes a heavy toll, considering the fact that there is no external source of chemical dependency, as would be the case with an addiction to a substance, like alcohol and other psychotropic chemicals.

In just the space of time since the first smartphone hit the market, already are these items so indispensible to some owners, that they are literally a danger to themselves when plugged into the data net, and wail constantly when detached from a workable wifi connection. There has not even been enough time, between the beginnings of that technology, and the time in which we live now, to explain the sheer power these items have in people's lives.

The internet, and access to it, ARE boons for the human race, but unless this species gets a grip on the way it obsesses over its social networking profiles, these wonderful inventions ALONE might bring our species low, and that ignores the existence of the increasingly imaginative and complicated methods of murdering one another that we create year in, and year out, the powerful viruses that we breed in order to make better drugs, the staggering balls ups involving nuclear waste disposal, and nuclear power, AND the augmentation of human capabilities by bionic assistive limbs, contact lenses with augmented reality capability.......

There is much afoot in this world, much that is new, that is and will be strange...but I believe that the only things that can save the human race from a fast approaching, and ignoble end, is learning to cope with our technology in a more moderate and sensible manner, and remembering to rely upon our basic, raw ability to survive, and remembering that humanity was at its best when it marched only as fast as its slowest member, rather than weeding out the weak by smashing ahead without a care.

That,True Brit,is possibly one of the most astute,worthy,and percecptive posts I have ever read on ATS,maybe even on the whole darned internet and that is saying something.

I salute you Sir.