This is the third set of highlights for Next Big Future for 2009.
Here is the link to the highlights for weeks 7-12.
Here is the link to the highlights for weeks 1-6
Nanotechnology
1. DNA origami can now make three dimensional boxes that can be opened and closed and locked. The boxes could be the foundation of more complicated three dimensional structures and can be used for drug delivery and other purposes.
2. DNA can be tricked into acting as nanotechnology building blocks. DNA nanotubes built one rung at a time with different triangular and square shapes.
3. Ultrathin diamond nanorods have been made.
5. Spider silk can incorporate metallic particles which strengthen the spider silk by up to ten times.
6. IMEC integrates plasmon based nanophotonic circuits with regular integrated circuits
7. Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a membrane-penetrating nanoneedle for the targeted delivery of one or more molecules into the cytoplasm or the nucleus of living cells. In addition to ferrying tiny amounts of cargo, the nanoneedle can also be used as an electrochemical probe and as an optical biosensor.
9. The edges of graphene strips can be modified to atomic precision.
12. Carbon nanotubes can be made smooth which makes them greatly increases luminescence.
14. IEC/ Bussard Fusion is getting another $2 million in government funding.
15. Eleven nuclear fusion and nuclear fission technologies.
16. Helion Energy built one third scale nuclear fusion and are seeking $20 million to
17. Helion Energy is based on the work John Slough. There is space propulsion system based upon it.
Saudi Arabia has 260 billion barrels of oil reserves, so the additional 421 billion barrels would be close to double the oil in Saudi Arabia.
22. 1 MW and 20 Megawatt Kitegen Wind Power Systems Funding of 15 million Euro Announced
The radical italian Kitegen wind power system appears to have funding of 15 million euro (announced not distributed).
23. Microbes to Convert Coal to Methane and Algae Fuel are Both Close to Industrial Scaleup.
24. The Cold Fusion segment on CBS 60 Minutes was favorable.
Metamaterials and Materials
Magnetic Monopoles Found in Spin Ice
A special material called spin ice, co-discovered in 1997 by Professor Steven Bramwell of the London Centre for Nanotechnology has come close to revealing a secret of the universe.
Most computer memories store information magnetically, and if there was the ability to use magnetic rather than electric charges to read and write bits to and from those stores could have great advantages in speed and flexibility. What’s more, the three-dimensional configuration of spin ice might allow for memories of much higher density than is currently possible.
The monopoles discovered in spin ice are rather different beasts from those he and others were looking for. For a start, they are some 8000 times less magnetic and are free to move only within the spin ice, not to roam the wider universe. So they are not really analogous to electric charges, and it doesn’t look as if they are going to solve the dark matter problem.
Computers, Displays, Robots, Devices
Pixel Qi screens will use 1/2 to 1/4 the power of a regular LCD screen, and when integrated carefully with the device can increase battery life between charges by 5-fold.
The new approach has the potential to create color images that are three times brighter than displays that use color filters, including LCDs. Another aspect that could make in-plane electrophoretics more attractive: the fact that it relies on cheaper and simpler electronics to address the pixels. Electrophorectics promise the possibility of cheaper, flexible displays with brighter colors.
Electrofluidic Display Technology is another alternative for color e-book displays.
Electrofluidic Display Technology (EFD), the first technology to electrically switch the appearance of pigments in a manner that provides visual brilliance equal to conventional printed media.
29. Red Camera has developed a wavelet compression that compresses video by 700 times or more.
The Red 400 original files were mastered as 16bit TIFFs (4096×2304), roughly 51MBs per frame. That’s an uncompressed data rate of 1.3GBs per second. Blu-Ray is 1440X1080 and has 1920×1080 as well. So the Red 400 is about 5-6 times gthe resolution of Blu-ray. The Red 300 was mastered as 10bit DPX (4096×2048) at roughly 32MBs per frame or about 750MBs per second.
The compression was to 10 Mbps or less and able to be transmitted over wifi.
ETH Zurich researchers have built micro-robots as small as bacteria. Their purpose is to help cure human beings.
AI and Quantum Computers
32. Sentience driving software can control a car or trucks acceleration and braking and enable 5-24% fuel savings and could be installed in vehicles starting in 2012. It is also a transition path to completely robotic driving. For about $30 to install ion each car or truck the system would save an average of 14% of fuel usage.
In evening tests on public roads in ‘real-world’ conditions in the vicinity of TRL (Transport Research Laboratory), achieved mean savings at all times in excess of 5 per cent.
33. A series of announcements that will multiply the productivity of scientific research and enhance the ability of lay people to have scientifically correct results. These new programs and robotic systems will be further enhanced with the increasing use of cloud computing, robotic and sensor advances and increased computing power from things like GPGPU.
Space and Long Range Predictions
Stem cells, gene therapy and advanced medicine
This could lead to a baldness cures for humans and eventually to improved regeneration and healing of other organs in humans.
The drug teriparatide, or Forteo, which was approved by the FDA in 2002 for the treatment of osteoporosis appear to also boost bone stem cell production for “miraculous bone healing”.
38. Gene therapy appears safe to regenerate gum tissue.
39. NABsys scientists, in close collaboration with scientists at Brown University, are developing a proprietary platform to build solid state, electrically addressable nanopore arrays that can sequence DNA without amplification or labeling. This Hybridization-Assisted Nanopore Sequencing platform combines nanopore sequencing with sequencing-by-hybridization (SBH) to create what NABsys believes will be the lowest cost [$100 to sequence the genome], fastest whole-genome sequencing technology available.
Key Finding: Dendrimers should be able to work effectively for gene therapy and cancer drug delivery. Dendrimers are known to be safer than virus delivery of genes and drugs but to this point have been less effective. This work shows how to increase effectiveness.
41. Safer Pluripotent Stem Cells using Recombinant Protein Bath to Convert Cells have been made.
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
Known for identifying cutting edge technologies, he is currently a Co-Founder of a startup and fundraiser for high potential early-stage companies. He is the Head of Research for Allocations for deep technology investments and an Angel Investor at Space Angels.
A frequent speaker at corporations, he has been a TEDx speaker, a Singularity University speaker and guest at numerous interviews for radio and podcasts. He is open to public speaking and advising engagements.