British Telecom (BT) disruptive futurist Ian Neild, and Ian Pearson, co-wrote and edited the 2005 BT Technology Timeline published in August 2005 which lists a series of new technologies, breakthroughs, developments and trends in many technology and social areas which are expected to happen in a five-year window within the following 60 years.

Their list of predictions is enormous, so we picked some which we found especially interesting and asked Ian Neild how he and Pearson arrived at these predictions.

Our questions are in bold italic, while Neild's statements and responses are in normal script.

The whole of the 2005 BT Technology Timeline follows after that.

Ian Neild: Many thanks for taking the time to look at the predictions so closely, one of the reasons we produce the timeline is to get people looking at the constituent parts and asking why or why not.

• CTA:- 1. How did you and Ian Pearson arrive at this set of for predictions for technology over the 60 years from 2005 and what predictions, if any which you've made in the past have occurred as predicted, occurred earlier than predicted, occurred later than predicted or have not yet occurred?

In 2007 we did a summary check of the predictions for the dates that had passed and it was 85% correct.  The timeline started at around 1991, in 1993 a document listing 200 predictions for 2020 was written by Ian Pearson and Peter Cochrane.  A lot of these have come to pass and the ones that haven't do not look that far fetched today in 2008. The list was expanded in the 2001 and 2005 versions.  Each version uses the last one as a start and is then expanded using the knowledge we have picked up since the last one.  The information comes from conferences, reading scientific papers, journals etc. then a lot of cross thinking over what it all means.

• 2. You predicted - Synthetic voices pop band gets in top 20 2006-2010. Has this happened, what's the band called and when?

Apparently quite a few in Asia but the one in Europe that comes to mind is the "crazy frog", (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crazy_Frog).

• 3. First artificial electronic life 2006-2010 - What form would this take, how will it be implemented, has it happened and if so, when?

It isn't a well-worded prediction as what would constitute ‘life'? Is a fungus alive? Some people have argued a computer is virus alive.  Artificial Intelligence is creating chatbots that can fool an increasing number of humans but I wouldn't consider them alive unless they were aware of their own existence.  Hopefully by the end of 2010 the prediction will come true or at least make more sense as research in the associated fields have progressed.

• 4. People have some virtual friends but don't know which ones 2008-2012 - How do you define a virtual friend, what form will these virtual friends take and most importantly how will it affect the quality of human relationships in the long term when we humans hardly change, while technology changes so rapidly?

If you consider the number of online friends that people make in chat rooms and virtual worlds that they have never met you can easily imagine that some of these may not be what they appear.  The chatbots mentioned in the last answer are under heavy research and they do get released onto the Internet for testing, so many people may have already interacted with one in a virtual world or a chat room already.  They have allegedly been used in chatrooms as well to entice people to download trojans. Generation NET seem to class friends differently to the older generations, so perhaps the terminology is wrong, instead of friends, are these acquaintances or people we meet and chat with?

• 5. Addiction to on-line games seen as a national problem 2008-2012 - What nature would this problem or problems take, what can be done to address and overcome them and would it result in a turning away from and rejection of online games?

Internet addiction is already accepted as a problem and online games are a part of this.  We will see people playing for extended periods of time, skipping food, sleep, washing etc.  China introduced rules that limited how long users could play online but the youngsters just logged in as a second user to bypass this, a concerned parent could take control of the Internet router, many have schedule rules where a particular computer or network port can be turned off at set times, but again it is often the youngsters who are more technical savvy than the parents.  Potentially an ISP would be able to detect this addiction but whether this would be acceptable or not would probably need to be legislated.

• 6. AI starts being noticed as a source of redundancy 2013-2017 - So what would humans do then. Will they just take it lying down or would humans revolt as they might well do as the effects of the current economic crisis wipe out many jobs, in the developed and developing world?

Humans may revolt, we had the Luddite movement in the early 19^th C and around 1972 post office workers in the typing pool went on strike due to the introduction of flexi typewriters. We haven't seen people strike over the introduction of the latest word processor. But if a company started to introduce systems that would remove jobs, how could they react?  Ultimately striking doesn't help, very few businesses have no competition, so any strike action just weakens the company against this competition.  The real danger comes from new competitors who enter the market with a different model, perhaps lower overheads and no legacy systems on their books.  The print newspapers have seen this as purely online versions of news sources eating away at their business. The humans change jobs and hopefully have the skill set to do this, hence the need for life-long learning.

• 7. Network based learning causes polarization in classes - streaming is essential 2006-2010 -- What form will this polarization take and will network-based learning be superior to classroom based learning or the other way around. Also, why the necessity for network-based learning, especially in small countries like Britain where one is never far from civilization, unlike countries with vast expanses of land like Canada, Australia or parts of Russia where of there are pockets of small communities scattered across vast expanses of very sparsely inhabited land, such as the northern provinces of Canada, northern parts of Australia and eastern parts of Russia? BTW. The Malaysian government has promoted computer-based distance learning since the mid-1990s but in 1998 I discovered that the medical, legal and engineering professional accreditation bodies regarded graduates of distance learning and twinning programmes as inferior to graduates of full-time courses at universities. For example the Board of Engineers Malaysia requires the former type of engineering graduates to undergo a longer period of post-graduate mentored work experience under a registered professional engineer than the latter type before they can qualify to sit for their professional interview, which would lead to them becoming professional engineers themselves. Also, Malaysia's Legal Profession Qualifying Board had de-recognized all British law degrees obtained externally by Malaysians, except external degrees awarded by the University of London and the reason given was the prevalence of distance learning and part-time courses in British legal education.

That's quite a long question and covers a lot of areas, in a classroom everyone has to learn at the same pace and we know that doesn't always work fairly. Some people react very well to network-based learning, others don't but as this gets better and the lessons become personalised to that particular person it should mean that people learn at their own speed and we will see the usual bell curve spread.  MIT has put its classes online, you won't get the same experience as being in the classes but then you won't have to pay to attend and you don't have to be in Boston.

• 8. Paper money replaced by smart media 2011-2015 -- So does this mean the Biblical prediction about 666 will have come to pass?

Death and taxes are the best things to predict but trying to control money is a close 3^rd.  People want to shift money around more and we have a lot of problems with counterfeit money and money laundering, so increasingly, numbers or tokens will displace physical money.  People get worried by this but paper money usually has a serial number on so is marked and the paper actually has a unique pattern relating to the fiber structure, so in theory it could be tracked if the banks and retailers logged this info.

• 9. e-Baybies form virtual population of 1 Bn 2030s -- And what will be the point of having so many e-Babies and since they are "e" what difference will they make in terms of demand on living space, food, education, healthcare and so on?

The idea was that people may take their own genetic code and mix it with some one else's to create a virtual baby, so no demands on living space etc. but there would be energy issues, I read that the average second life avatar requires the same energy requirement as a Brazilian.

• 10. Nanotechnology toys 2013-2017 - What forms will these toys take and what will their characteristics be like?

Various, what would you want the toys of the future to do? When we were thinking about this we wondered about how we could make small toys more interesting.  Researchers have played a nano bot football match in 2008 http://www.livegrids.net/?p=65

Will there be a car race next?

• 11. Frequent use of multiple Net identities causes personality disorders 2008-2012 - So how will these disorders be treated and future disorders from the same cause prevented?

I'm not sure, we raised it as an issue for people to discuss, people have had these disorders for some time but by day I may be a mild mannered person and at night I choose to be something else in these virtual worlds and games or online as I'm disconnected.  I realise I'm in a game or a world so I can differentiate it, if I start to take these games with me by playing with head up displays etc or if I import real people into the games / worlds then will I start to get confused.  If you go go-karting for a day and then drive home you may find that the first 100 metres drive home feels strange as you are still programmed to drive like you are in a go kart.

• 12. Cheap miniature cameras cause social backlash 2008-2012 - Why?

You don't know if you're on camera and who is recording you, you start to demand camera free zones.  How would you feel if your first date recorded your first kiss without your knowledge?  We have seen different reactions to CCTV and Google streetview cars around the world, the UK has the most CCTV (though the initial figures may have been wrong).  Not many people realize that ATMs take photographs or that supermarkets have cameras all over, if they knew they would be concerned and some would protest but it would gradually settle down.  I quite like the idea that if I am attacked there is a greater chance of the attacker being caught and hopefully help being sent.  It may even start a new service in lost property, imagine if you could ask Big brother where you last had your umbrella?

• 13. Use of analogue co-processors in PCs 2011-2015 -- Does the mean the beginning of a pendulum swing back from digital to analogue electronics in computers?

Yes, although it is likely they will only be for specialist tasks.  The world is analogue and we went digital computing as at the time it was easier to do. The University of Manchester who were pioneers had their baby run a digital program 60 years ago http://www.computer50.org/ are also keen on analogue as well

http://intranet.cs.man.ac.uk/apt/uElecCV/VS26.php

• 14. Windows drops below 50% penetration worldwide 2011-2015 - Why and what will replace Windows?

Desktops and laptops are not the main source of computing. So Windows will gradually be eroded by Linux (and it's variants), embedded OSs, Windows Mobile (I know it has Windows in title), Symbian etc. I'm surprised we haven't seen LiveCDs given away in mainstream papers to replace desktop Windows.

• 15. Mass internet rallies 2006-2010 -- What will this achieve in terms of political changes in the physical world when mass physical rallies in the United States and Britain have done nothing to end the war in Iraq, Afghanistan or elsewhere for that matter?

Internet rallies can act as denial of service and are on a much larger scale, if everyone actively clicked on the White House Gov Web site and crashed the server would they have taken notice?  Probably not but if everyone clicked on supermarkets web sites until they only stocked Dolphin friendly Tuna then how long before they succumbed? I'd say a few hours maximum.

• 16. Anti-tech backlash 2011-2015 -- Why will this happen, what form will it take and what will lead to?

Some people are against the new technology and just want things to be how they were and when they remember being happy, if you watch some of the TV fantasy shows about life in the middle ages it looks wonderful, why don't we all go live as we did?  Communities will set themselves up as technology free, blackberry free etc. they may chose anti technology holidays, with no mobile phone coverage etc.

• 17. 2nd internet with guaranteed security for email, with no spam 2011-2015 -- How will security for e-mail be guaranteed on Internet version 2, when it can't on Internet version 1?

Because someone owns the whole network and it is all accountable, you may be constrained on what you can attach and what you can do compared to the 1st Internet but then how may of us just want email, IM, Web and banking at the moment. Is there a market for a simple secure web browser that doesn't do all the extra stuff that helps the hackers. With cloud computing and the talk of thin clients we may end up with something that looks more like minitel enabling us secure access to certain applications and the other Internet for fun stuff.

• 18. 90% of calls tetherless 2006-2010 - What is your explanation of this?

Mobile phone numbers vs. fixed phones and the falling price of cordless chipsets.

• 19. Wireless LANs become preferred access mechanism for mobile internet use 2006-2010 -- Why and what technology will this Wireless LAN be based on and how will it achieve the kind of wide-area coverage of current HSPA, WiMAX or 3G LTE networks?

We didn't specify a standard but chipsets have already started to include Wireless by default; it makes placement far easier in the home, plus increasingly Internet access on the move will be greater than Internet access at fixed locations.

• 20. All voice calls free 2011-2015 -- So how will carriers make money then and how will it affect VoIP operators such as Skype?

How many types of free can you think of? Different business models will emerge, you may pay a monthly charge or you may have adverts or it may be bundled as your paying for entertainment or avatar insurance.  Think how much a call minute cost yesterday and today, the trend is downward and we get more call minutes for our monthly charges.

• 21. High Speed Civil Transport supersonic jet, 300 passengers, 1500mph 2011-2015 -- If the Soviet Union's Tupolev Tu-144 was a commercial failure, the Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde was a very limited success and Boeing did not proceed to build its SST (supersonic transport) back in the late 60s, how will this future civilian SST succeed. Also are you referring to NASA's High Speed Civil Transport project from 1990 to 1999, which is based on a Tupolev Tu-144LL, according to Wikipedia. Also, NASA itself states in bold letters "*** NOTE: The NASA High-Speed Research (HSR) Program was phased out in fiscal year 1999 ***" on its website at http://oea.larc.nasa.gov/PAIS/HSR-Overview2.html and the specifications of the HSCT you predict will come to pass between 2011 and 2015 match those of NASA's HSCT, so is the HSCT you refer to still on or not and if so, who is developing it?

We weren't referring to a particular aircraft or company, though obviously such work does influence the prediction.  This was an entry from the 2001 timeline (finished in 2000) and eight years later I admit it does look risky but I still have till the end of 2015 before I'm wrong. Current market forces will probably make a civil variant for 300 passengers unlikely to be in production but there may be on the drawing board or at least proven feasible by tests.  Japan also does research into this field and in October 2005, the Japan Aerospace eXploration Agency, undertook aerodynamic testing of a scale model of an airliner designed to carry 300 passengers at Mach 2. If pursued to commercial deployment, it would be expected to be in service around 2020 - 2025.

http://www.jaxa.jp/article/special/aviation/oonuki01_e.html

Checking the 2001 issue I also see it listed in the telecoms sections, so there is a chance of a mistake here in our date.

As USA, Europe, Asia does increasing trade there has been increasing traffic between these continents and so the need now is greater than in the 60's, whilst video conferencing does a lot we still see the need for some human contact.

------------------------------------

The next few questions come from the wild card section, in the timeline these are explained as Based on an original idea by John Petersen from the Arlington Institute), these differ as the dates are when it can happen from and not when they will happen, i.e. a fusion reactor couldn't go into meltdown until one had been built, so if the proposed date of completion was 2020 then the earliest it could happen is 2020.

• 22. Internet collapse due to security concerns undermining trust 2005 -- Did the Internet collapse in 2005 or was did trust on the Internet collapse and what was the result of it?

Phishing and identity are big problems on the Internet but they are still there.

• 23. International social collapse - widespread civil conflict 2020 - And what will emerge out of all this -- another Hitler, Mussolini or another 7th of November, 1917 all over again?

Maybe.

• 24. Humans assimilated into net 2075 -- What of the Net crashes or is disrupted. Will there be a backup of humans?

The Net would be the backup, so if it does crash then they would be lost, just as if they had died.

• 25. Whatever happened to that pen being developed at Adastral Park nine years ago which converts handwriting to text which can be downloaded into a PC. It would be very useful in my line of work and greatly save me having to type my written notes into my PC?

Smart Quill had some patents filed on using accelerometers as input, these have been licensed to some large companies but we can't say which.  If you are interested in digital pens then Nokia use the anoto system (http://www.anoto.com/), which uses special paper and a variety of systems use a clipboard to put normal paper on and monitor the pen. They are very handy backups for paper pads but you need special pads.  I used the Nokia pen but tend to carry a HTC phone and a camera with me now so I take notes on the HTC and photograph articles that I then look at on my laptop.

###

2005 BT Technology Timeline

August 2005

Edited by Ian Neild & Ian Pearson

Welcome to the 2005 edition of the BT Technology Timeline

As usual the timeline comes with the same caveats. The authors (Ian Neild and Ian Pearson) and BT (http://www.bt.com) are not involved in all of the research described in the timeline. We also do not necessarily approve or condone what we are predicting will happen. We are just saying they are possible, and listing some obvious implications.

The timeline has often been used by various people and companies around the world to start off workshops and brainstorms. Look at each entry and think "is it likely?" You may agree or disagree with the prediction. If you disagree, is the date too soon or too late, is the idea just too ludicrous or does it scare you? Go back 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 or more years and imagine explaining what we do today. Then debate how it will affect you, your life and your business.

Many of the items may seem like science fiction, but as the great scientist Arthur C Clarke said:

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." - Profiles of The Future, 1961 (Clarke's third law).

The majority of the feedback we receive on the timeline is positive, but we do receive some criticism. But just because you don't agree with us now, don't worry, in 10 years' time you may change your mind. Human technology has moved from the first flight to flying to the moon in around 60 years - which was a remarkable achievement. In the past 60 years we have gone from Colossus - a machine the size of a room used to crack supposedly unbreakable codes during a war - to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 - machines that bring virtual war into a room. These games machines have the processing power of super computers just 10 years ago yet are now used for entertainment.

In the next 60 years we will see nanotechnology and biotechnology making impacts on our life that might seem like magic to us but will be quite normal to our children's children. The world is speeding up as each generation learns from their kids, and through knowledge sharing via the Internet, so who knows what the next 60 years will bring? Our timeline can only cover a small sample of what is coming.

I look at the world in which my one-year-old will grow up, and can't help comparing it to my world, or my parent's or grandparent's worlds. We still do the same basic things in life but in terms of how we do them, we may as well be on different planets as different timelines.

The sources for the timeline include the preceding BT technology timeline, the web, magazines, chats with world experts and from interesting newsletters such as the Harrow report (http://www.theharrowgroup.com/) and Peter Cochrane (http://www.cochrane.org.uk/).

The future comes to us all at 60 minutes an hour but the timeline allows us to look a bit further up the road and see what could be happening. It is up to you decide what to do about it, or even to ignore it, but we certainly hope you will enjoy thinking about the future and the impact it will have on you in work, life and play.

Ian Neild

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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE & ARTIFICIAL LIFE 3

BIOTECHNOLOGY, HEALTH & MEDICAL 4

BUSINESS & EDUCATION.................      5

DEMOGRAPHICS.................................      6

ENERGY................................................      6

ENVIRONMENT & COUNTRYSIDE..      7

HOME AND OFFICE INFRASTRUCTURE 7

LIFE & LEISURE IN A CYBERSPACE WORLD 8

MACHINE INPUT/OUTPUT................      9

MATERIALS & ELECTRONIC DEVICES 9

PROCESSING, MEMORY AND STORAGE 10

ROBOTICS.............................................      10

SECURITY, MILITARY, LAW............      11

SHOPPING & MONEY.........................      12

SPACE....................................................      12

TELECOMMUNICATIONS.................. 12

TRANSPORT & TRAVEL....................      13

WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY.............. 13

ADDENDUM: WILD CARDS (THAT COULD HAPPEN ALMOST ANYTIME) 14

2005 BT Technology Timeline

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE & ARTIFICIAL LIFE

Synthetic voices pop band gets in top 20 2006-2010

Emotionally responsive toys and robots 2006-2010

Odour and flavour sensors comparable to dog 2006-2010

Virus aimed at toys released 2006-2010

Computer agent personal shoppers 2006-2010

Toys with network based intelligence 2006-2010

AI chatbots indistinguishable from people by 95 % of population 2006-2010

First artificial electronic life 2006-2010

First species brought back from extinction 2006-2010

Domestic appliances with personality 2006-2010

AI pop group gets top 10 hit 2006-2010

AI Entity passes GCSE 2008-2012

AI used as classroom assistants 2008-2012

Action man toys engage in war games over networks 2008-2012

Toys with built in tracking technology 2008-2012

People have some virtual friends but don't know which ones 2008-2012

Mood-sensitive home décor 2008-2012

Location devices implanted into pets 2008-2012

First divorce due to virtual affair with computer game character 2008-2012

Addiction to on-line games seen as a national problem 2008-2012

DNA used to assemble electronic circuits 2008-2012

First bacterium assembled from scratch 2008-2012

Many drugs delivered via fruit 2008-2012

AI football manager 2008-2012

AI football teams as TV entertainment 2008-2012

AI Entity passes A Level 2011-2015

AI companies illegally cloned 2011-2015

Highest earning celebrity is synthetic 2011-2015

Dolls with personality chip and full sensory input 2011-2015

25 % of TV celebrities synthetic 2011-2015

Expert systems surpass average human learning and logic abilities 2011-2015

Computer agents start being thought of as colleagues instead of tools 2011-2015

Autonomous AI sales staff become AI stalkers 2011-2015

Smart jelly babies 2011-2015

Smart mammary memory 2011-2015

First multi-celled organism assembled from scratch 2011-2015

Drugs delivered in carbon buckyballs (burst open at destination under laser light) 2011-2015

AI technology imitating thinking processes of the brain 2013-2017

AI teachers get better results than most human teachers 2013-2017

AI starts being noticed as a source of redundancy 2013-2017

AI Entity gains Degree 2013-2017

Computers that write most of their own software 2013-2017

AI students 2013-2017

Most software written by machine 2013-2017

AI Entity gains Masters Degree 2016-2020

Human knowledge exceeded by machine knowledge 2016-2020

Electronic pets outnumber organic pets 2016-2020

Electronic life form given basic rights 2016-2020

Artificial insects and small animals with artificial brains 2016-2020

AI Member of parliament 2016-2020

Smart bacteria, contains electronics and linked to net 2016-2020

AI brings chimpanzee or dolphin up to human level intelligence 2020s

AI Entity gains PhD 2020s

AI Entity awarded Nobel Prize 2020s

Remote control devices built into pets 2020s

Virus wipes out half of the electronic pet population 2020s

AI entities given vote 2020s

Smart yoghurt, colony of smart bacteria linked together, IQ = human 2020s

Brain 'add-ons' 2030s

AI Entity sets up higher level prize 2030s

Learning superseded by transparent interface to smart computer 2030s

Robots physically and mentally superior to humans 2030s

Emulation of bio life form inside the computer using protein emulation 2030s

Living genetically engineered teddy bear 2040s

Primate given brain implant to increase intelligence to human level 2040s

Humanoid robots beat England football team  2050s

BIOTECHNOLOGY, HEALTH & MEDICAL

Electronic prescriptions reduce fraud and improve speed 2006-2010

Quiz shows screen for implant technologies 2006-2010

24/7 blood chemistry monitoring 2006-2010

Laser activated drug capsules 2006-2010

Ultrasound or radio activated capsules 2006-2010

Blood analysis chips 2006-2010

Supermarkets used as major source of medical alerts 2006-2010

Remote control of insects by neural implants 2006-2010

Emotion detection used in businesses to select front line staff 2006-2010

e-Baybies electronic conception 2008-2012

Instant electronic identification of pathogens 2008-2012

Expert systems used extensively in GP surgeries 2008-2012

Hospitals use virtual queuing systems 2008-2012

Neural networks used for patient appointment management 2008-2012

Multimedia patient records 2008-2012

Lifestyle monitoring and insurance linked to medical records 2008-2012

Online surgeries dominate first line medical care 2008-2012

Active skin 2008-2012

Video tattoos 2008-2012

Cyber-drugs (electronically activated drugs) 2008-2012

Automated pain relief for soldiers 2008-2012

Bacteria in toothpaste to attack plaque 2008-2012

e-Baybies, binary conception 2008-2012

Antibacterial coatings on domestic appliances, phones etc, especially in hospitals 2008-2012

Smells embedded in ordinary household objects 2008-2012

Flexible displays used for body monitoring and alerts 2008-2012

Emotional jewellery 2008-2012

Emotion alerts 2008-2012

Rich world badly infected by third world disease 2008-2012

Hand-held scanner to detect tumours using tissue resonance interferometer 2008-2012

Broadcasters become major source of funding for medical research 2008-2012

Smart pill bottles remotely monitor medication taking and use alarms 2008-2012

Drug shortages caused by internet diagnostics 2008-2012

MRSA detection chips on sale in high street 2008-2012

Diabetes cure via stem cell research 2008-2012

Hotels offer some hospital services 2008-2012

Devices roaming within blood vessels under own power 2011-2015

Operations videoed and stored as part of medical record 2011-2015

Use of human's own tissues to grow replacement organs 2011-2015

Direct electronic pleasure production 2011-2015

Orgasm by email 2011-2015

Artificial senses, sensors directly stimulating nerves 2011-2015

Smart membranes for remote control of drug injection 2011-2015

Context sensitive cyber-drugs 2011-2015

Electronic stimulation of brain sensations as recreational substitute for drugs 2011-2015

Some implants seen as status symbols 2011-2015

Custom (GM) foods for particular medical conditions will exist. 2011-2015

Gene-gel stimulation of re-growth of natural teeth on demand 2011-2015

Retina regeneration using foetal retinal cell injection 2011-2015

Tooth regeneration 2011-2015

Domestic bacterial detection devices 2011-2015

Plastic bones 2011-2015

Emotion logging and recording 2011-2015

Emotionally specific drugs 2011-2015

Micro-fluidic chips used for gene sequencing in every GP surgery 2011-2015

Self certification for prescriptions using electronic diagnostics 2011-2015

Visitor sanitising in hospitals 2011-2015

Insects that can be controlled by artificial positioning systems 2011-2015

Outpatients at home - remote tele-medical consultations 2011-2015

Genetic links of all 90% of diseases identified 2013-2017

Individual's genome part of their medical record 2013-2017

Synthetic organs by printing layers of cells 2013-2017

Synthetic viruses 2013-2017

Portable bactericidal devices 2013-2017

Bactericidal saws incorporated onto materials in hospitals 2013-2017

Sensory augmentation using sensory implants, nanoparticles etc 2013-2017

Use of stem cells in brain after strokes or accidents 2013-2017

Gene therapy generates new hair cells in humans 2013-2017

Sensory implants allows direct sensing of cyberspace entities 2013-2017

Robotic cleaners in hospitals 2013-2017

Biometrics and medical tests linked to benefits and disability allowance 2013-2017

Nanotech based organism colonies 2016-2020

Synthetic bacteria 2016-2020

Artificial sensors used in cosmetic upgrade surgery 2016-2020

Smart makeup 2016-2020

Listing of individual's DNA for $1 (10M key base pairs) 2016-2020

Brief human suspended animation 2020s

Electronic memory enhancement 2020s

Many new forms of plants and animals from genetic engineering 2020s

Nanobots in toothpaste attack plaque 2020s

Fully functioning artificial eyes 2020s

Electronic brain implants 2020s

Genetic, chemical and physiological bases of human behaviour understood  2020s

Intelligence or memory enhancement by external means 2020s

First Bionic Olympics 2020s

e-Baybies, genetic conception 2020s

DNA compression used to create optimal organisms 2020s

Virus crosses over from machine to human 2020s

Synthetic immune system 2020s

Artificial peripheral nerves 2030s

e-Baybies, digital emulation conception 2030s

Sims game using real genetics 2030s

Artificial brain 2040s

Brain in jar 2040s

BUSINESS & EDUCATION

Professional paid-for email 2006-2010

Lifestyle brands dominate 2006-2010

Network based learning causes polarisation in classes - streaming is essential 2006-2010

Global classes used for multicultural immersion 2006-2010

Instant voice mail 2006-2010

Nomadic information companies paying no corporation tax 2006-2010

Business offer individual deals to customers 2006-2010

British retirement age rose to 70 2006-2010

25% of UK workforce teleworking at least 2 days a week 2006-2010

Human free companies 2008-2012

All government services delivered electronically 2008-2012

Universal monitoring of business transactions 2008-2012

"Made in China" seen as a sign of status 2008-2012

Most advertising is personalised to viewer 2008-2012

e-money, e-vouchers, celebrity cash 2008-2012

Smart stickers for the home 2008-2012

Biometrics compulsory for claimants 2008-2012

Electronic communications compulsory for claimants 2008-2012

Email used to communicate with most social service claimants 2008-2012

Inter-business financial transactions all electronic 2008-2012

Virtual companies and virtual co-operatives dominate 2008-2012

Superstar teachers use telepresence to lecture to dispersed classes 2008-2012

Personalised degrees quantised to individual lectures 2008-2012

Purely electronic companies exist - minimal human involvement 2008-2012

Augmented reality key part of high street 2008-2012

Mass internet blockade of business, brand, country 2008-2012

Return to the high street as personal service matters again 2011-2015

Printers good enough to make reasonable quality forged banknotes 2011-2015

Paper money replaced by smart media 2011-2015

Spread of nomadic information companies leads to global taxation 2011-2015

New tax forms, e.g. compulsory servants 2011-2015

Academic learning is argued to be unnecessary in the age of smart machines 2013-2017

Integrated taxation in all transactions 2013-2017

Return to sender viruses, corporate counterattacks 2013-2017

Retirement age raised to 75 2013-2017

Major pensions crisis 2016-2020

More people using telework centres than home working 2016-2020

Telework centres double as community resources 2016-2020

Police force privatised in many nations 2016-2020

Less than 10% of UK workforce in manufacturing 2016-2020

Autonomous production plants make everything, Asia unemployment increases 2016-2020

Pension crisis, collapse of stock market due to share sales to pay pensions 2016-2020

Retirement age linked to medical history 2016-2020

Language teaching decline due to machine translation services 2020s

Learning superseded by transparent interface to smart computers 2030s

95% of people in advanced nation computer literate 2030s

DEMOGRAPHICS

Less than 20% of UK workforce in manufacturing 2006-2010

World population reaches 7 billion 2008-2012

India population hits 1.2 billion 2008-2012

Population growth slows to 1% (1.3% today) 2008-2012

Asia-Pacific overtakes US in internet users 2008-2012

Worldwide deaths due to HIV/AIDS peak at 1.7 million 2008-2012

60% of the world's population living in cities 2011-2015

China GDP overtakes EU GDP 2013-2017

400M people live in mega cities of over 10M inhabitants 2013-2017

50% of world population have internet access and processing capability 2013-2017

Androids form 10% of population 2016-2020

70 million over 65s in USA (20%) with 9 million over 85s 2020s

3Bn people water stressed (<1700 cu m per capita per year) 2020s

First e-Baybies genetically assembled 2020s

Chinese graduates exceed American and European graduates 2020s

3.5 Bn people water stressed (400M in 2001) 2030s

e-Baybies form virtual population  of 1 Bn 2030s

First e-Baybies electronically emulated 2030s

World population peaks at 10 billion 2040s

ENERGY

Button sized gas turbine generators for portable device power 2006-2010

Return to nuclear power in UK (decision made) 2006-2010

Power save mode on appliances linked to grid demands 2008-2012

Power rationing enforced due to grid shortage 2008-2012

Home fuel cell based 7kW generator 2008-2012

Solar chimney power station (1.5km tall) 2008-2012

Most portables powered by fuel cells 2008-2012

Multi layer solar cells with efficiency over 50% 2008-2012

Solar reflector satellites bringing sunlight to major Northern cities 2008-2012

Nuclear power plants supply 16% of energy in Russia and Eastern Europe 2008-2012

Worldwide energy consumption 50% greater than 1993 2008-2012

Renewable power in UK at 5 % 2008-2012

Hydrogen production by bacteria 2008-2012

Commercial magma power stations 2011-2015

Hydrogen fuel available on UK forecourts 2011-2015

Active transmission/distribution grid - energy web 2011-2015

Widespread use of carbon fixing/burying 2011-2015

Extremely insulated buildings 2011-2015

Catalytic water decomposition by sunlight 2013-2017

Seabed gas hydrate crystals used as fuel source 2013-2017

Worldwide oil consumption is 100M barrels of oil per day 2013-2017

10% of UK energy produced by renewables 2013-2017

Nuclear power in UK up to 25 % 2016-2020

Oil consumption peaks 2016-2020

Systems based on biochemical storage of solar energy 2020s

Widespread use of micro CHP stations (in 50% of premises) 2020s

Space solar power stations 2030s

Wave energy providing up to 50% of UK requirements 2040s

Use of nuclear fusion as power source 2040s

ENVIRONMENT & COUNTRYSIDE

Complete list of 1.5 million known species available on web 2006-2010

Virtual farming co-operatives 2006-2010

GM crops infect neighbouring fields 2006-2010

Between 15 and 95cm rise in sea level 2006-2010

Extensive remote sensing use in environmental management 2008-2012

Effective prediction of most natural disasters 2008-2012

Out-sourced vegetable plots 2008-2012

Poor countries charge for bio-prospecting 2008-2012

Genetic solutions in one area become environmental problems for other areas 2008-2012

Green groups endorse products 2008-2012

Killer bug resistant to all known antibiotics 2008-2012

Nuclear power generally accepted by green groups 2008-2012

Growth of scientific environmentalism 2008-2012

Landfills in London and surrounding region full 2011-2015

Insect-like robots used for crop pollination 2011-2015

Large areas of countryside used for biomass production 2011-2015

New environmental groups focused on visual environment protection 2011-2015

Ecotourism one of biggest environmental problems 2011-2015

Green groups use defensive patenting of damaging technologies 2011-2015

Waste sludge used to create energy using bacteria in fuel cells 2011-2015

Increased use of GM crops on saline contaminated soils 2013-2017

30% of world's arable land will be salty 2020s

Widespread use of sensors in the countryside 2020s

70% of landfills in USA full 2020s

Carbon dioxide fixation technologies for environment protection 2030s

Artificial precipitation induction & control 2030s

Global environmental management corporations 2040s

50% of world's arable land will be salty 2050s

Ozone hole disappears 2050s

HOME AND OFFICE INFRASTRUCTURE

Chips on food packaging tell when food is at its best 2006-2010

Video tiles 2006-2010

Emotional objects, switches etc around home 2006-2010

Most homes have wireless networks 2006-2010

Spoken caller number identity, with personal numbering 2006-2010

SMS appliances 2006-2010

IM appliances 2006-2010

Electronic notebook with contrast as good as paper 2008-2012

Smart paint available (contains chips) 2008-2012

Digital bathroom mirror 2008-2012

Magazine tablets 2008-2012

Personalised response from household gadgets 2008-2012

Mood sensitive light bulbs 2008-2012

Consumer electronics devices plug straight into home net 2008-2012

Smart responsive environments 2008-2012

Domestic positioning systems 2008-2012

Most homes use web cams for communication 2008-2012

Virtual windows 2008-2012

Dual architecture 2008-2012

Anti-noise technology built into homes 2011-2015

Active wallpaper responds to inhabitants' moods etc 2011-2015

Chips in packaging control cooking 2011-2015

Neighbourhood video surveillance networks 2011-2015

Washing machine aware of contents and selects cycle 2011-2015

Augmented reality offices used in telework centres 2011-2015

Palm-top printing puts buttons on skin 2011-2015

Glasses based displays dominate in the office 2011-2015

Electronic response based on conversational inference 2011-2015

Windows with coatings to re-direct sunlight 2011-2015

Nanotechnology toys 2013-2017

Traditional pubs using technology to enhance illusion of tradition 2013-2017

Kaleidoscopic flowers using electronic inks 2016-2020

Patio display panels and slabs to simulate beach 2020s

Anti noise technology in gardens 2020s

3D home printers 2020s

Nanotechnology plants 2020s

LIFE & LEISURE IN A CYBERSPACE WORLD

Avatar cosmetic surgery 2006-2010

Theatres gain extra revenue by allowing internet attendance 2006-2010

Conferencing technology for remote socialising in public places 2006-2010

1Bn internet users 2006-2010

Automatic video capture of personal events 2006-2010

24/7 audio recording 2006-2010

Remind me devices 2006-2010

Personal surveillance 2006-2010

Social log 2006-2010

Deep indexing creates greater bonds between people (i-Pod play lists etc create insight into another's personality) 2006-2010

Electronically mediated tribes become major social structures 2006-2010

Virtual car races as spectator sports 2006-2010

Personal remote web servers 2006-2010

Chips in footballs, players, etc to enhance data collection 2006-2010

Viewers able to pick any angle or player view 2006-2010

Augmented reality at sports grounds to enhance spectator experience 2006-2010

Major social problem caused by email and texting in secret relationships 2006-2010

Mobile email reduces productivity due to lack of concentration on task-in-hand 2006-2010

Tourist information beacons 2008-2012

Cyberspace make-up 2008-2012

People have cyberspace wardrobe 2008-2012

Frequent use of multiple Net identities causes personality disorders 2008-2012

Cheap miniature cameras cause social backlash 2008-2012

Toy soldiers with video camera eyes enrich play 2008-2012

People reduce tax liability by being partially paid in information products 2008-2012

On line voting in UK 2008-2012

VR overlays on real world 2008-2012

Loneliness in aged population greatly reduced by network communities 2008-2012

National UK decisions influenced by electronic referenda 2008-2012

Worldwide population of over 65s increases by 1 million monthly 2008-2012

Cyber community with 100 million people 2008-2012

1st Extreme Olympics 2008-2012

Personal black boxes record everyday life 2008-2012

Mass customisation of toys 2008-2012

Ability to digitally replace or enhance people in your field of view 2008-2012

Digital x-ray glasses 2008-2012

Xanadu, leisure city in cyberspace 2008-2012

Kitchen rage caused by electronic gadgets 2011-2015

Electronic implant equivalent to Botox 2011-2015

Living area use of virtual reality scenes 2011-2015

Replacement of people leads to anti-technology subculture 2011-2015

Make-up by numbers 2011-2015

Orgasmatron 2011-2015

Most electronic toys hybrids with half on net 2011-2015

Active skin makeup 2013-2017

VR escapism is a major social problem 2013-2017

Dual geo/cyber-nationality recognised internationally 2013-2017

Most towns echoed in cyberspace 2013-2017

Films where viewers can choose who acts in each role 2016-2020

Emotion transmission and conversion (feel love or anger) 2020s

Digital image overlays enhance relationships 2020s

Global voting on some issues 2020s

Network based telepathy 2020s

Creation of The Matrix 2030s

VR extensively used in retirement homes 2030s

Restricted capability home genetic engineering kits 2030s

Experience recording 2030s

Real' toy soldiers using nanotechnology 2030s

Running man' style TV programs using androids 2030s

MACHINE INPUT/OUTPUT

e-ink screen advertising billboards 2006-2010

Personalised adverts on Radio 2006-2010

Head up displays for DVD watching 2006-2010

Smelly television using chips with small reservoirs of chemicals 2006-2010

Simple voice command interface for home appliances 2006-2010

3D 'Minority Report' style air display 2006-2010

Virtual mouse 2006-2010

3d fingertip tracking 2006-2010

Self destructing DVDs used for video hiring 2006-2010

i-Pod style jog-wheel dialling for phones 2006-2010

Holographic animated or video advertisements (few second video clips) 2008-2012

Displays with image quality comparable to paper 2008-2012

Separate volume controls for different people in room 2008-2012

3d air display 2008-2012

Projected augmented reality 2008-2012

Personalised TV & radio 2008-2012

Use of storage based nets 2008-2012

3d personal glasses displays 2008-2012

Full voice interaction with PC 2008-2012

Voice synthesis quality up to human standard 2008-2012

Data loss because of format changes becomes major business problem 2008-2012

Self organising displays 2011-2015

Active contact lens 2011-2015

Augmented reality standard in towns and cities 2011-2015

Dual architectures 2011-2015

Active skin touch sensitive display on forearm or for adornment 2011-2015

Holographic displays for continuous video 2013-2017

Hamster ball with VR for pets 2013-2017

Computer link to biological sensory organs 2013-2017

Holodecks using box room lined completely with polymer screens 2016-2020

Thought recognition as everyday input means 2016-2020

Holographic TV 2020s

Full direct brain link 2020s

Virtual display 2030s

MATERIALS & ELECTRONIC DEVICES

Spherical silicon integrated circuits 2006-2010

Polymers with lower resistance than copper at room temperature 2006-2010

Chips with 1 billion transistors 2006-2010

Use of polymer gels for muscles 2006-2010

Quantum effect interferometer for flux measurement 2006-2010

Use of carbon fullerenes for on chip interconnect 2006-2010

Chemical lab on a chip 2006-2010

Self diagnosis using gene chips for domestic use 2006-2010

Liquid drop lenses for camera phones etc 2006-2010

Piezoelectric motors for moving lenses in phones 2006-2010

Terahertz scanners 2006-2010

Portable terahertz scanners 2006-2010

Self organising adaptive integrated circuits 2008-2012

Use of polymer gels for bioreactors 2008-2012

Molecular sized switches 2008-2012

Intelligent materials with in-built sensors, storage and effectors 2008-2012

Smart skin for intelligent clothing and direct human repair 2008-2012

Self organisation used in most fields of electronics 2008-2012

Use of bacteria to assemble small circuits 2008-2012

Crossbar based logic circuits 2008-2012

Use of polymer gels for information processing 2011-2015

Chips with 10 billion transistors 2011-2015

Materials exhibiting superconductivity at room temperature 2013-2017

Manufacture of long diamond fibres 2013-2017

Smart bacteria 2016-2020

Smart yoghurt 2020s

PROCESSING, MEMORY AND STORAGE

Supercomputer as fast as human brain 2006-2010

Live CD-based OS distributed in newspaper 2006-2010

Optical neuro-computers 2008-2012

Simple quantum computer, 4 Qubits 2008-2012

Computers used for creativity enhancement 2008-2012

MP3 Net downloads dominate over CD distribution 2008-2012

Personal memory sticks replace hard drives for everyday files (HD used as archive) 2008-2012

Most video players based on memory sticks 2008-2012

Public storage provided by local government to support social use of IT 2008-2012

100GB memory sticks (typical 2005 HD capacity) 2008-2012

Ultra-simple computing - just in time OS 2008-2012

Chinux OS Chinese UNIX variant 2008-2012

OS distributed primarily on ROM 2008-2012

DNA storage device 2011-2015

Supercomputers with speed exceeding 1 ExaFLOPS 2011-2015

Use of analogue co-processors in PCs 2011-2015

DNA computer 2011-2015

Windows drops below 50% penetration worldwide 2011-2015

Use of bacteria for processing and storage 2011-2015

Desktop computer as fast as human brain 2013-2017

Bacterial supercomputer 2013-2017

Circuits made with bacteria by own DNA, smart yoghurt 2020s

ROBOTICS

Totally automated factories 2006-2010

Global domestic robot numbers passes 4M 2006-2010

Global industrial robot numbers passes 1M 2006-2010

Fractal shape-changing robots 2008-2012

Insect-like robots used in warfare 2008-2012

Robotic dolls and pets account for 10 % of domestic telecomm traffic 2008-2012

Self monitoring infrastructures using smart materials and sensors. 2008-2012

Micromechanical gnomes 2008-2012

Robots for cleaning, washing fetch and carry in hospital 2008-2012

Robot dance tutors 2011-2015

Nanowalkers, nanoworms, nanofish 2011-2015

Mechanical intelligence using MEMS and NEMS 2011-2015

Android robots used for factory jobs 2011-2015

Fleet of garden robots for plant and lawn care and tidying 2011-2015

Robots for cleaning, washing fetch and carry, in office 2011-2015

Robot pest killers 2011-2015

Housework robots - fetch, carry, clean & tidy, organise etc. 2013-2017

Robots for guiding blind people 2013-2017

Cybernetic use in sports 2013-2017

Robots for cleaning, washing, fetch and carry, in home 2013-2017

Self diagnostic self repairing robots 2016-2020

Actuators resembling human muscles 2016-2020

Insect sized robots banned in gardens due to effects on wildlife 2020s

Robotic delivery for internal mail 2020s

Robotic exercise companion 2020s

More robots than people in developed countries 2020s

Android gladiators 2020s

GM and robotics converge, GM used to make organic robots 2020s

Micro-Mechano fractal construction kit 2030s

i-Robot style robots with polymer muscles and strong AI 2040s

SECURITY, MILITARY, LAW

Edited

Mass internet rallies 2006-2010

Bacteria used in detection of explosives 2006-2010

Blogs in military use as dominant intelligence technique 2006-2010

Major terrorist attack on company or country via internet 2006-2010

Soldiers' weapons fired remotely 2006-2010

Software companies sued for misuse of remotely controlled weapon 2006-2010

War fought over water supply 2006-2010

Logic checkers highlighting contradictory evidence 2006-2010

SMS spam problem undermines mobile content market 2006-2010

Biometric home access 2006-2010

Expenditure on security exceeds expected cost of attacks prevented 2006-2010

Autonomous weapons authorised to fire at own discretion 2008-2012

War where own side kills more of its own than the enemy 2008-2012

War for water 2008-2012

Context sensitive bombs (waits for senior politicians) 2008-2012

Weapons use biometric authentication of user 2008-2012

Bacteria used to break down explosives in mine fields 2008-2012

Terrorist are source of most on-line scams 2008-2012

Communication networks severely disrupted by hackers 2008-2012

Balloons used in terrorist attacks 2008-2012

Radio controlled vehicle attacks on shipping, smart mines 2008-2012

Cracking of public key cryptography within a few seconds using networked zombie machines 2008-2012

Data mining use in trials 2008-2012

Remote override capability on planes 2008-2012

Household access by facial recognition 2008-2012

Jargon translators 2008-2012

Computer advice to jurors on probability issues 2008-2012

Criminal tagging augmented with video and audio sensors 2008-2012

Extensive use of electronics to monitor police behaviour 2008-2012

Automated stenographers 2008-2012

Jigsaw viruses 2008-2012

Spam email volume forces charge based solutions 2008-2012

Phishing destroys confidence in on-line banking, most on-line banks closed 2008-2012

Terahertz video cameras become social nuisance due to privacy invasion 2008-2012

Expert system based home law advisors 2008-2012

Robot casualties reported routinely 2011-2015

Corporate cyberwars 2011-2015

Major utility brought down by hackers 2011-2015

Universal ID cards in UK 2011-2015

Most weapons attack systems rather than injure people 2011-2015

Civil liberties revolt 2011-2015

Anti-tech backlash 2011-2015

2nd internet with guaranteed security for email, with no spam 2011-2015

World War 2 thought of as a film rather than a real event by 30% of Americans 2013-2017

War with zero own side human casualties 2013-2017

Scalable AI as major military threat 2013-2017

Positive clean ID required for access to many places 2013-2017

Terrorist use of GM to pollute crops and damage economy 2013-2017

Most fighters and bombers flown remotely 2013-2017

Plastic stealth tank 2013-2017

Use of network resonance as security threat 2013-2017

Ambient intelligence detection of minor crimes & anti social behaviour 2013-2017

Identity theft forces all transactions to use biometrics 2013-2017

Domestic augmented reality used to give virtual makeovers 2013-2017

Biometric ID required for every phone call 2013-2017

Use of mutant insects for attack purposes 2013-2017

War caused by global warming forcing mass migration from coastal areas 2016-2020

War fought entirely between robot armies 2016-2020

ID cards replaced by biometric scanning 2016-2020

Emotion control chips used to control criminals 2016-2020

Open city prisons for criminals and antisocial people 2016-2020

First war without any casualties from friendly fire 2020s

Robots outnumber soldiers on battlefield 2020s

Smart bacteria used in warfare to alter behaviour of enemy 2020s

Smart bacteria as military threat to mankind 2020s

Attacks based on facilitating natural disasters 2020s

Smart bacteria weapons 2020s

Gated cities for civilised people 2020s

Use of solar wind deflectors to set fire to cities 2030s

Nanotech based virus communicable between machines and people, sent over net 2030s

Asteroid diversion used as weapon 2040s

SHOPPING & MONEY

Local warehousing for local distribution systems 2006-2010

Personal shopping tablets 2006-2010

Movies no longer sold in VHS format 2006-2010

Local e-bay augments car boot sales 2006-2010

Shops start being paid by manufacturers as try-on outlets 2008-2012

Paypal migrates onto high street 2008-2012

In-store positioning systems enable personalised guides 2008-2012

25% of UK shopping is network based 2008-2012

Immersive VR shopping booths 2008-2012

Most books sold on-line 2008-2012

Internal positioning systems in stores 2008-2012

In-store positioning systems with 1cm precision  2008-2012

Paper and coins largely replaced by electronic cash 2011-2015

Most tickets electronic 2011-2015

Personal taxation at point of sale 2011-2015

Automatic dialling from smart business cards 2011-2015

RFID replaces most barcodes 2011-2015

Most music sold online 2011-2015

Augmented reality overlays used in stores 2011-2015

Reverse auctions in personal shopping devices (nearby stores bid to provide items on shopping list) 2013-2017

SPACE

Private space mission to examine asteroid with a view to space mining 2011-2015

Prize claimed for 1st private orbital trip 2011-2015

Hotel in orbit 2013-2017

Scramjets used to launch low-orbit space-planes 2013-2017

Helium 3 mining on moon 2016-2020

Orbital space junk cleared up by sweeper craft 2016-2020

First manned mission to Mars 2020s

Production, storage and use of antimatter 2020s

Space factories for commercial production 2020s

Airships used to carry payloads most of the way to orbit 2020s

Regular manned missions to Mars  2030s

Use of human hibernation in space travel 2030s

Space elevator based on carbon nanotube cable 2030s

Start of construction of manned Mars laboratory  2040s

Moon base the size of small village 2040s

Asteroid mining 2040s

Mining of water on Mars 2040s

Self sustaining mars colony 2040s

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

90% of calls tetherless 2006-2010

Internet achieves 75% penetration in UK 2006-2010

Star trek style commbadge 2006-2010

Fixed mobile convergence 2006-2010

Wireless LANs become preferred access mechanism for mobile internet use 2006-2010

Wireless LANs in most shopping Malls 2006-2010

Vibration used as part of calls on cellphones to convey emotion 2006-2010

21CN completed  2006-2010

Last ever PSTN call 2006-2010

100Mbit/s wireless speed in office/home  2006-2010

Mobile phones pass standalone music players in market share 2006-2010

Push-to-talk style video clips 2006-2010

Caller can send own ring tone 2006-2010

Calls can be addressed by email address 2006-2010

Storage based networks 2008-2012

Use of microwave photonics in local access 2008-2012

Video download over network at 10 x normal speed 2008-2012

60% of internet accesses from mobile devices 2008-2012

Use of WDM in local access 2008-2012

Simultaneous data delivery in the City 2008-2012

Software radio available in portables 2008-2012

Openzone access covers whole city 2008-2012

Single address for emails, phone calls etc 2008-2012

HDTV over broadband 2008-2012

Most BBC Content available on-line 2008-2012

Video sleepover terminals 2008-2012

Large screen video links reduce loneliness for old people 2008-2012

Domestic demand reaches 50Mbit/s per home 2011-2015

Gigabit wireless in home 2011-2015

All voice calls free 2011-2015

TRANSPORT & TRAVEL

Blimp cargo lifters, carrying 160 tonnes, 6000 miles at 60mph 2006-2010

Assisted lane keeping systems in trucks and buses 2006-2010

Most new cars fitted with positioning systems as standard 2006-2010

Pollution monitor chips built into cars 2006-2010

Smart tickets for navigation through airports 2008-2012

Cars with automatic steering 2008-2012

Scramjet' engine powered planes flying at Mach 10 2008-2012

Urban car co-pilot 2008-2012

All new cars fitted with basic cellular communication with automated distress system 2008-2012

Tourism in some areas limited to net access 2008-2012

High Speed Civil Transport supersonic jet, 300 passengers, 1500mph 2011-2015

GPS and engine management systems linked to limit speed automatically 2011-2015

Road trains using ad-hoc networking 2011-2015

Bus routes based on star and ring architectures 2011-2015

Need to book time slots to use some key roads 2011-2015

Cars with dual wheels that can run on road or rail 2011-2015

Urban tracks for electronically driven cars 2011-2015

Black boxes in all new cars 2011-2015

Dynamic road tolling 2011-2015

Automatic driving makes car pooling feasible 2013-2017

Driverless truck convoys using electronic tow-bar 2013-2017

Fully auto-piloted cars 2016-2020

WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY

Flexible screens 2006-2010

Video tattoos (thin polymer membrane displays) 2006-2010

Wrist based video displays 2006-2010

Teletubby T-shirts 2006-2010

TV jewellery 2006-2010

Light emitting fabrics used in clothes 2006-2010

Smell emitting clothing, uses context 2006-2010

Personal wireless website broadcast 2006-2010

Blogs go wearable 2006-2010

Virtual retinal displays 2008-2012

TV quality video screens built into clothes 2008-2012

Emotion badges 2008-2012

Jewellery that changes shape, colour and texture 2008-2012

Portable translation device for simple conversation 2008-2012

Kaleidoscopic clothes using materials with embedded pigment micro-capsules 2008-2012

Micro-actuators built into clothes for sensory feedback 2008-2012

Video makeup (virtual world) 2008-2012

Shape changing fabrics 2008-2012

Shape memory fabrics 2008-2012

Digital bubble 2008-2012

Cyber clothes 2008-2012

Terahertz jammers in clothes as personal modesty shield 2008-2012

Dual appearance 2008-2012

Laws restrict what can be shown on video clothing 2008-2012

Terahertz jammer banned at airports 2008-2012

Active contact lens 2011-2015

Alpha-wave induction sets 2011-2015

Thought recognition used in sleep enhancement 2011-2015

Computer enhanced dreaming 2011-2015

Projector ring 2011-2015

Mugging by brain state induction devices 2013-2017

Obesity increase due to compelling virtual reality environments 2013-2017

Computer controlled hunger suppressants 2013-2017

Emotion control devices 2016-2020

Dream link technology 2016-2020

Smart makeup, context sensitive 2016-2020

ADDENDUM: WILD CARDS (THAT COULD HAPPEN ALMOST ANYTIME)

Based on an original idea by John Petersen, The Arlington Institute) Earliest

Megavolcano erupts 2005

Cumbre Vieha collapses, megatsunami wipes out dozens of cities 2005

Asteroid or comet hits earth  2005

Massive solar flare wipes out life on earth 2005

Natural evolution of superbug 2005

Extraordinary US West Coast Natural Disaster 2005

First Unambiguous Contact with Extraterrestrial Life -- The Arrival of ETs 2005

Ice caps melt, Oceans rise one hundred feet 2005

Mass Migrations 2005

Another Chernobyl 2005

Collapse of the United Nations 2005

Global nuclear war 2005

Environmental pressure causes evolution of superbug 2005

Aids or similarly deadly disease mutates and becomes transmittable by air 2005

Bugs resistant to all known antibiotics 2005

Rules Change: Economic and/or Environmental "War Criminals" Are Prosecuted 2005

Terrorists Go Biological 2005

US Economy Fails or collapse of the dollar 2005

Civil nuclear war  2005

Global economic collapse causes mass starvation and conflict 2005

Global civil war 2005

Space exploration creates superbug 2005

Civil war between Soviet States Goes Nuclear 2005

Collapse of World's Fisheries 2005

Computer/Chip/Operating System Maker Blackmails Country or World 2005

End of Intergenerational Solidarity 2005

Gulf or Jet Stream Shifts Location Permanently 2005

International Financial Collapse 2005

Large-scale lengthy disruption of national electrical supply  2005

Major Break in Alaskan pipeline - Significant ecological damage 2005

Major Chaos in Africa 2005

Nuclear Terrorist Attack on United States or Europe 2005

Rise of an American Dictator 2005

Social breakdown in US or Europe 2005

Stock market crash 2005

Human Cloning Perfected, Human Genetic Engineering Arrives 2005

Accidental creation of lethal organism during research 2005

Anti-tech backlash destroys systems - chaos and starvation 2005

Deliberate biotech self-destruct by malicious biotech researcher 2005

Major genetic engineering accident 2005

Terrorism rises beyond capability of government systems 2005

Transgenic accident 2005

Encryption Invalidated 2005

Hackers Blackmail Federal Reserve 2005

China launches cyberwar against Taiwan 2005

Virus outbreak kills 100 million people worldwide 2005

Internet collapse due to security concerns undermining trust 2005

Strike on urban area by 500m asteroid (below current detection threshold) 2005

Biotech terrorist attack goes wrong 2010

Evolved crime destroys human systems 2010

Global civil war between cybernations 2010

Hackers wipe out networks, causing chaos and mass starvation 2010

The hostile arrival of ETs detecting our transmissions 2010

Viruses become immune to all known treatments 2010

End of the Nation State 2010

Foetal Sex Selection Becomes the Norm 2010

Gulf Stream ceases 2015

Computers and robots become superior to humans 2015

Self-aware machine intelligence 2015

Third world exodus destabilises global system 2015

Computers/Robots think like humans 2015

Collapse of the sperm count 2020

Global epidemic with high speed travel and high population density 2020

Global famine caused by manmade environmental change 2020

Hybrid nanotech-organic creatures 2020

International social collapse - widespread civil conflict 2020

Major information systems disruption 2020

Major technology or science research accident 2020

Rise of a global machine dictator 2020

Total social breakdown in US or Europe 2020

Fuel cells replace internal combustion engines 2020

Life Expectancy Approaches 100 2020

Megacities cause global epidemic 2025

Nanotech development by individuals 2025

Nanotechnology accident 2025

Networks become conscious and won't co-operate 2025

Second World Nation Demonstrates Development of Nanotech Weapons 2025

Elimination by smart machines - terminator 2030

Nanotechnology war 2030

Humans access net directly, become an integral part of global information system. 2030

No-Carbon Economy Worldwide 2030

Religious environmentalism destroys environment 2030

Use of asteroid as weapon of mass destruction 2030

Methane hydrate nodules evaporate causing runaway global warming 2040

Creation of Star Trek's Borg 2040

Global electromagnetic communications disrupted for foreseeable future 2040

Political correctness creates new dark age 2050

Whole generation unable to effectively read, write, think, and work  2050

Human genetic engineering creates hostile super-race 2070

Humans assimilated into net 2075

Invention of elimination phaser 2075

Time travel invented 2075

Immortality chip - people move into cyberspace 2075

Faster than light travel 2100