Robotics:There are currently millions of robots cleaning American homes and thousands in the U.S. military, and many of these robots are becoming more specialized. In a recent Gearlog post, we talked about one kind of robot that had superhuman strength, which was the Army's effort for stronger troops in the future. Rod Brooks, MIT"s Panasonic professor of robotics says, "Just as computers we interact with personally (e.g., desktops, laptops, PDAs, cellphones) transformed our lives over the last 25 years, so, too, will robots transform our lives over the coming 25."

Fusion: Many countries around the world are scrambling to find new sources of fuel and energy, so as not have to rely on foreign oil. Fusion may be a possible solution. "The hydrocarbons from waste could be turned into hydrogen-rich gas, which could be passed through catalysts to create liquid fuel," says Leslie Bromberg, principal research engineer for the Plasma Science and Fusion Center. "Although the process could increase the cost of fuel, it is CO2-neutral and would provide energy security."

Digital Fabrication: This futuristic technology, as described by Neil Gershenfeld, MIT's director for the Center for Bits and Atoms, will allow people to make almost anything anywhere. "Coupled with digital video and digital libraries, this means that the formerly scarce resources (facilities, books, people) of advanced technical institutions (such as MIT) can become much more widely accessible," Gershenfeld says.

Electrochemical Energy: In addition to fusion, another potential source of future energy is electrochemical energy: the reduction and oxidation of materials to generate or store energy. Paula Hammond, Bayer professor of chemical engineering, says, "We're on the cusp of very real achievement in this area--leading to new, more-efficient photovoltaic devices, batteries, and fuel cells."

Sustainable Cities: The tech of the future will enable cities to be more efficient and sustainable. William J. Mitchell, professor of architecture and media arts and sciences, says that gasoline-powered automobiles will be replaced with personal mobility systems that are lightweight, wirelessly networked, electric and smart. He also says we'll see "the emergence of clean, efficient, geographically distributed systems for electricity generation, storage and distribution. A third part will be the embedding of networking capability and intelligence in buildings and products of all kinds. And finally, ubiquitous networking will--like a nervous system--tie all this together so that cities respond, like intelligent organisms, to dynamic changes in their environments and the needs of their inhabitants."

Bioengineering: Technology in the future can help us to protect all life forms. This includes increasing the production of foods and materials through biological processes. Phillip Sharp, institute professor says, "Design of biological organisms and engineering of production processes will be more important tomorrow than today. We need to make investments now. In the short term, the merging of engineering and biology will generate new technologies that will impact the economy through generation of better medicines, agriculture and materials."

Life Extension: Advancements in medicine will help us save more lives and extend life to millions. "These technologies will probably span everything from small molecule therapies and nano- and microscale devices to whole organ replacement technologies using stem cells," says Mehmet Fatih Yanik, assistant professor of electrical engineering. "Beyond the scientific and technological hurdles, temporary challenges will include the cost versus benefit of these technologies, legal and ethical concerns, and regulations and strategic investment choices among various options."