Wesley Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Fragrant future beckons for web Within a decade the net will be able to deliver smells as fast as it does data, predicts a report. The forecast came in a wide-ranging survey produced by the South Korean government to find out what consumers will want from future technologies. It also predicted that by 2012 batteries in mobile phones will last perhaps two months between recharges. The experts taking part in the survey said that by 2018 robots will be routinely carrying out surgery. The long-range predictions in the survey came from interviews carried out with about 3,500 technology experts in South Korea. The country has long been known for its dedication to hi-tech. Net-using citizens enjoy some of the highest speed broadband connections in the world, widespread high-speed mobile networks and the country's education system makes extensive use of the net to teach and track pupils' progress. The hi-tech panel behind the report believed that, by 2015, the net will be used to deliver data about smells to a fragrance cartridge sitting next to a computer or other device accessing the net. By 2015 the report suggests that soldiers will wear bulletproof and waterproof battle dress that can also change its appearance to match its surroundings. Available soon after, by 2018, will be robots small enough to swim along blood vessels in the human body finding, probing and healing any health problems they come across. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6404067.stm I thought this was quite interesting. However, I think what is important to remember is that just because it's there it doesn't mean it will be used. The fragrant device for example; will it have much use at home? I mean, I can't see many people wanted to buy this device and "smell cartridges" to have the scent of apples when they visit a website about apples. But, I could see perfume stores (physical brick and mortar stores) having these and letting people sample perfumes this way (instead of having samples perfumes out on display) - but would it even be able to produce such complex smells? Or maybe seriously gamers might want to smell device... so they could smell... smoke in Counter-Strike? Or people watching porn so they could actually smell ass? I dunno. You get the picture. Some of it is cool but I doubt would take off. Anyway, interesting read - especially cause this forum is usually just help topics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calza Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 I bet all of that stuff won't happen by then. I mean in the 50's they thought we would have flying car's Not to mention Blade Runner which was originally set in 1992. Still it's intresting to see what the world's smartest people are doing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wesley Posted February 28, 2007 Author Share Posted February 28, 2007 Ah you see that's what I thought. But the smell device is already in R and D; so they'll have an estimate of when it will be released. And battery charging is constantly getting better, so it's merely a fact of predicting the current trend. The same applies to the rest. However, flying cars were never in R and D. I don't think any sensible person would think that it actually work anyway... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaggle64 Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Laser guns went into R&D in the forties. In the seventies we started planning for our first wars in space. Nuts to all that though. I'm sure it will all happen eventually, but I very much doubt it will come quite as soon as they say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmoose Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 And surely these people could be researching more important and exciting things, why give up on the laser guns? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 I don't want berluddy smells coming out of my computer. I mean, what the hell is the point. Would be a gimmick for games if it was to ever happen anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wesley Posted March 1, 2007 Author Share Posted March 1, 2007 Yeah the fragrant device is really stupid if you ask me. I don't think the Battle Dress will be quite as good as they say it will be, either. Robots swimming in your blood is a definite though. But I don't think people will be alright with robots performing surgery on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.dakota Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 This will prove extremely effective for the protection of children. They'll be able to smell who is a geniune "nice boy, aged 14" rather than a stinky, chain smoking man of 40. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshMat Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 This means i'll be able to smell porn? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Letty Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 This means i'll be able to smell porn? yup! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoogleViper Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 This means i'll be able to smell porn? Gotta love technology. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue_Ninja0 Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 Technology previsions are usually wrong. Sometimes for the bad side and sometimes for the good: Also, we all know about that prediction where they thought that by 2004 computers would be as small as just a room. I'm glad they weren't right. *EDIT* Found it: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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