Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

It’s Only Common Sense: A Peek at Future Technological Advancements

It’s that time again—time for a peek into the future. The following ideas come from an excellent book by Mark Penn called Microtrends Squared: The New Small Forces Driving Today’s Big Disruptions.

Penn has spent over 40 years polling, advising, and marketing, and was also the chief strategist for both Clinton presidential campaigns. He has made it his business to know what is going on in the world today and how it will affect tomorrow.

In this book, Penn explores many interesting trends that are fun to read about, but what I really want to highlight are the technological advancements. For example, there is a company in California that will insert a chip just under your skin that can completely, continually monitor your physical well-being and make surprise events, such as heart attacks and strokes, things of the past. Another company is producing artificial retinas and corneas to decrease blindness and make glasses obsolete.

Penn also discusses drones—those beloved gadgets that will do everything, including deliver packages in no time at all, help find your golf ball, or walk your kids to school so you can watch them every step of the way. Additionally, EMT drones will be able to deliver emergency, easy-to-use defibrillators to bystanders at accident scenes to help the victim. We are right around the corner from having “drone hives” in our neighborhoods that will charge until you call one on your phone to fly to the local CVS and pick up your prescription, or serve as your own personal neighborhood watchdog to ensure there are no suspicious persons or home break-ins.

Another example includes the Navy SEAL community, which is developing so-called “super SEALs” with cognitive enhancement capabilities through a product similar to a headset with neuro-stimulation technology. These super SEALs will be able to maintain peak mental and physical performance for up to 24 hours! With this technology, law enforcement officers could do their jobs more effectively by using tools, such as X-ray vison, to see what a person has on them or smell things like gunpowder to better determine if someone may be carrying a gun.

Right now, 3D printers are bioprinting new skin cells for burn victims and developing body parts. True story: One of my neighbors had to have three inches of her jawbone removed last week, and she had it replaced with a 3D-printed part. Further, scientists at MIT are listening to music via magnets embedded in their ears that act as their own personal earphones.

These are just a few of the future technology trends that Penn writes about in his book—some of which are already happening! Remember when we thought that rockets going into space and coming back safely to be reused or self-driving cars were crazy ideas? Stay tuned because the best is yet to come.

It’s only common sense.

Dan Beaulieu is president of D.B. Management Group. To read past columns or contact him, click here.