As technology continues to advance at an exponential rate, will we someday find ourselves living in a "scientific dictatorship" where virtually everything that we do, say and think is monitored and controlled by technology?
Many futurists envision a world where someday nearly all humans are embedded with microchips and have thousands of tiny nanobots living inside of them. The idea is that we can "take control of our own evolution" and use technology to "improve" humanity. But very few of those futurists address the potential downsides.
The truth is that all of this technology could one day be used by a totalitarian government to establish a dystopian nightmare where nobody has any liberties and freedoms whatsoever. The world of tomorrow is not going to be anything like the world of today, and most people have no idea how dramatically the world is changing.
For instance, many people have never even heard of "edible microchips". Unfortunately, they are not some wild idea that some wacky scientists are hoping to develop in the future. They are already here, and they are about to be marketed to the public in the UK. The idea is that these edible microchips will help doctors monitor your health conditions and the medicines that you are taking. And scientists are developing many other new ways for you to be tracked by technology as well.
For example, do you remember in the movie "Minority Report" how Tom Cruise had to cover his eyes because he was being tracked by them wherever he went? Well, it won't be too long before that becomes a reality in our world.
IBM is aggressively developing new biometric identity systems that could significantly change the way that we live our lives. The following is from a recent IBM press release....You will no longer need to create, track or remember multiple passwords for various log-ins. Imagine you will be able to walk up to an ATM machine to securely withdraw money by simply speaking your name or looking into a tiny sensor that can recognize the unique patterns in the retina of your eye. Or by doing the same, you can check your account balance on your mobile phone or tablet.
But even more frightening is something else that IBM is developing right now. IBM scientists are actually working really hard to develop mind reading computers. The idea is that someday we will all be able to control various electronic devices simply by using our thoughts....
IBM scientists are among those researching how to link your brain to your devices, such as a computer or a smartphone. If you just need to think about calling someone, it happens. Or you can control the cursor on a computer screen just by thinking about where you want to move it.
IBM is actually working on a "bar code reader" that can read your DNA. The following is from a Fox News article about this project....
The DNA Transistor is a project from IBM Research that aims to advance personalized medicine, by making it simpler (and much cheaper) to read an individual's unique DNA sequence — the special combination of proteins that makes you unlike anyone else. Essentially a bar code reader for genes, the DNA Transistor is part technique and part device. It consists of a 3-nanometer wide hole, known as a nanopore, in a silicon microchip. A sensor in the pore can read DNA and determine its unique makeup.
