[ExI] the next big thing: was RE: proposed moratorium...

[Anne Corwin]

--- On Mon, 4/20/09, Keith Henson <hkhenson at rogers.com> wrote:

> My guess is an extension of the cell phone.  Right now full
> internet
> access can be had but not a lot of people have it.  That
> will become
> common to the point people will think they can't live
> without it.  And
> the phone/access device will evolve in the direction of a
> full neural
> interface.  My bet is that we are no more than 7 years from
> implanted
> phones.
> 
> Keith

The *technology* for phone implants may well exist in 7 or so years, however, I am less inclined to figure that use of them will be widespread. Aside from body-modification hobbyists, most humans aren't particularly inclined to undergo unnecessary (meaning, non-lifesaving) surgery, and while it would be very nice, somehow I doubt we are going to have the problems of infection and foreign-material rejection solved within 7 years. 

My guess would be that "super-cellphones" might (rather than being implants) consist of very thin/small devices that adhere somehow to the skin, somewhere on the head/behind the ear, and perhaps take advantage of bone conduction or something like it in order to work. As convenient as an implant might be in some respects, I just can't see people being willing to cut themselves open and install something that they can't remove themselves and that would permit their boss to call them at 3 AM!

- Anne