Nano quadrotors – a game-changing technology innovation, but can we handle it? via 2020 Science
When people talk about emerging technologies - especially when the focus is on potential risks and unintended consequences - it doesn’t take long for the usual suspects to emerge: with nanotechnology, synthetic biology and geoengineering usually appearing toward the top of the list. But I wonder whether focusing on big, well-publicized technology trends sometimes masks some of the less discussed but more important technology innovations that are already impacting on people’s lives.
Link to Vijay Kumar’s TED talk is here. I highly recommend watching it all. At 11:50 you will have chills at the prospects for this technology.
On the plus side, the nano quadrotor technology clearly opens new avenues into the areas of search and rescue, exploration and surveillance. But it’s also frighteningly easy to see how it could lead down darker paths. I’m sure I am not the first to have the sensation of dystopic Sci-Fi movies playing out before my eyes as I watch the video above.
Does anybody else get the feeling that we are on the verge of life- and society changing technological developments that will make sheep cloning look like playing with Lego?