Whirlwind of Technology

I am looking forward to the new range of cyclone vacuum cleaners which, when faulty, will communicate with the companies support line, provide diagnostic information, and order it's own spare parts.

Finally, reality is catching up with my predictions. Now it is only a matter of time before my fridge can order fresh milk from the supermarket, my car can book it's own service and my washing machine can call the plumber itself following a leak.
I'm a keen connoisseur of home automation. Soon, my house will turn the lights on when I come in at night, open and close it's own curtains, activate the garage door when I leave and return, and I'll be able to can call it from my mobile to turn the heating on before I come home. My personal favourite will be a device that toasts my bread, and automatically sprays melted butter onto the slices.

Having my appliances look after themselves is simply the next logical step. I've far more important things to do with my life, than open curtains, repair cleaning equipment and book car services. Some people have their wives do this, I prefer for the items look after themselves.

I hope to be trialing the new cleaning products, and can only hope it breaks down shortly after delivery.

Sportsmen of the Future

I recently found myself thinking about the Olympic games. There were a number of incidents of competitors failing drug tests of one kind or another.
Now, quite right and proper, these people who cheat should be punished. But I found my mind thinking along the following lines.

In car racing sports, engineers and technicians work hard to improve the performance of their engines by any means they can. Design changes, different tyres, fuel mix variations etc. In the Olympics, technical enhancements over the years have improved human performance by enormous digress - better running shoes, tighter lycra, more ergonomic bicycle helmets.

Well, why should they stop there? The human body is just as important part of an athlete as, say, their pole vault. If an adrenalin shot before competing would allow them to reach a faster speed - then why not. Nobody questions marathon runners who eat pasta, knowing that the high-energy chemical content will allow for sustained expended effort. If steroids during training will boost a weight lifters muscle growth, then fine. Their current training by lifting weights also boosts muscle growth, and that is not outlawed. Neither are the protein shakes I've heard they drink constantly.

I wouldn't go so far as to suggest allowing everything in the Olympics, or other sports events. But perhaps another class of competitor could be allowed - just as there are currently separate male and female versions of the same event, perhaps an additional class or two for 'maxi-man'. Why not? There is no suggestion currently that women should compete with the genetically superior opposite sex, it is only fair that they have their own races so they can compete on equal grounds. The same could be true for athletes who really want to see just how fast or strong the body can be, with help from todays scientists.

But why stop there? Yet another class could be introduced for cyber-athletes, to allow for an even greater collaboration between those who use their bodies, and those who use their minds. I would invigine separate classes for those who opt for the mechanical approach, as oppose to the biological method, primarily so that the differences between the two technology paths could be exhibited more clearly. With either route, I personally would value the opportunity to enhance a great Olympic competitor into an even greater one.