'Fat zappers' and clever nappies predicted

[Demi]

Nothing really to do with low carb per se, but I thought it would be an idea to post it here anyway, especially as it could lead to quite an interesting discussion about future 'technology' to curb obesity:



'Fat zappers' and clever nappies predicted


· Scientists speculate on medical breakthroughs
· Similar exercise 20 years ago had mixed results

Polly Curtis, health correspondent
Friday December 22, 2006
The Guardian
London, UK


The year is 2020 and John, who is four and a half kilograms overweight, is on a diet which involves walking through a device that looks like an airport scanner and having his love handles "zapped" off by laser.

The "fat fryer" is one of several medical breakthroughs predicted by scientists writing in today's British Medical Journal. Intelligent nappies, which diagnose childhood ailments, and microchips implanted to monitor the chronically ill will become commonplace, they say.

The fryer is a laser which destroys excess fat, which the body then eliminates through the normal bodily functions leaving people much lighter within three days.

"No side effects will be seen apart from the re-sizing of [the patients'] wardrobe," writes Donald Combs, associate dean of the health planning department at Eastern Virginia Medical School.

Professor Combs was asked to identify emerging technologies which will be to the 21st century what aspirin, x-ray and antibiotics were to the 20th century.

Wave technology, or the use of light wavelengths to steer the destruction of specific cells, could be used to destroy cancer cells in isolation but with greater accuracy than radiotherapy. Other lasers could destroy fat cells while leaving all other cells unharmed.

People suffering from long-term illnesses such as hypertension and diabetes could have microchips implanted under their skin to monitor their heart and respiratory rates, blood pressure and blood sugar levels. "A bit further into the future are links to implanted smart storage dispensers that, when signalled, can release clinically needed drugs to stabilise patients," writes Prof Combs.

Similar biometrics could be used to monitor pathogens in babies' urine and faeces; the nappy would change colour as the baby developed a cold.

Computer-aided design will be used to manufacture precise replicas for hip and knee replacements, and some people losing their sight would be able to see again through miniature telescopes implanted in their eyeballs.

The predictions come 20 years after a ground-breaking futurology study brought together 227 of the world's leading scientists to predict developments in medicine by 2000. They rightly predicted that survival rates for cancers would increase from 50% to 65% but wrongly put their faith in "biological response modifiers", a class of anti-cancer drugs which later proved too toxic, the BMJ states. There was also a belief that a cancer vaccine would be developed.

The doctors thought that, by 2000, heart disease would be partially alleviated by better eating habits - the majority failing to predict the burgeoning obesity crisis. They predicted the rise in artificial hip and knees but thought they would be as successful at replacing wrists, ankles, fingers, toes and even blood. "No one in 1986 saw Viagra coming," it adds.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,,1977437,00.html

[Whoa182]

People suffering from long-term illnesses such as hypertension and diabetes could have microchips implanted under their skin to monitor their heart and respiratory rates, blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

I think there is already a microchip available to monitor glucose levels. Shouldn't be too long before many diagnostic chips that are available to have implanted and to monitor health in real time, and transmit data via wireless connection to your hand held computer or across a secure connection to your doctor. Would be really useful in the case of accidents to where the person is not conscious and can't give their medical details.

More advanced chips could look for certain proteins and detect cancer 5-10 years before a normal clinical diagnoses would have been made via standard methods. Maybe also monitor various nutrients in the blood, detect viral infections and so on. Will be interesting over the next decade to see what comes about. Computer technology is advancing so fast, and shrinking via the use of Nanotechnology. Nanobiotechnology exciting field!

Already bought my Nano shirt, nano socks and nano trousers! lol :lol:

[Nancy LC]

I think there's a big barrier to implanting chips in people: Infection. I'd assume you'd want the chip to be easy to remove yet have access to a patient's blood supply. But people don't plug and play well. :X

[Mutant]

Though all implants are a target of infection because the body always recognizes them as alien to some degree - e.g. those with implants for knees and hips go on high antibiotics for simple teeth cleaning at the dentist, the so far unsurmountable problem with implantable sensors is that in fairly short order they quit working, as the sensor becomes fouled or the body effectively walls off the sensor in a fibrous compartment. A long term (more than a year) implantable sensor is prolly more than a few decades away, and that is being optimistic. 'Lab-on-a-chip' has been getting some play for critical care tho.

[ysabella]

Also I've heard of smart toilets that will detect blood or excess sugar, things like that. Interesting stuff.

[Nancy LC]

They need one that collects a stool sample and sends it off for you. That's a task I would love to never have to do again!

[liddie01]

I do not want a chip in me, I do not trust the government :lol: I am sure other uses would be thought of for such a chip ;)

[Cajunboy47]

I wonder what new problems will be created by such advanced attempts. I wander what Caveman would have to say about all of that. It seems the further we get from following the evolutionary/natural processes of our bodies, the more complicated we make things for ourselves.

I apologize for sounding off thread and off low carb also, but there is an opposite to everything in life and understanding the opposite helps with our overall understanding, although, I am probably not the person who can bring that much clarity into this topic of conversation, so if I may, I will only add what little I have to offer.

Inside each of us is a little thing, call it what you may, I will not give it a name, but that little thing recognizes truth and knows the order of things. It knows the answer to our health lies in the simplicity that already exists, not in complicated new methods yet to be created, but rather than listen to that little thing, we set about trying to out-think the complexities which we created in the first place by thinking up new complexities.

There is an old saying: "I saw the enemy and it was me." I think I look for the simple, but get caught up in the complexities, maybe we all do.

[Whoa182]

There will be no rejection problems or infection problems with implanted chips. I eventually want to get Veri Chip done. http://www.verichipcorp.com/

Futorology is an interesting topic, I've got around 50 or so books on it and really enjoy reading them. The best person at predicting the future technologies is a guy named Ray kurzweil (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Kurzweil) . His predictions are based on technology trends and not just looking into a 'crystal ball' type thing. He has a remarkable track record on his predictions, they happen at the time when he says they will, give or take a year.

I encourage you to read "The Law of Accelerating Returns"
http://www.kurzweilai.net/articles/art0134.html?printable=1

or check out his awesome book

Fantastic Voyage: Live Long Enough to Live Forever (Hardcover)
http://www.amazon.com/Fantastic-Voyage-Long-Enough-Forever/dp/1579549543

Heres a quote from the guardian UK

"Kurzweil sounds crazy, but his track record of predictions over 20 years has been eerily accurate."

Since sometimes this century robots / AI are going to rule the world... why not join them right? Start upgrading yourselfs soon as possible :) or be left behind.

[Nancy LC]

There will be no rejection problems or infection problems with implanted chips. I eventually want to get Veri Chip done. http://www.verichipcorp.com/
If they're completely in your body, no I'm sure its fine. But you've got issues when the battery wears out or the software needs upgrading. To be really useful you gotta have a port to the blood stream and that's where it gets difficult with infection.

[Whoa182]

Nancy, the scanners would power the RFID chips when within a close enough range.

Further on down the road mroe advanced microchips will be using advanced nanotechnology, different energy transfer and storage methods. Nano batteries are already far better.

[Nancy LC]

I can just imagine if your chip got a virus. :D Not to mention the privacy concerns about having something in your body broadcasting information about you to anyone with a scanner.

[Mutant]

To date, there has not been an implant that the body does not recognize as a foriegn body. Sometimes for the function of the implant it is fairly inconsequential (e.g. screws and pins) but for other applications (e.g. chemical sensors like glucose sensors), it severly limits their operating life. In any event, all implants are much more likely to attract infection that originate in other areas of the body and these infections are notoriously difficult to eliminate. In the cases of implantable joints like knees and hips it often requires their removal to cure the infection.

This stuff is well known to people that design, fabricate and implant biomedical devices. Maybe futurists need to read a biomedical materials book?

[Whoa182]

I can just imagine if your chip got a virus. :D Not to mention the privacy concerns about having something in your body broadcasting information about you to anyone with a scanner.

Mobile phone? PDA, wireless device? you're already very trackable without any of this RFID technology.

[Whoa182]

There are already brain implants for human to control a computer interface (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_implant) with thought alone, and data can be uploaded to the chip for it to be updated too. There are also implants available for parkinson disease patients. 100,000's of people have already got implants.

Here is the glucose monitor

Digital Angel Corporation Awarded Patent for Breakthrough Glucose-Sensing RFID Microchip
Implantable Microchip Allows Diabetics to Accurately and Conveniently Monitor Glucose Concentration Levels

Digital Angel Corporation received patent approval for its syringe-implantable glucose-sensing RFID microchip, next is FDA approval. The RFID microchip measures the glucose concentration levels of diabetic patients. The syringe-implantable bio-sensor chip has a passive transponder, glucose sensor and integrated circuitry that allow anyone implanted with the microchip to painlessly scan it to determine their level of glucose concentration. The RFID microchip quickly and accurately transmits the glucose data back to a wireless scanner that displays the glucose level. The RFID microchip is powered by the scanner signal, avoiding the need for a battery in the microchip. More Info.

http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4378

[Lisa N]

Mobile phone? PDA, wireless device? you're already very trackable without any of this RFID technology.

Same thing for writing checks and using ATM/Debit cards. The thing is, if I don't want to be tracked, I can leave my cell phone, wireless laptop and PDA at home and deal in cash only. I can debug my computer and remove the spyware attached by all those lovely sites my family visits. Those with implantable chips don't have that option, do they? ;)

[Mutant]

Here is the glucose monitor

Digital Angel Corporation Awarded Patent for Breakthrough Glucose-Sensing RFID Microchip
Implantable Microchip Allows Diabetics to Accurately and Conveniently Monitor Glucose Concentration Levels

Digital Angel Corporation received patent approval for its syringe-implantable yadda yadda yadda

If you are really thinking about medical school, you gotta stop getting your info from commercials...

[potatofree]

I know some women who want to microchip their husbands like the ones they use to identify stray pets. ;)

[Lisa N]

I know some women who want to microchip their husbands like the ones they use to identify stray pets. ;)

It's been a common practice to tag wildlife for quite some time, now. ;) :lol:

[potatofree]

I saw an awful lot of catch-and-release when I worked in the bar. :lol:

[Whoa182]

Watch this... very interesting stuff from pioneers in the field of A.I and robotics

Building gods
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1079797626827646234

After the introduction part (b&w footage) they talk about future possibilities...

"in advanced nanotech computing there would be more computing power in a computer the size of a grain of a sand than a human brain, by a factor of billions"

and this article :p

We'll all be cyborgs someday, scientist says
British professor foresees day when most people will be implanted with computer chips.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/world/12/23/23britainborg.html

Damn right i'll be upgrading! :lol:

[LC FP]

If you are really thinking about medical school, you gotta stop getting your info from commercials...
not necessarily :)