The technology in movies like Surrogates, Gattaca, or Iron Man is a thing of the future. Or is it? New breakthroughs in technology take society one step to closer to innovations that seemed unreachable only a few years ago, including self-healing robots, computer data stored in DNA, and realistic virtual reality.

         In the last hundred years technology has come so far, with iPhones having the same computing power that the entire NASA program had when the first space launch took place. These new technologies may give insight into what the next hundred years is going to look like.

Memoto-

          Memoto is the first “life logging” camera prototype. The concept of life logging is that while wearing the memoto the camera apparatus takes a photo every thirty seconds. The apparatus has an extended battery life, lasting roughly two days while being used consistently, and can be recharged by connecting it to a computer. The device automatically transfers and catalogs the photos to the computer while connected.

          The idea behind the camera is a kind of daily photo blog of their lives. The creators wanted to create a device that documented everything, daily moments, not just the big things, according to the Memoto website.

          “Have you thought about how much of your life goes missing from your memories? Many fantastic and special moments become blurred together after a while and it feels like life just rushes by too fast for us to grasp,” according to the Memoto website. “We at Memoto wanted to find a way to relive more of our lives in the future – and enjoy the present as it happens.”

          Memoto has no buttons and turns off automatically when in the dark or placed in a pocket or backpack. The producers of Memoto are hoping to create a way to stream photos instantly to social media sites in the future. By double tapping the device, users can also take a photo spontaneously.

          The device has even more features, such as the ability to categorize photos by time and location, as well as an accelerometer that assures that photos are always right side up. Memoto just finished its beta testing phase and is set to be shipped to consumers in April. Customers can now order a Memoto camera for $279 at memoto.com.

 Storing data in DNA-

         When it comes down to it, humans are essentially giant memory sticks, with billions of files stored in our cells. In the past, scientists have had very little to no control over what is written into a person’s DNA.  However, in recent months, scientists have discovered a way to code DNA, able to store files and play them back.

         While the technology is far from being efficient for storing large amounts of data, scientists have been able to store data without a single mistake using error-connection software.

         Currently, scientists have been able to store 739 kilobytes of total data, equal to “all 154 of Shakespeare’s sonnets, a scientific paper,a color digital photo of the researchers’ laboratory, a 26 second excerpt from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Junior’s ‘I have a dream’ speech and a software algorithm,” according to a March New York Times article.

         While this breakthrough marks a huge step forward in science technology, there is still a long way to go before DNA is a conceivable way of storing data regularly. The next step is to create a simpler way of coding in order to store more data in the same amount of DNA, according to Nick Goldman, the head scientist of the project.

         Researchers are currently looking at a ten year timeline before another breakthrough is made in efficiency of storing data in DNA.

Google Glass:

            Google glass is a pair of interactive glasses manipulated by the user. Using the Google Glass a user can take photos or videos, use Google search, or even get directions.

            While wearing the glasses, users can send messages to other users and control the glasses through voice commands. The glasses are meant to be worn throughout the day and can even be worn for athletic events, such as while ice skating, horseback riding, tumbling, and even flying through the air on a trapeze.

            The glasses are currently in beta testing but are to be available to consumers sometime in the next year. Testers applied based on the type of activities they participated in and the winners included plane and hot air balloon pilots, trapeze artists, gymnasts, and skydivers.

            Apple is competing with Google to produce wearable technology, and they are currently working on the iWatch, a wearable computer that interacts with a user’s iPhone or iTouch.