On January 17, 2007, PBS piloted an intriguing new sci-tech series entitled "22nd Century." The first program, "World Wide Mind," drew attention to a potential technology so incredible and so bizarre, it seems like something straight out of Minority Report or The Terminator. Will it be possible one day to communicate wirelessly via tiny nanowires in our brains? To share memories, feelings, experiences, emotions, and sensory perceptions amongst a collective of interconnected minds?

With the advent of today's social Web 2.0, what is clear is that the Web is trending toward a more personal medium where one's interests, passions, and personalities are shared amongst ever-growing networks of like-minded individuals. But still, our Internet experience is comprised of keyboards, mice, and monitors. So will the future bring a new version of the Internet that doesn't require such hardware?

The future of the Internet is this: it will be free, and it will surround us everywhere we go. Clearly we see this beginning to happen as some cities and institutions are offering free wireless Internet access. Hotspots are more common. And as we see a free, ubiquitous Internet taking shape, new technologies will arise to harness this amazing new capacity including interactive holography.

The World Wide Mind is likewise one of these possibilities. As opposed to the impersonal interconnection of millions of computer networks around the world, the World Wide Mind would in theory be comprised of interconnected humans retrofitted with nanowires in our brains (a very simple procedure).

The PBS program describes the World Wide Mind as "the ultimate virtual reality" with the ability to communicate brain-to-brain and to stimulate senses directly. Though it may sound incredible, keep in mind that given today's blindingly fast pace of technological advance, science fiction is fast becoming science fact. Could this new version of the Internet mirror the nefarious Borg collective from the Star Trek television and movie series where all of our personalities, desires, emotions, and even our individuality is given over to the collective? A very eerie proposition!

For now, however, we can expect the Internet to become increasingly "social" in nature whereby locating and connecting with people is fast and easy; where blogs, news stories, videos, websites, and podcasts are quickly shared with the click of a button; where privacy is rendered nugatory; and where individuals "plug in" and share their lives with each other. Some experts have even opined that more personal virtual worlds such as Second Life or Cybertown will eventually overtake the flat, 2-dimensional Myspaces and Facebooks of the world as well as rendering E-mail as we know it today obsolete.

The last trend that is clearly emerging has to do with global implementation of radio frequency identification (RFID). RFID chips will very soon replace barcodes and will find themselves embedded in every product we purchase. Will you one day lose your keys, only to do a quick Internet search to find where they're hiding in your "smart home?" Will marketers be able to remotely track your use of these products and send you advertisements based on your purchasing habits? The answer is yes - and thus, the Internet will become an "internet of things" where everything and everyone is tracked and easily located.

Whatever the outcome, what is clear is the trend toward a more social, more personal Internet experience. What is also clear is that in the future, the Internet won't be restricted to a box with a keyboard and monitor; indeed, it will be woven into the very fabric of our lives.

Learn more about this author, Daniel J. Gansle.
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