Research

Dear hard science fiction fans,

Below is some of the research I did for my stories. Although I feel research is important, for a writer, what matters most are feelings and the characters who make up the story. Technology is only one aspect of the book, but sets the stage. As far as I'm concerned, technology is only as smart as the person who uses it.

Future Military Weaponry: Flash bangs, contact lenses that access information, drones, drones that fight other drones, M.A.V.'s (micro air vehicles) flat wave radio technology. Ambient backscatter devices which is a wireless way to communicate without relying on batteries. Textiles and Kevlar suit technology to protect soldiers and prototyping for advanced suit design. Electronic handcuffs and hyper stealth. Electromagnetic rail guns, fling bullets, laser guns. EMP technology, sentient unmanned vehicles and A.I. Giving robots license to kill with advanced weaponry. I like the idea of a robot sentry to protect a home right behind a door. I also touched on the concept of integrated smart homes, smart cars and  all in one iD's (interface device). Holograms, and programs with personality please... Radiation protective clothing, and ion cleansing devices to save on water. I thought of something I call PD's or perimeter drones which may or may not have already been thought of, which raise up armed and ready around a vehicle or ship as protection. I also imagined  a type of magnetic shield for police or soldiers to deflect explosions or gun fire. The future will be adventurous and dangerous at once...

Agriculture: Super vitamins to ward away global hunger. Agriculture equipment, environmental control systems, precision farming technologies, harvest processing and irrigation practices. Algae products, and nutritional impacts on society, along with government rationing systems.  Genetic mutants, parent seeds, and seed vaults, that pertain to human survival. Drought resistant seeds and biopharmaceutical production. Crops will be super bred to grow in a few weeks. Magnetospheres to protect crops from radiation.

Biology and medicine: Bone scaffolding systems to heal broken bones in weeks instead of months. Healing patches like band-aids  that will instantly advance  the healing of torn skin. Life saving medical drones that can reach an injured person in minutes with emergency medical supplies along with a doctor who can see and speak to the patient through a camera inside the drone. Hospital information becomes more seamless. It's been suggested that even the beds themselves will keep track of the patients vital statistics Donated parts and blood will be a thing of the past. We will have printed parts and synthetic blood. Medicine will be one of our most advanced areas taking leaps and bounds but it's a little overwhelming to research it all.

Education and work: This is a big topic but overall I think work and classrooms will migrate to homes. Meetings in person may become only when necessary. Privacy will become a thing of the past. Perhaps privacy will be paid for and very expensive.

Tranportation: We'll always need it. We'll have mag lev trains hopefully and less cars. Maybe the cars will self drive and energy will be in kilowatts. Cars will be charged. I investigated many fuel systems and outcomes. In my last book I invented a new type of ice sailor vehicle and investigated a new type of all terrain two man vehicle that travels through snow. Dog sleds are still in practice however.

Fun ideas: Smoking that is healthy, using flavored water vapors and bio electronic tattoos. The tatoos only show up when touched. How about a kitchen where cups, plates and silverware are instantly printed as needed, then easily recycled  into a specialized compartment for the next meal? No more soap and water, rinsing, or cleaning. How about projected images of dancers at drinking establishments? It's a bit "bladerunner" but  it would be cheap and effective...

Things that I think will never change based on the past:

War and wine

Marriage and partnerships (sex)

Human compassion and ingenuity

Smoking and drugs

Individualism

Greed and capacity for evil

Friendships and the need for socialization

Money in some form

Government power

Food and and survival

The environment

We will have the power of technology, but we are all still human. Look at the past to see the future don't you agree?

Did I leave out space? I researched space ships, space engines, and space travel. LAV's (launch to surface vehicles), Time and distance to Mars. Solar time, colonization, gravity, weight and mass. Bone density and loss. Problems with radiation and space travel. CO2 levels and the atmospheric make-up of Mars. I investigated the soil, and although plants could thrive with water and nitrates, the best way to live on Mars  is underground. I also looked up geo-engineering ideas for Mars, and then there we go again, right back into agriculture.  But be careful with geo-engineering. Sometimes if done the wrong way, things can go in reverse and never come back. As Mars atmosphere thickens, so does the plot, which I promise heats up faster than CO2 levels. Did I mention, I really like the idea of space elevators too....? Perhaps a new material invented in great Britain called Graphene could be used for the tether. I could say more about the research, and although I've skipped a few things here, I hope you enjoy my future.