The World in 2030

The World in 2030 295
analysis) and which would eventually be developed to carry
small doses of adrenaline, insulin and other chemicals and
drugs which, if administered early enough, can save a life. I
imagined a time when wearing such a watch would not only
be a cultural and fashion norm, but would be a requirement
laid down by medical insurers.
Of course, there is a yawning gap between imagination
and practicality and I eventually came to the reluctant
conclusion that the electronics and physiological testing
systems of 1986 could not be integrated and scaled down
into a single device small enough to be worn anywhere
on the body. After some months of expensive research I
reluctantly put the idea aside.
Now, twenty-one years later, wrist blood pressure monitors
exist 515 and these models have been successfully tested for
accuracy by the medical authorities. These devices still look
like medical equipment, however, but as we all start to take
more responsibility for maintaining our own health, we can
expect to see more multiple-function wrist devices being
developed which are also stylish and fashion-conscious.
And others are also working to make these healthmonitoring
ideas a reality. As Ray Kurzweil and Dr. Terry
Grossman announced in ‘Fantastic Voyage’:
Within several years, we will have the means of
continually monitoring the status of our bodies to
fine-tune our health programmes as well as provide
early warning of emergencies such as heart attacks.
The authors are working on this type of system with