WIWES contributed by Cornelia Daheim
Collapse of European Transport System
The increasing dependence of travelers and logistics - particularly freight traffic by road - on electronic route optimisation creates an overload in the system. A breakdown of the European transportation network ensues and im...
"Labs-on-a-chip" have been introduced for time-saving and automatic diagnosis and detection of diseases. These new forms of diagnosis are comparable to ticket machines which are located in all areas of daily life such as superm...
Revolutionary findings mainly in biotechnology not only understand, but also impede mental and physical ageing. The impacts on human society are immense, individually and structurally: e.g. people are confronted and overstraine...
Environmental reasons and increasing chaos from a rising number of cars has led to European cities increasingly banning individual transport. Many European cities have already created designated zones for pedestrians and additi...
Due to the increasing negative impacts of fossil fuels on climate change, e.g. CO2-emissions, clean combustion engines based on innovative technologies and alternative fuels are being developed and implemented in all kinds of a...
Risks due to Virtual Simulation of Aircraft Navigation
Virtual human models in R&D do not represent real humans. Risks in labs are being underestimated and simulated movements or postures are used for the cockpit design and construction although there is room for misinterpretation.
Automatic Guidance System for Vehicles
An automated guidance system for vehicles revolutionises traffic. People agree to less driving pleasure and freedom to introduce this new system that completely avoids fatalities and is much more efficient as it avoids traffic ...
New technologies such as smart high lift devices and flow control systems enable noiseless aviation. The air traffic rises, especially in urban areas, due to deregulation of airport restrictions such as the ban on night flights...
Higher moral standards prevail and induce the end of animal experiments for pharmaceutical as well as for cosmetic products in the EU.
Employees or e.g. international migrants are being "brain tested" by companies, if they have "good" (long life, good memory) brains. Bad brains are being discriminated against. Even school kids are being placed according to the...
Research on Aircrafts Propelled by Alternative Fuels
Great efforts in research aim at developing the usage of alternative fuels in aeronautics. A wide spectrum of classical solutions as plant oils, synthetic fuel, or even radical ones like organic materials may lead to several po...
Less Bias Against Public Transport in Emerging Countries
Increasing public awareness towards sustainable mobility and a broad acceptance for public transportation services in Europe have helped to change the negative perception of it in emerging countries. It is perceived less as the...
Enhanced research on robot swarm intelligence might soon allow robots to communicate and build a system. Cooperation is organized, self-dynamic, and self-contained by intelligent robots. such capabilities are already demonstrat...
An intelligent road-on-vehicle is technically possible and might lead to a safety enhancing infrastructure. Many feature are already technically realised - though not implemented yet. A permanent road-to-car communication could...
Increasing research on enhancing human performance: e.g. modification of biochemical processes in the body, implants for monitoring body status and releasing drugs as well as nanotech-enhanced tissue, bones and brain.
First integrated multimodal supply chains and business-overarching application of intertwined databases enable seamless just-in-time deliveries without stop-overs (e.g. in capital-intensive deposits) across the continent, leadi...
Due to the ageing society and the need for nursing, new forms of living are being established: e.g. elderly people live together in "care-communities" and live in multi generation houses to be taken care of and look after each ...
Due to rising costs, doctors are less often being consulted, but patients medicate themselves. The probability of undetected diseases and risks for overdoses rise.
Mental Health from Retail Stores
Along with the general rising awareness for health and its commercialisation, mental health is becoming a commercial good as well; e. g. brainfood and brain training games were already introduced.
New drugs are continuously introduced. The drug consumption of legal and illegal drugs to improve one´s performance rises (neuro-enhancement). The consumption has already risen immensely: legal forms of amphetamine are given t...
Big cities and urban areas work on new types of health care management, such as disease management and care/treatment management. They actively intervene in public health and thus in national competencies. This particularly aff...
Quantum leaps in artificial intelligence and cognitives sciences result in a new species: The Robo Sapiens. The species develops self-awareness and intelligence equal to that of humans. It is acknowledged and receives human rights.
Europe-Wide Traffic-Control System for Individual Transport
A digital communication network seemlessly integrates traffic information and creates an efficient, accident-avoiding transportation system in Europe, particularly in transboundary agglomeration areas; traffic jams are avoided....
Autonomous Passenger Aircrafts
All airlines worldwide introduce autonomous passenger aircrafts that fly completely via autopilot and do not have a pilot on board anymore. Automated services furthermore replace flight attendants. This development might be, fo...
A Medi-Bank has been established. In this bank, individuals can invest money for future medical treatments. A client could for example, invest in a particular savings plan for spare organs in case of an illness or accident.
First Side Effects of Nanotechnology-Based Consumer Products
The number of cosmetical and medical products as well as food, that incorporate nanotechnology is rising daily. Risks and side affects of products cannot be foreseen yet; nevertheless, some side effects have already been seen i...
Price Decline in Decoding the Human Genome
The complete decoding of the human genome has been realised, but the procedure is still rather costly. Nevertheless, it is only a matter of time until techniques of decoding the human genome have become fast, cheap and therefor...
Increasing Migration Due To Climate Change
Extreme weather phenomena such as hurricanes, storm floods or droughts are already causing migration, especially in parts of Africa and Asia (e.g. in India about 4 mio. people leave their homes temporarily every year). Besides ...
International Cross-Linked Medical Database
An efficient collecting and sharing of medical data, i.e. of research projects and results, in common data bases is increasingly practised and might lead to one international, comprehensive and fully cross-linked database.
Research on personalised medicince promises earlier intervention and even prevention of diseases, an improved diagnosis and more efficient drug therapy when treating diseases. It is inter alia based on the results of mapping th...
Through enhanced materials and coordination techniques flights are conducted without anxiety even in the worst flying conditions. In conjunction with innovative condition-based maintenance surveillance technologies, which do no...
Uniform Road Surfaces across Europe
In those areas in the EU, where the contribution of road surface to road safety has been recognised for years and skidding resistance policies are already applied (as e.g. in the UK), the lowest numbers of accidents are recorde...
Flights in Extreme Weather Conditions
Primarily new composite materials are used in aeronautics. These are fully resistent against atmospheric hazards such as hail, hurricanes and thunderstorms and on the other hand are extremely aerodynamically efficient. In conju...
Global Society due to Total Mobility
Increased migration and an increase of mobile lifestyles result from ease of mobility. Regional background, national identity and language lose their importance. A global society emerges
European E-Systems Network on Multimodal Public Transport Co ...
Wide-scale e-systems support multimodal planning and route optimisation for highly mobile travellers using public means of transport. Indiviudally requested or automatically provided real-time information and suggestions for al...
Implementation of Civil Planes Powered by Hydrogen Engines
Research is conducted on hydrogen turbofan for civil planes which are able to reach velocities up to 6000 km/h (Mach5). This follow-up of the Concorde using ramjets instead of turbofans reaches hypersonic and enables antipodal ...
New techniques of brainscanning are introduced and are able to read people´s minds and intentions. The scanners are introduced for security reasons, e.g. at airport security checks.
Collapse of Transport Infrastructure
New, efficient car engines create low transportation costs. Individual traffic increases immensely and overburdens the existing traffic infrastructure.
Vast Side Effects of Intelligent Safety Transport Systems
A driver´s attention and ability of driving is decreased by the technological support such as electronic lane keeping systems, collusion avoidance systems or fatigue warning systems. The number of car accidents increases rapidly.
European Integrated Railway Signaling System
Due to an EU-wide transnational railway signaling system, the likelihood for railway accidents decreases. Mobility gets safer and faster due to less delays.
All buses in the EU are imposed to be propelled by CNG (Compressed Natural Gas)-engines. Cleaner environment increases the quality of life. Cheaper fuel allows cheaper bus tickets and increases public transportation and reduces...
A pan-European public transport system run by a single European provider leads to a high level of mobility within Europe. Thereby, the familiarity within the EU rises and further solidifies the EU.
Due to a breakthrough in the stemm cell therapy, a cure for different kinds of cancer is developed. Longer life expectancy and higher quality of life is reached. Thereby the aging of the population is taking place even faster. ...
New forecast and manipulation systems allow to control the weather. The weather planning system is used by governments to improve e.g. agriculture, but also misused: the era of "weather wars" between states arrives.
New Diseases Caused by Environmental Pollution
Environmental pollution rises immensely due to a higher energy production relying on conventional technologies such as coal-fired power plants. Moreover, the traffic volume grows while sticking to the combustion motor. New life...
Undesired Effects of Nanotechnology
Loss of faith in research and nanotechnology promises. Corporate responsibility leads to increased regulation, far more rigorous testing procedures, and improved checks of possible long-term effects.
Breakthrough leads to the development of a cure for HIV. The impacts are vast, especially in Sub-Sahara Africa where HIV/Aids was one of the major challenges. Life expectancy rises rapidly. Positive impacts on social and econom...
Non-Verbal Language Established
Due to a new language, communicating becomes possible without words. Migration rises worldwide as there are no longer language barriers keeping people from moving and scientific progress is accelerated.
Due to tremendously rising demand for oil, prices for fuel rise enormously. Driving cars and flying will only be affordable for the rich. Costs for public transport rise as well, such that mobility decreases.
Tests on Children for New Drugs
Pharmaceutical tests on children create more solid data on experimental medicines; however, great public backlash ensues when test procedures leak to the public.
New Diseases Caused by Tissue-Engineering
Standardised transplantations of tissue-engineered organs lead to new, unexpected diseases and physical disfunctions.
New Vaccines Cause New Diseases
New promising vaccines turn out to cause new kinds of new diseases/long-term effects, which is a huge setback for the scientific community. Millions of people are infected.
Besides personal data, the electronic European Health Card saves all different kinds of medical data that were included in patient files before (anamnesis, diagnosis, therapy, etc., possibly even the genotype). The Health Card ...
Non-stop final descents of aircrafts are usually interfered by the large number of aircrafts in the airspace being guided by few beacons located in the runway. First tests show that the additional application of virtual GPS-bea...
Improvements in Personal Sensory Device Interfaces
Neuromorphic engineering develops personal sensory device interfaces that promise to enhance human senses such as hearing and vision and to improve communication through providing information to people about their environment.
Integration of all - so far decoupled - air transport systems such as systems for traffic management, runway lightning control, baggage handling, passenger check-in and flight information display. The airport can be run by a ce...
New Approaches for Stem Cell Based Therapies
Stem cell based therapies for neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson´s and Huntington´s disease is close. Stem cell therapies might also be applied to other diseases.
Intelligent Health Infrastructure at Home
Smart technical devices and diagnosis structures are increasingly developed, tested and are slowly been introduced to e.g. monitor and treat elderly, chronically sick or post-clinical patient at home.
Increased User Innovations in Sustainable Transports
Due to the further spread of virtual communities and online innovation platforms, customer innovations in the field of automotives and transport slowly advance.
Migration flows increase and thereby cultural diversity. New hybrid cultures start to develop as already observed in music (Hindu rap), Food (Fusion Food) or language.
Increased communication of EU research projects
EU projects and initiatives work on the communication of the EU research to draw attention to the Union. This might lead to a rise of public awareness towards the EU in general.
TV screens are increasingly used at waiting rooms of hospitals and practices to inform and entertain the patient.
International Rise of Widespread Diseases
Setbacks for the fight against diseases such as polio or tuberculosis as the parents in industrial countries are taking the decision not to vaccinate their children.
Innovative multichannel control concepts enable intuitive control of aircrafts and all instruments. This leads to a reduction of human effort and reduced reaction times in critical situations; furthermore, ergonomically designe...
Increased Public Awareness of Sustainable Mobility
Frequent reports and discussions in the media about global warming and environmental pollution lead to a fundamental change in mobility behaviour and an increasing utilisation of "green means of transport".
Water Pollution Warning System
Researchers work on a water pollution warning system. This would constantly analyse water quality. Differencies can immediately be recognised by science centres and thereby warn of pollution and a risk for diseases caused by wa...
Micro/Nano Electromechanical Systems (NEMS/MEMS) as Redeemer
Research on NEMS and MEMS promise quantum jumps in several fields, such as drug synthesis, drug delivery, nanosurgery, nanotherapy, gemome synthesis, diagnostics, novel actuators and sensors, disease diagnostics and prevention ...
Personal Responsibility for Health Care
Cubacks in welfare based on an ageing society cause higher health care costs. Increasingly people have to take care of costs for themselves. More and more private insurances covering additional costs are established. Therefore,...
Digital natives - young people that grew up with the internet - are used to digital devices and services. However, it is mostly old patients who might increasingly profit from technology-based self-services, as digital haemodyn...
EU-Regulations for Clinical Research
The EU increasingly passes directives regulating clinical research
Increased Awareness for Work-Life Balance in EU Workplaces
There is an increase in research on improving the work-life balance that will eventually increase productivity and efficiency of employees in the EU.
Few research institutes have already established platforms integrating "several people" in research projects. Similar to open innovation platforms, everyone, e. g. university students or people dealing with similar themes at wo...
Transplantation of Tissue-Engineered Organs
First tissue-engineered organs were already transplanted.
Increase of Allergies and Autoimmune Diseases
The number of people - especially children - that have to deal with different kinds of allergies and autoimmune diseases increases. Besides an increasing refusal of chemical products, there is also a greater demand for improve...
Increasing Migration of Medical Personnel
Due to a shortage of medical personnel in several areas of the EU, there is an increasing migration of medical personnel within the EU. Increasingly, medical personnel from outside the EU fills the gap aswell
Rising interest for health science and health policy
Due to a rising awareness for health issues in an ageing society, people become aware of the importance of health research as well.
