THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME
ROLL CALL
Philips' Shiva Devil has a flexible roll-out screen for video telephony on the go. Shiva products will be paired with intelligent agents that guide the user. The component technology will be widely available in 15 years, says Philips Designer Stefano Marzano. The rest is up to the imagination.
ONLINE MAN
British Telecom's ''homo cyberneticus'' will sport an artificial retina, a pacemaker that sends warning signals to the doctor, and a vest that turns body heat to electricity. ''People will be walking around online,'' says BT's Peter Cochrane.
ELECTRIC HANDSHAKE
If you've ever struggled to recall somebody's name at a crowded trade show, IBM has the gizmo for you. Its ''personal area networks,'' or PANs, use the human body as a ''wet wire.'' When you shake your acquaintance's hand, his calling card is deposited in your PC.
HEY, GOOD LOOKING
By the early 21st century, human beings may start exchanging a lot of digital information without pushing any buttons. ''Hot badges''--essentially, wearable computers--can signal one another across a bar to alert owners that they are compatible.
DATA DYNAMO
Multitasking road warriors of the future may want to talk and scan information at the same time. An ear-mounted device from BT reduces a cell phone to the size of a hearing aid. Its chip could also pluck data from the Net, display it on a tiny LCD, and project it to the eye via a magnifying mirror.
LOOKOUT
By stacking antennas, engineers can boost wireless capacity in cities and homes. When there is bandwidth to burn, Philips plans to have "remote eyes," cameras you'll be able to stick on the wall in the baby's room, and peek in from the kitchen.
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