On June 24 CNET reporter Daniel Terdiman began his journey up and down the East Coast in search for new and interesting technology, research and development. Throughout the tour Terdiman will stop at NASA, the Naval Academy, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia. His latest stop was the Media Lab at MIT where he took a look at some groundbreaking technological advances, a few of are definitely worth mentioning:

-NETRA, or near-eye tool for refractive assessment, is a smartphone application and device combo that would provide large numbers of people around the world with quick and easy eye tests, similar to what is available in a doctor’s office. An application of this kind could easily serve the 2 billion people with refractive issues, especially those in rural areas.

-Electrodermal sensors fitted to autistic children will help occupational therapists during sessions better understand the child’s emotional moods and work constructively. These sensors are the combination of biosensors, artificial intelligence and assistive technologies.

-The CityCar, better referred to as the folding vehicle, can fit into the tiniest parking spaces and could radically change urban environments. The battery-electric car is expected to average at least 150 miles per gallon, can rotate on its own axis- 360°- park sideways, and because there is no central engine it can be folded into a smaller vehicle.

What could the CityCar mean for the energy crisis? Do you think applications like NETRA will help developing countries become more competitive?

Technology is booming.

With technology’s growth and advancement increasing at an exponential rate, every month there is a new product to know about and want. This progress is leaving TV’s, desktops, landlines, paper charts, and large incision surgeries obsolete. People want the newest, flashiest, easiest, and fastest toys, creating an environment of survival of the fittest.

Evolution has been occurring over billions of years, creating RNA then DNA, cognition, motor coordination, and consciousness. From there, humans were able to invent the wheel, a written language, and technology. Now, however, our invention of new technological products is changing the traditional natural selection into technological selection. Technology has become so intertwined into our survival, with its ability to screen for diseases and treat people, that the concept of natural selection is no longer natural. A concept called ‘reverse biology’ is allowing technology to help save lives. This is seen by early detection and therefore treatment of diseases due to the ease of genetic sequencing, in vitro fertilization due to precise microscopes and techniques,  and treatment of certain diseases via gene targeting possible due to numerous collaborative advancements made within biotechnology. Now, people who would not have survived, can and people who would not have reproduce, will.

This progress is showing no sign of stopping as technology grows upon itself at an accelerating rate. No longer are the weak filtered out of society, rather it is all about survival of the fittest new technological toy.  These toys, in turn, are changing the course of our own survival.

[via TED]