IBM’s 5 in 5 — a list of five innovations that could change the world in five years — focuses on how computers are developing the ability to taste, touch, hear, see and listen just like humans do, except way better.
It is kind of exciting and kind of terrifying, but mostly just really cool.
For example, Hendrik Hamann, a research manager of physical systems for IBM, describes a smartphone that could use a computerized nose to “smell” if we are sick. Forget the thermometer and the doctor’s visit — we will simply breathe into our cellphones to find out if we have the flu.