What science and technology advances will most impact your life in the next 5 years & if you could invent one what would it do?

Alison's Contribution:

I love these sorts of questions because I have a very clear idea of what I want. Here's my 5 pence worth - hope to discuss more this week-end.

1. Go anywhere computing and energy. Like many, I'd love to have truly mobile computing which means it needs to be light (like a Nokia N800 tablet) and powerful. I read about some batteries which recharge in 1/8 the time, and this combined with some sort of solar conversion or other fuel cell technology will give it. I see mine as a one handed input device on screen which effectively is the same size as the one I'm currently using.
2. Cars/personal transport devices which can go up and down rather than stay on the road. For those who are Jetsons fans, that's what I have in mind. Evidently there's a personal flight machine using hydrogen engine technology which may make this feasible. Cetainly on the green/clean side. I think the switch to this might take longer than 5 years, but I think the major push will be there.
3. Instant translators - the simultaneous type. With the advances in Voice to text translation, all we then need is a bit more "AI" (ha ha) and faster processing focussed on something other than the display.
4. Education on line - Far more and better lessons developed for individual discovery. 'nuff said
5. TV will change to a VoD and "live event" services with delination of stations based on content - eg many more specialist channels particularly sport and genres. As with Fashion TV, I can see someone building a case for "Friends" TV, etc etc due to falling costs.

That's all I can think of right now.