Latest Advancements in Science

In the 2010 May issue of Reader's Digest (pages 84-97) there is an article entitled: "Next Big Things. 25 Ideas, inventions, and gadgets that will improve your life."
I was so excited to share some of those things with you. Here are some of the things listed:
1) Bionic eyeball. It works by transmitting images wirelessly from a tiny camera attached to a pair of glasses to a microchip on the eyeball. The chip stimulates retinal nerve cells, which then sends the pictures to the brain. It can't restore FULL vision, but provides enough so that a patient can walk a familiar path without the aid of a guide dog or cane. (May get FDA approval as soon as 3 years!)
2)No-drill dental work. Icon, a new treatment for early cavities, works by injecting liquid resin into the affected tooth. It reaches the decay faster than traditional methods. Once inside the problem spot, it solidifies and stops the cavity from progressing. There is no anesthetic or drilling! It's already on the market in Europe and will be widely available in the U.S. this year.
3)Do-It-Yourself Glasses. Josh Silver, an Oxford professor, spent 10 years to develop glasses he could adjust himself. He figured out silicone oil was the key. He filled two flexible membranes with the oil and encased them in hard plastic. All you have to do is twist a platic dial on each lens to add more liquid, which changes the shape of the lens. Now we have a pair of glasses that last forever! We should see them in the next few years.
4)Needle-Free Vaccines. Boston University researchers are working on a new way of inoculation. The vaccine is deposited inside nanoparticles, each no bigger than a human pore. These particles are then applied to a foil-backed film that is placed on the skin (like a patch). A mild electrical charge from a small device is used to drive the particles into the skin. A pilot study is under way.