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NBIC? Well, Nanotech, Biotech, Infotech and Cognitive Sciences. They are set to converge. If you're among those who reach for your gun when you hear 'convergence', stop right there. The word means many things to many different people. NBIC---nanotech, biotech, infotech and cognitive sciences---is the hottest new depiction of the phenomenon in techland, and it could pay to learn something about it. The first wave of technology convergence involved a lot of Cs, none of them very cognitive. Computers got hitched to Communications, Content and Consumer Electronics, and everybody reveled in the joys of having it all on a single machine on the desk (or lap or whatever). In itself, convergence means a lot more than that, though. It typically involves the coming together of expertise in two or more diverse fields to deliver something new to the world. Much convergence in technology over the past twenty years has involved the coupling of technologies and need-satisfaction devices within the space of the four Cs mentioned above. Many major product ideas have sprung from the discovery of some hidden connection between two things. Now, however, most opportunities there have been exhausted. Even if they haven't been, much more exciting stuff could possibly come from the virgin convergence of NBIC spheres. One reason is that the connection paths are far less obvious---and thus demand far greater imaginative effort. Cognitive sciences and nanotech---whoa, are we talking about tiny somethings in the brain meddling with your worldview? Well, if the brain's little 'vasopressin receptors' could have something to do with our disposition to socially engineered institutions, as some reports suggest, who knows what novel forms of engineering might be on their way with a few nano-tweaks here and there? Don't expect too much too soon, though. An all-inclusive global debate on the ethics of all these new-fangled ideas must necessarily accompany technological advancement-if it is to be of sustainable advantage to the planet at large. That's one. Also, there may still be some technical barriers to overcome. Multidisciplinary thinking is not what the typical mind is trained to do. Most technical education in the world, and particularly in India (which seems stuck in 'execute their design' rather than 'let's ideate' mode), is so intensely focused on a narrow field of expertise that expansive ideators might be hard to come by. But then again, India is quite a crazily diverse country. And there is good reason to believe there are enough people out there who get their kicks by playing in the 'intersexion' space of thoughts that are commonly assumed to be mutually exclusive, even antagonistic. As the new Millennium gets underway, there may be no story more compelling than that of convergence. Stay tuned. And stay online.
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