David Bennett became the first person to have a heart transplanted successfully into him from a pig. In press material issued three days after the operation, the University of Maryland confirmed Mr Bennett was doing well, and was capable of breathing on his own. While he continues to rely on artificial support to pump blood around his body, the team behind the surgery, led by Bartley Griffith, plan gradually to reduce its use.

This operation is a milestone for xenotransplantation — the transfer of organs from other species to human patients. Doctors say the next few weeks will be a critical to see how Bennett does with the new organ and whether his body begins to reject it.

The operation itself received exceptional authorization from America’s Food and Drug Administration under a provision which lets doctors use experimental treatments as a matter of last resort. Prior to the operation, Mr. Bennett was diagnosed with terminal heart disease, but was judged too ill to qualify for a human transplant. Having spent months in a hospital bed with no improvement to his condition, he gave his agreement to the surgery.

Bennett released a statement through the medical center the day before the operation. In it, he said: “It was either die or do this transplant. I want to live. I know it’s a shot in the dark, but it’s my last choice.”

Past attempts at pig-to-human transplants have failed because of genetic differences that caused organ rejection. To reduce the risk of that happening in this case, scientists removed several genes from the donor pig that are linked with organ rejection. They also removed another gene from the animal in an effort to prevent too much growth of pig heart tissue.

Bennett’s genetically modified pig heart was provided by Revivicor, a regenerative medicine company based in Blacksburg, Virginia. On the morning of the surgery, the transplant team removed the pig’s heart and placed it into a special device to keep it running until the operation.

Walking through an airport is never easy. Now imagine doing it if you were blind. That’s the challenge faced by Chieko Asakawa, a computer scientist. Asakawa often flies between the US and Japan. If traveling alone, she has to be helped at both ends of the flight, which sometimes includes endless waiting. In order to search for a better way, Asakawa has invented a high-tech suitcase that helps get her to the destination with no risk and without difficulty.

Packed with cameras and sensors, the suitcase uses artificial intelligence to map the environment around it. A mobile phone app is used to design a computer program of a destination into the suitcase, which plans a route and directs the user through vibrations(震动) in its handle. The suitcase also features facial recognition technology, which can inform the user if a friend is nearby. It can also flag shops and other places of interest nearby and direct the user to them if necessary.

As a keen runner, Asakawa had Olympic dreams as a child, but a swimming accident at age 11 caused her to gradually lose her sight. As an adult she is already thinking about developing accessibility technology. “I never relax when I travel alone,” she says. “I always think about what technology will help me travel more easily, quicker and more comfortably.” It was this restlessness that led to the AI suitcase.

The suitcase has other applications and could be used to help visually impaired people navigate(导航) cities, while its object-recognition technology can be used to identify colors—useful when buying clothes. Perhaps its best benefit is that it allows users to devote mental energy to other things. With AI providing space awareness, a blind person can do many other things: take a call or listen to the birds. Public spaces become places to be enjoyed, not just navigated. “It will open up many doors for blind people, because we’d be able to go anywhere by ourselves,” says Asakawa. The technology will naturally develop, she predicts, as components(组件) become smaller, lighter and more powerful.

Without new technology, we wouldn’t change our society. A smart suitcase is a great showcase for how AI and technology can change the lives of people with visual disabilities.

You get up in the morning and look into the mirror. Your face is firm and young-looking. In 2035, medical technology is better than ever. Many people could live to be 150, so at 40, you’re not old at all. And your parents just had an anti-aging medicine. Now, all three of you look the same age!

You say to your shirt, “Turn red.” It changes from blue to red. In 2035, “smart clothes” contain particles (粒) much smaller than the cells in your body. The particles can be programmed to change your clothes’ color.

You walk into the kitchen. You pick up the milk, but a voice says, “You shouldn’t drink that!”. Your fridge has read the chip that contains information about the milk, and it knows the milk is out of date. In 2035, every article of food in the store has such a chip.

It’s time to go to work. In 2035, cars drive themselves. Just tell your “smart car” where to go. On the way, you can call a friend using your jacket sleeve. Such “smart technology” is all around you.

So will all these things come true? “For new technology to succeed” says scientist Andrew Zoll, “it has to be so much better than it replaces what we have already.” The Internet is one example- what will be the next?