The Future Is Wireless: Advances in Wireless Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technologies in Gastroenterology

Arthur C. Clarke in his essay “Hazards of Prophecy: The Failure of Imagination,” proposed 3 laws of prediction. The first law is that, “When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.” Others are not so forward thinking when it comes to embracing innovation. “The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?” were the comments of David Sarnoff's associates in response to his urgings for investment in the radio in the 1920s. Although the associate was probably neither elderly nor a scientist, he was almost certainly in good company at the time. Skepticism about new technologies has existed in all walks of life and at all stages of history. Yet, every day new technologies come online and affect every sphere of our lives, including medicine.