Tech Level 8 Approaching!

"What do you mean, 'Tech Level 8 approaching?'"

"On a Hawkman rocket cycle. Shall I inform his majesty?"

"Idiot! The emperor would shoot you for interrupting his wedding with this news!"

(with apologies to Flash Gordon)

GURPS uses the concept of tech levels running from 1 to 16. There is a general, societal tech level, but it can also be broken out into categories like power generation, medicine, motive systems, etc. When GURPS was originally written (~1980's) first world nations were described as tech level 7.

So what is predicted for tech level 8?

1. Computers are about 10 time more powerful. The GURPS authors beat themselves up a lot over this. Computers are probably thousands or millions of times more powerful from a frequency/number of transistors point of view. But from a functionality point of view, it's not too bad.
   
2. Human cloning. This one looks on target.
   
3. Prosthetics/Bionics. I think we are close on this one. The war in Iraq has been a big driver just in the last few years. We are getting pretty close to full functionality and look for prosthetics.
4. Robots. I forget the exact capabilities for TL 8. But we are getting pretty good here. Things like humaniform and combat robots are not until TL 9 or 10.
   
5. More efficient in-system space travel. I think the development of ion engines has made this possible. There is also some cool ideas in fission driven (but non-radioactive exhaust) rockets. Unfortunately, I doubt governments will do much innovation. The private sector might have some effect (but would they be allowed to develop a fission rocket?).
   
6. Fusion power. Ahh, fusion power. Always twenty years away. One of the first things I researched on the world wide web (back in 1998). I'll look into this more depth.