Cisco predicts capacity to 'print' food in 15 years

Cisco futurist Dave Evans has predicted that the technology to "print" food will be available in the relatively near future.

Answering questions in a Twitter interview this afternoon under the hastag '#AskFuturist', Evans provided a serious answer to the seemingly tongue-in-cheek question: "When will we be able to download food from the internet?"

Evans said: "Not food, but the recipes to print food. Roughly 15 year horizon, but prototypes [are available] now."

His prediction is based on the advent of 3D printing, where three-dimensional object can be created additively using a digital model.

Continuing the theme, Evans also pointed to a new industrial revolution due to the technology.

"[There will] possibly [be] a manufacturing revolution due to 3D printing – igniting a new wave of innovation."

He also pointed to increased artificial intelligence becoming available via the internet, when asked what is next for cloud services.

"More A.I. in the cloud (not only SAAS, IAAS, etc). Think Siri, Watson, etc., available to all devices (car, etc)."

When asked by your correspondent whether touch and voice commands will replace the mouse and keyboard in the future, he replied: "Not completely replace, but significantly displace. Gesture will also be a popular interface (on PCs and phones)."