Scenes from a future where everything is online (pictures)

What will life be like when everything everywhere -- not to mention everyone -- is connected? Here are a few quick snapshots from that future.

Eric Mack

Eric Mack has been a CNET contributor since 2011. Eric and his family live 100% energy and water independent on his off-grid compound in the New Mexico desert. Eric uses his passion for writing about energy, renewables, science and climate to bring educational content to life on topics around the solar panel and deregulated energy industries. Eric helps consumers by demystifying solar, battery, renewable energy, energy choice concepts, and also reviews solar installers. Previously, Eric covered space, science, climate change and all things futuristic. His encrypted email for tips is ericcmack@protonmail.com.

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Eric Mack

Feb. 13, 2015 7:00 a.m. PT

1 of 7 Solar Roadways

Smart everything

In the not-too-distant future, it's conceivable that everything will be connected to the Internet-- not just people, but also different sensor-laden parts of people, as well as appliances, roads, signs, even the air and atmosphere. Scroll through this gallery for just a few snapshots from a day when Internet access is ubiquitous even in remote areas, allowing for completely smart cities like the one pictured where the roads collect solar power and control embedded traffic signals, the Internet and vice versa. Ping! Looks like that open parking spot under the shady tree just sent you a notification.

2 of 7 Ripesense screenshot by Eric Mack / CNET

Smart produce

While handheld scanners and aroma-sniffing ripeness-sensing labels already exist, connecting them up to the Internet of Things in the future could mean that ripe and rotten fruits and veggies are auto-sorted, putting an end to so many seconds wasted on squeezing, tapping and sniffing.

3 of 7 NoPhone

Anti-tech movement on the move

The NoPhone, a fake phone designed to encourage more face-to-face interaction, is a joke, but as everything goes online, anti-technology movements may become more serious. So far though, aside from the recent protests against the techie influx in San Francisco (which are really more about housing and other economic issues), the neo-Luddite movement hasn't gained much traction, probably because its leaders are so bad about responding to emails.

4 of 7 Google

Internet everywhere

Connecting everything in the world requires a pervasive network that's available everywhere. Google's Project Loon is experimenting with balloons to connect the last fully unwired parts of the world, and other big names like Facebook and SpaceX are looking at using drones and micro satellites for the same purposes.

5 of 7 Eric Mack/CNET

Smarter skiing

Sensors exist today to connect snow level monitors along ski runs via the Internet of Things. A decade from now, it could be possible to see obstacles downhill or under a very thin cover of snow thanks to more ubiquitous sensors and augmented-reality helmets.

6 of 7 Proteus Biomedical

Wearables worn inside

Forget wearables. Soon we could be dealing with swallowables to track our health and fitness. But by the time that's common, they'll probably be much smaller than the above health-tracking system you can swallow. It dates back to 2010.

7 of 7 Hitachi

Smart dust

RFID chips made by Hitachi are shown above in a slide near a thick black line. That line is a human hair under magnification. These chips are technology from 2006. By 2026, "smart dust" chips like this could float around on the wind, constantly measuring the weather and other atmospheric conditions.