Stanford University School of Medicine’s forecast about events and developments to watch covered two bionic areas, and I couldn’t help lamenting the passing of paper:

Hearing aids: New fashion statement

“You put on a hearing aid and suddenly you lose 30 IQ points and age 20 years,” remarked Robert Jackler, MD, chair of otolaryngology.

Thanks to the latest technology trends, that’s about to change. “Within a few years, wearing a device in your ear will be as common as wearing a wristwatch,” Jackler predicted. “We are in the midst of an ear-level device revolution.”

With the growing trendiness of sleek, wireless electronic ear devices, Jackler predicts that in 2006, the percentage of hard-of-hearing Americans wearing ear devices—such as the ones fitted with the latest Bluetooth technology—will soar.

Ear devices of the future will have numerous purposes, Jackler said, including cell phone, MP3 player, computer and GPS interface and Web access.

In November, one cellular company began marketing to the hearing-impaired by offering the ability to turn select hearing aids into wireless Bluetooth hands-free headsets.

Surgery: Relying on robots

Six years ago robotic surgery jumped from the pages of science fiction books into the operating room.

Although debate still continues about its cost effectiveness, Myriam Curet, MD, associate professor of surgery, predicts that in 2006 you can expect to see it sink new roots and extend into new territory.

Since Intuitive Surgical’s da Vinci system was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in July 2000 (the only robotic system to get FDA approval) about 350 of the units have been purchased at about $1.3 million each.

About 36,600 robotic surgeries were done in 2005, up nearly 50 percent from 2004. Analysts predict the figure will grow at a similar rate in the coming months.

Library: Farewell to paper

A half-dozen trolleys full of old journals line the hallway from Debra Ketchell’s office in Lane Medical Library’s basement to an elevator leading to the ground level. This is the year that the books are leaving.

“By the end of 2006, most of the older books and journals will be gone,” said Ketchell, the library’s director. They’ll be chilling in Stanford’s high-density storage space in Livermore—where they’re stored at 50 degrees Fahrenheit for preservation.

Journal articles not online will be sent digitally within eight hours; books can be requested online for delivery in 24 hours.