It’s no secret that we here are fans of finely made watches. The Cabestan design from Vianney Halter and Jean-François Ruchonnet is not yet being produced for sale, but makes us watch fans drool at its unique new look at watch design. The pictures you see are a rare few of the Cabestan that exist, with only a few prototypes existing in the whole world.

The beautiful rolling power displays are absolutely astounding. The displays are controlled through chain links and fusee wound by a winch. The mechanical design and architecture of the Cabestan is enough to make any watch fanatic weak in the knees. A truly beautiful device we hope to see in production someday. (more…)

Designer Patrick Gunther takes a mix of fantasy and possible futuristic medicine and has designed some prototypes for what he envisions nanotechnology to look like in the future. Gunther thinks that in only forth years time, we might have nanotechnology capable of swimming through our bloodstream, acting as a man-made immune system. AIDS and other immunity deficient diseases would become obsolete.

The designs look like a cross between a moth and a web cam. Yes, we have weird eyes sometimes. Doesn’t the nDoo kind of remind you of those nano creatures from The Matrix? One really cool possibility for the future is that as these flow through our bodies, they can keep up to date with all diseases through a networked database, assuring you of your health or lack there of. — Andrew Dobrow

Design Page [Extrospekt, via Core77]

Hospitals have become plagued with staff shortages, which results in more work for the current staff, and longer waits for us patients. Scientists think that the future of medicine lies in the hands of robotics. Prototypes have already been used in hospitals, but soon the technology community sees robotics taking even a stronger hand in medicine…with robotic nurses.

The IWARD project goal is to have three working prototypes by 2010 of different robots designated to different nursing responsibilities. These “nurbots”, as we like to call them, will be able to mop floors better then custodians, talk to patients better then staff priests, and guide visitors to rooms better then annoying reception ladies and huge slightly smelly security guards.

Eventually the plan is to have a fully integrated information system with guide points. Producing an intelligence system which would make the entire hospital an interactive part of the system. Even though these nurbots are not designed to take the place of nurses, but are actually supposed to let the staff spend more time with the patient, we see more robots being used in the future.

With the thought of robotic nurses comes the inevitable question that everyone wants to ask. Are they anatomically correct? And if so, where can we get one? Ok…despite our seemingly perverted and warped view, convictions of robotic rape are just bound to show up eventually. And it’s just a really eerie thought. — Andrew Dobrow

Scientists promise robot nurses by 2010 [Pocket-lint]