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Believe it or not, we'll see some amazing things happen in the way we work, live and play over the next five years according to IBM's latest "Next Five in Five" predictions.

Based on market and societal trends expected to transform our lives, and emerging technologies from IBM's Labs around the world that can make these changes possible, the Next Five in Five identified technology innovations that will change our lives in the following ways:

1. Energy saving solar technology that will be built into asphalt, paint and windows
Solar energy will become an affordable option for you and your neighbors. Until now, the materials and the process of producing solar cells to convert into solar energy have been too costly for widespread adoption. But now this is changing with the creation of "thin-film" solar cells, a new type of cost-efficient solar cell that can be 100 times thinner than silicon-wafer cells and produced at a lower cost.

These new thin-film solar cells can be "printed" and arranged on a flexible backing, suitable for not only the tops, but also the sides of buildings, tinted windows, cell phones, notebook computers, cars, and even clothing.

2. You will have a crystal ball for your health
In the next five years, your doctor will be able to provide you with a genetic map that tells you what health risks you are likely to face in your lifetime and the specific things you can do to prevent them, based on your specific DNA - all for less than US$200.

With the ability to map the entire human genome, scientists have unlocked the secrets our genes hold to predict health traits and conditions we may be predisposed to. This information can now be used by doctors to recommend lifestyle changes and treatments, and by pharmaceutical companies to engineer new, more effective medications.

3. You will talk to the Web . . . and the Web will talk back
You will be able to surf the Internet, hands-free through the use of "VoiceSites," which are analogous to websites but accessible via phone through a voice interface and will give people without PC or Internet access, or who are unable to read or write, the ability to take advantage of all the benefits and conveniences the Web has to offer.

Imagine being within a phone call’s reach from the ability to post, scan and respond to e-mails and instant messages - without typing. You will be able to sort through the Web verbally to find what you are looking for and have the information read back to you - as if you are having a conversation with the Web.

4. You will have your own digital shopping assistants
Shoppers will increasingly rely on themselves - and the opinions of each other - to make purchasing decisions rather than wait for help from in-store sales associates.

Fitting rooms will be outfitted with digital shopping assistants - touch screen and voice activated kiosks that will allow you to choose clothing items and accessories to complement, or replace, what you already selected. Once you make your selections, sales associates can instantly gather items and bring them directly to you. You’ll also be able to snap photos of yourself in different combinations and email or SMS them to your friends and family for the thumbs up…or the thumbs down. Shoppers will be able to access product ratings and reviews from fellow consumers and will even be able to download money-saving coupons and instantly apply them to their purchases.

5. Forgetting will become a distant memory
It will become much easier to remember what to buy at the grocery store, which errands need to be run, where and when you agreed to meet a friend, or what product you saw advertised in the MTR. That's because such details of everyday life will be recorded, stored, analyzed, and provided at the appropriate time and place by both portable and stationary smart appliances.

To help make this possible, microphones and video cameras will record conversations and activities, with the collected information being automatically stored and analyzed on a personal computer. People can then be prompted to "remember" what discussions they had, for example, with their daughter or doctor by telephone. Based on such conversations, smart phones equipped with global-positioning technology might also remind them to pick up groceries or prescriptions if they pass a particular store at a particular time.

This technology is already being applied in a joint-project between IBM and the European Union, called HERMES, to help support active aging and prevent cognitive decline among elderly - proving that this innovation and others like them are closer than we think.

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The IBM 'Next 5 in 5' was initiated three years ago to identify the major technology innovations that will transform our lives. The predictions and related research are courtesy of IBM's global team of researchers.