HP Innovation Journal Issue 10: Fall 2018 | Page 57

n: We are moving toward a tipping point in human life and health spans, as a cascade of innovations make it possible to extend our mental and physical capabilities beyond anything our previous generation could have imagined. Around the globe, the world’s older population continues to grow at an unprecedented rate. Today there are more than 962 million people over the age of 60, twice as many as in 1980. That number is expected to double again by 2050, which means there will be more seniors over 60 than youth in the 10-to-24 years range. 1 At the same time, this aging population is expected to live longer and work longer. In 1950, the average person in the Megatrends Center of the Future United States lived for eight years after retirement. Today the average person lives for 18 years. 2 As global technology advancements continue to improve our health spans, we are put under additional pressure to sustain global economic growth. How will an aging labor base compete with its younger counterparts? Bio and cyber technologies may be arriving in the nick of time, enabling us to go “Beyond Human,” augmenting our physical abilities to overcome limitations and increase well-being and efficiency. 57