Lights in the Tunnel pt 1

For some reason I couldn't find the article by Michael Chorost at Wired Magazine. (Was it because they used the spelling "optigenetics"?) I finally found the piece via Chorost's homepage (http://www.michaelchorost.com/) - or at least I think it's the one James is talking about!

It's here:

http://www.wired.com/magazine/2009/10/mf_optigenetics/
"Algae and Light Help Injured Mice Walk Again"

Very provocative but one thing concerns me about the theses put forward. What do machines run on? Some sort of liquid fuel or electrons generated by the same? What happens when these become scarce or are considered so toxic to the environment that their use is limited or restricted (as they should be in light of the impending climate changes happening). Ford's example of agriculture would be possibly turned on its head in such a possible scenario, it would become more labor intensive and localized as the long distance agro biz web breaks down. He seems to be operating on a business as usual cancer-growth economic model which is more reminiscent of the 70's or 80's than of today. Robot need fuel master!!!