Every face has landmarks called nodal points; distance between eyes, nose size, jaw line, cheekbone shape, eye sockets, skin folds, wrinkles and unique iris characteristics. Together these points create a one-of-a-kind "face print" that identifies people with nearly 100% accuracy.

High-res cameras with voice recording, found on buses and other transportation systems; as well as cell phones, laptops, and tablets; are becoming commonplace, says writer Steve Lohr in, "Computers That See you and Keep Watch over you." New algorithms are creating novel applications, Lohr says.

'Smart' cams in hospitals remind doctors and nurses to wash their hands; and mounted behind a mirror, these devices can read a patient's face and detect heart rate, stress, and blood pressure. Security cams installed in stores to prevent thefts create an enhanced sense of safety to our shopping experience.

MIT Professor Rosalind W. Picard and her partner Rana el-Kaliouby recently started a company called Affectiva that provides facial-recognition software to marketers. Designed to improve advertising campaigns, the system enables cameras to identify emotional responses from prospective customers.

Movie trailers and product videos are displayed in kiosks throughout shopping malls, while hidden cameras track consumer facial movements to capture like and dislike reactions. At the 2013 CES show, vendors highlight home security systems and the role of future cell phones.

And the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) recently began research in the Mind's Eye, a 5-year effort to develop machines that can recognize, analyze and communicate what they see. Mounted on robots or drones, these smart machines could replace humans in many warfare activities.

Now, enter the most hyped science of all time – nanotechnology. In a recent Foresight Nanotech Policy Brief, authors Jacob Heller and Christine Peterson discuss how "'Big Brother' may end up being very, very small." Nanosensors, already under development can detect minute amounts of chemicals in the air, which will make it difficult, if not impossible to sneak a bomb into airports and heavily populated areas.

In addition, human-implanted nanochips will soon be available that can track an individual's location and possibly, what that person consumed (drugs, junk food; etc.).

Granted, there are many positive applications for these 'Big Brother' technologies. Locating adventuring lost toddlers and wandering seniors with mental disorders is invaluable. And insurance companies could use this information to calculate risks more accurately, lowering insurance rates for most people.

But nanosensors could also enable corporations to monitor their employees around the clock, recording where they visit, whom they talk with, and what they consume – an oppressive loss of privacy. Also, see 11 Body Parts Defense Researchers Will Use to Track You.

'Big Brother' has already infiltrated social media. Imagine reading an article about government policies in Facebook and then wanting to post an angry comment. Would you pause if you knew the government would collect and store your comment and username? This prevents people from speaking their minds.

However, many experts believe the advantages of surveillance far outweigh the dangers. In addition to the benefits listed above, authorities could identify terrorists and criminals before they commit crimes.

And some see an even brighter view of how 'Big Brother' might affect our future. As mind-enhancement technologies progress (by 2050?), a kinder, gentler humanity could morph into a peaceful 'Global Village', focused more on improving health and extending lifespans, than quarreling over cultural differences.