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How do you think people will communicate in the future?

Kids-future-technology.Image source, Getty Images

In the future people will communicate with each other using body implants and holograms, according to a new survey.

The poll, carried out by YouGov for children's charity Barnardo's, asked children and adults across Britain for their predictions on how young people will talk to each other in 30 years' time.

Only 13% of 8 to 18-year-olds think young people will send letters and postcards to each other by the year 2049.

Around one-third said they think holograms, and body and brain implants will be used, while a quarter predict there'll be a new language - like emojis!

According to the poll, the most popular way of communicating in the future will be by wearable technology, including smart watches and augmented reality glasses.

More than half of young people said that they think they'll spend too much time online and not enough talking to people face to face in the future.

The survey was carried out to mark 30 years since the launch of the world wide web.

Image source, Getty Images

Futurologist Dr Ian Pearson, whose job is all about forecasting the future, said: "By 2050, we'll be communicating through a form of telepathy from thought recognition technology. Electronic jewellery which can detect my thoughts may be able to communicate with someone else's earpiece and relay my thoughts to them.

What is telepathy?

Telepathy is the idea of being able to transmit or pass thoughts from one person's brain to another without using any senses or physical communication. The information would pass from brain to brain without any talking, reading or gestures.

Telepathy - or mind-reading - is often featured in science fiction and futuristic films. Technology for telepathy does not yet exist - though scientists say they are working on it.

"We may have electronic devices so small they could be injected into you and navigate to your brain where they could hook up and relay information from the brain to external electronics, therefore communicating telepathically and increasing your knowledge."

I think it will be hard for people to communicate in real life. If adults are staring at a screen then children won't copy [their interactions]. We won't be able to communicate face to face anymore.

— One young person's survey comment

But while some of these predictions might sound quite cool, there are some worries about making sure that people are ok to use them.

Barnardo's wants more to be done now to make sure that kids in particular are kept as safe as possible when they're using future tech and interacting with other people.

The charity's Chief Executive, Javed Khan said: "In the last 30 years, the way children and adults communicate has changed beyond recognition, so it's no surprise that in the next 30 years we are headed towards the stuff of science fiction.

"The internet and new technologies have transformed how young people learn, play and communicate - but it's also created new risks to children's safety and wellbeing.

"Our laws and systems must keep pace with technological change so we can protect children effectively on and offline."

How do you think young people will communicate in the future? Do you agree with these ideas or do you think there'll be other ways? Let us know in the comments below.