I still have high hopes for positive change in the cryonics industry - greater professionalism, better organization and more basic research - based on events of the last year or two. On the basic research side, Suspended Animation, Inc, a company funded by Saul Kent of the Life Extension Foundation, was supposed to get underway earlier in the year. You may recall the series of setbacks and resulting second-guessing based on refusal of a zoning permit in Boca Raton.

So it seems that Suspended Animation, Inc is still essentially in the setup phase:

After getting an icy reception from Boca Raton last year, a company hoping to perfect techniques for freezing dead people with the hope of someday bringing them back to life is paring its plans and considering lab space in Boynton Beach.

Suspended Animation Inc. informed city planners this year that the company intended to lease space at 3020 High Ridge Road for biomedical research. The cryonics research firm has since applied for, but has yet to receive, a city occupational license. Now, Boynton Beach city commissioners want company officials to appear before them to elaborate on their research plans and answer commissioners' mounting questions.

One can hope that they will overcome the business location hurdles fairly soon and get to work on improving cryonics technology - and generating sensible spin-off products. If this industry is to grow, basic research is essential.