I believe that if Mizuno's results are correct, and especially if Ed Storms' theory is right, this design will be the precursor to all future devices. As I usually do, I look back at other technologies. The first transistor was the precursor to all subsequent devices, even though the methods of making them changed rapidly, and even though the material changed from germanium to silicon. The first airplane was the precursor to all subsequent airplanes.
There were many different approaches to building airplanes circa 1900, such as A. G. Bell, Maxim and Lilienthal. Those were smart people. Their ideas deserved respect, although the efforts did not make much progress. However, in 1906 the Wright patent was issued. All successful airplanes after that have been based on their discovery, which was 3-axis control. Also, all successful airplanes have wings with chambers similar to this, and similar length to width ratios. These are very different from Lilienthal and other early attempts. The Wrights were superb engineers and they had rigorous proof these were the best chambers and ratios, at the low speed their airplane was designed for. In other words, every airplane after 1906 is a descendant evolved from this design, and all other precursor designs are extinct. Needless to say, there has been tremendous progress in aviation. There was tremendous progress between 1908 and 1914. By 1914, there were airplanes that could fly 6 passengers for hours, going thousands of miles. Outwardly, they looked completely different from the pusher design of the Wrights, with the elevator in front. But from the engineering physics point of view, they were similar. They owed the Wrights royalties for the patent. If the Mizuno design actually works and it is widely replicated, it will probably be the starting point for all future designs, just as the 1906 Wright patent design was. But there will be tremendous progress. It is likely there is fundamentally only one effective design, just as there is only one way to control an airplane (with 3-axis control). Future designs may look very different outwardly, but the microscopic morphology and other details of the surface where the reaction occurs will probably be similar. Especially if Ed is correct, as I hope he is. Ed tells me he thinks this morphology can be created with techniques similar to those used to make microscopic integrated circuits.
