The Ten Most Significant Developments in Technology
10 years is quite a while in innovation. Considering how common they are currently, it’s not difficult to fail to remember that decade prior, not many of us had known about distributed computing, profound learning, or the web of things (IoT). Moreover, by 2030, the tech scene might appear to be exceptionally unique than it does today.
While I like to think that I might have foreseen that AI and the “app economy” would be a big part of everyday life by 2020, I may not have realized how big a deal cloud and “everything-as-a-service” would become if I had written an equivalent list in 2010. Progress is sure to throw a few curveballs.
In light of this, I’ve compiled a list of the trends I believe will have the greatest impact over the next ten years. They all have the potential to be as transformative as anything we’ve seen thus far on their own. However, as has been the case with the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and the cloud over the past ten years, the truly revolutionary developments will be seen when they are combined to push the limits of what technology can do for us.
Ubiquitous computing
a way of thinking in which computers are no longer separate things that can be used for a variety of tasks but are instead integrated into almost everything we use to make them work better. Trends like IoT, wearables, cloud computing, and edge computing all fit this idea. In order to go above and beyond what is possible with each capability on its own, ubiquitous computing entails developing IT strategies that utilize all of these capabilities simultaneously. When AI and cognitive computing capabilities are added, the system as a whole will learn from one another, resulting in data streams and insights that will affect many aspects of our lives. According to Cisco’s forecast, there will be 500 billion connected devices by 2030, or roughly 50 devices for each person on the planet!
Associated and savvy everything
Ubiquitous computing is the paradigm, ecosystem, and infrastructure of ubiquitous computing. On the hardware side, however, we can anticipate continued development as an increasing number of devices become networkable and able to communicate and share data. Because they are light, portable, and low on power consumption, smartphones will probably continue to be the primary means by which the majority of people interact with the digital world for some time yet. However, in addition to the smartwatches, televisions, automobiles, kitchen appliances, and toilets that are already on the market, miniaturization and advancements in user interface design will change the way we use many other devices. Another strong trend will be the combination of smart products and smart services that make them more useful. For instance, Vitality, a health insurance provider, uses a variety of smart devices like watches and exercise equipment to monitor and evaluate their customers’ progress toward healthier lifestyles and to reward them when they achieve goals like becoming more active. Other products monitor stress and activity levels in the workplace to provide insights that can improve employee health and productivity. These products focus on workplace wellness and performance.
Datafication
Every part of the world we live in, including our own words and actions, is increasingly becoming digital information (data). After that, we have access to this data, which we can analyze and use as the basis for models and simulations that can assist us in gaining a deeper comprehension of both the world and ourselves. Since the first time we were able to store digital data, this trend has been going on, but the rate at which our activities have moved online has greatly accelerated it in recent decades. However, the value of that data will rise even further in the upcoming decade as a result of other technologies discussed here, such as AI and ubiquitous computing, which will enable us to do more with it than ever before. This is extremely frightful to some, and they are not at all wrong to feel that way. It could be very harmful if it is used in a way that isn’t responsible or in our best interest. However, it also enables us to work more effectively, develop novel treatments for diseases, increase our knowledge and comprehension, and address significant societal or environmental issues like poverty, disease, and climate change.
Machine Intelligence
We have only begun to scratch the surface of what is possible with AI, which Google CEO Sundar Pichai has referred to as “the most profound technology that humanity will ever develop.” However, it already underpins a significant portion of our activities, including online shopping, socializing on Facebook, and interacting with chatbots and voice assistants. It is used to automate everything from HR policies to industrial machinery to email marketing campaigns in business and industry. AI will become even more useful and commonplace over the next ten years thanks to advances in our understanding of its mechanisms and ever-increasing network and processing speeds. The networks of computers, robots, and smart devices that we discussed earlier are a great illustration of how these trends converge and impact one another. AI is powered by data and provides the algorithmic control mechanisms for these networks. A shift toward algorithms that fall into the category of “generalized” or “strong” AI—capable of adapting and carrying out many different jobs rather than being specifically good at one particular task, as is the case with the “specialized” or “weak” AI that is primarily used today—is one possible direction in which we will see this evolve over the course of the next ten years.
The “language model” GPT-3, developed by OpenAI, is one example of the most advanced AI currently in use. It can write computer code on its own as well as produce text that is virtually indistinguishable from that produced by humans. The Perlmutter computer, developed by Nvidia for the US National Energy Research Scientific Computer Center, is another. It will be used to create the universe’s most precise and detailed map ever.
Expansive Reality
Although virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are distinct technologies, they both serve the same purpose in extended reality (XR). This aims to bring the physical and digital worlds in which we currently operate closer together. We can use our eyes, ears, hands, and sometimes even our legs to navigate digital spaces thanks to virtual reality. AR allows us to overlay computer graphics (or any data) over our actual, physical environment, bringing the datafication and flexibility of the digital realm into the physical world. As the decade progresses, both will become increasingly significant in our lives. They are already extensively used by the military for training and simulation. Pilots can practice dogfighting with simulated opponents who appear to be flying with them, and bomb disposal experts can locate and deactivate simulated explosives in real-world settings. In astronaut training, NASA uses the Teslasuit, a full-body virtual reality suit that gives feedback through haptic (pressure) sensations. The market for virtual reality (VR) equipment in business is anticipated to grow from $829 million in 2018 to $4.26 billion by 2023. Usage is rapidly expanding into more routine and everyday industries.
By 2030, I think it will be very common for people to work, play, and socialize in completely virtual environments that mimic all five of our senses. However, experts in communications Ericsson predict that virtual environments that are identical to real-world ones will be available by this point. What’s more, Facebook is fostering a stage called Skyline, which permits clients to fabricate and share online universes where they can resolve on cooperative ventures or simply hang. As an example, some people will undoubtedly prefer to spend their time in virtual environments and will try to spend as little time in reality as possible as a result of this, which is likely to result in significant shifts in society. However, it will also bring people together, make training for many jobs less expensive, and provide us with new opportunities to express our creativity.
Digital reliance
How can we ensure that any digital information is authentic, up-to-date, and only accessible to authorized individuals in a world that is becoming increasingly digitalized? Blockchains, which are encrypted, distributed databases, have emerged as a solution to this issue over the past ten years. Current use cases often have to do with finance, like Bitcoin and initiatives by Visa, Mastercard, a lot of banks, and even more and more governments.
However, this technology will be used in a lot more use cases over the next ten years. Wherever records need to be kept that are both secure and traceable, accessible, and simple to edit, a blockchain can be useful. Due to the power of cryptography, unlike a conventional database or sales ledger, it is mathematically impossible for anyone to alter the information it contains without permission. This is why it is often referred to as “immutable.” They can possibly stir up everything from clinical record-keeping to inventory network following, sovereignty installments, food provenance, and lawful documentation. They will also become intertwined with the idea of the internet of things (IoT), which will provide a secure and unbreakable method for tracking interactions between software and machines that will occur far too quickly for humans to keep track of. Many people believe that blockchain will provide a secure method for ensuring traceability and accountability in machine-to-machine communication in the future, when 500 billion devices will be networked and communicating with one another.
Printing 3D
We already have houses that can be built in a matter of hours using 3D printing technology, as well as guns that can’t be found thanks to 3D printing. Even 3D food printers that can make complete meals from ingredients that have been compressed into capsules are available for purchase. New manufacturing methods known as “additive manufacturing” will allow for much more in the future. For the purpose of medical testing, experiments have produced 3D-printed living tissue that has also been successfully implanted into animals. They produced functioning new tissue and blood vessels after being implanted. As a result, it is now possible to print 3D-printed organs that can be transplanted into human patients. The Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago has conducted an experiment in which 3D-printed ovaries were implanted into mice, raising hopes that the technology will lead to new infertility treatments. Vehicles that can be printed in three dimensions, such as an electric tricycle that can be made entirely from waste materials, will help the environment by lowering the amount of carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere when new vehicles are shipped from manufacturer to distributor all over the world.
In the not-too-distant future, we will witness the emergence of “4D” printing, which refers to objects made through an additive process that are intended to change and adapt. Shoes and clothing that are “programmed” to fit the shape of their wearers are simple examples that are currently available. Materials that are able to repair themselves when they become damaged or worn out are one possible future use case.
Syngenomicsthetic biology
A new era of healthcare, one in which medications and treatments can be tailored to each patient, is being heralded by our expanding comprehension of the mechanisms underlying genes and the human genome. In addition, gene-editing technology may hold the key to eradicating many diseases that afflict people all over the world.
Because of advances in biotechnology, it is now possible to alter the DNA that is encoded within a cell, which has the effect of changing the characteristics (phenotypes) that its descendants will have when the cell replicates. Amazingly, DNA strands that are one 40,000th the width of a human hair are physically cut to accomplish this. CRISPR-Cas9, a technology developed for this purpose, has been shown to have the potential to fix a common mutation called MYBPC3, which is strongly linked to heart disease, which can affect as many as one in every 500 adults. Additionally, it has been demonstrated to be effective in reversing a cell mutation in beagle dogs that, when present in humans, is thought to be associated with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. In 2003, the human genome was sequenced for the first time. At-home genetic testing is becoming increasingly popular and affordable, with kits costing less than $100, and projects like the Earth Microbiome Project aim to catalog the genome of all microbial life on the planet. Many of the most significant advancements in science over the next ten years are likely to be based on expanding our understanding of how living things develop and change.
Nanotechnology
Construction on a much smaller scale is what nanotechnology is essentially. The term “nano” has the literal meaning of one billionth, but in practice it is used to refer to any type of construction involving very, very small things! Typically, nanotech works on a scale approximately one billion times smaller than the centimeters and meters we are accustomed to measuring in. Sunscreen frequently contains nanoparticles of chemical compounds, such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, because of their ability to block UV rays. In addition, protective coatings are applied to the paintwork of automobiles and carbon and silicon nanofibers are added to clothing and furniture to increase their water resistance and durability.
Nanotechnologists anticipate that their work will shift from inert materials to machines and devices over the next ten years. GSK, a global pharmaceutical conglomerate, is working on what it refers to as “electroceuticals,” which are, in essence, nanometer-thin implantable devices that can be inserted into the body to monitor organ functions and even attempt to improve their function or repair damage by stimulating nerve clusters. Additionally, smaller machines typically use less energy, allowing for the creation of tiny machines that can run entirely on solar energy or other renewable sources. In addition, self-healing materials are being developed that can repair themselves when worn or cracked. This could have a major impact on the design of spacecraft, automobiles, bridges, and roads.
New energy solutions
The rate at which we have been burning gas, oil, and coal for the past 100 years cannot be sustained for the next 100 years. At the same time, renewable energy sources like wind, hydro, and solar face challenges like getting power to places where it can’t be generated efficiently. Nuclear power comes with its own set of challenges, like what to do with waste byproducts that could be dangerously unstable for tens of thousands of years.
Renewable sources, such as biomass produced from agricultural and animal waste products and biofuels, are expected to account for 30% of our electricity consumption by 2023. Space solar energy is another potential source because satellites collect sunlight before it enters our atmosphere. This has the advantage of producing energy that can be transported to locations where terrestrial solar panels cannot operate effectively due to insufficient direct sunlight. Some people are betting that hydrogen, the most abundant substance in the universe, will be the future’s energy source. Through electrolysis, energy from renewable sources will be used to create “green” hydrogen that can be used as fuel. In the not-too-distant future, nuclear fusion presents the possibility of an inexhaustible supply of energy produced through the same processes that power the sun and stars. Although experiments are ongoing and recent breakthroughs suggest it may only be a matter of time before it becomes a reality, engineering difficulties mean that this is currently not feasible.
