Future Technology 500

Technology plays a crucial role in all of our lives and is continually changing and evolving. Science and technology frequently combine to provide new solutions designed to change our lives for the better. Existing technology paves the way for new ideas and concepts. Over the next 20 years, we will see some of the most significant changes that have taken place since the industrial revolution so; here are some of the things that we can expect to witness.

Robots in the Workplace

It seems inevitable that robots will play a notable role in the workplace. NASA are relying heavily on robots when it comes to space exploration so the natural move will be for the use of similar technology in factories. Robots can comfortably work in challenging environments and complete mundane tasks. Robots can often complete these tasks more efficiently and faster than humans which will, in the long-term, reduce both fixed and variable cost within the organisation.

Electric Vehicles

With fossil fuels such as oil being in finite supply, car manufacturers are exploring the options available for electric vehicles (EVs). Tesla is one of the leading manufacturers, even developing self-driving vehicles. The problem with many of these vehicles is the distances that can travel on a single charge. Battery cell manufacturers are using high-precision battery testing equipment to develop more efficient lithium-ion batteries which will increase the range of EVs.

Improved Solar Panels

Solar panels are undoubtedly going to play an essential role in the future. Although they have been around for decades, it is only in recent years that they have become efficient and cost-effective. With solar roof tiles becoming increasingly popular, not to mention being more aesthetically pleasing, they are now more common in domestic properties as opposed to just industrial and commercial buildings. Some companies are currently investigating the potential for integrating solar panels into EVs.

Augmented Reality (AR)

Most people are familiar with Virtual Reality (VR) but less aware of Augmented Reality. AR is the next step up from VR and allows information to overlay other data and, therefore, has a role in many apps. Intensive research is taking place into ways that AR and VR can be effective in a work environment. The most obvious ways appear to be in scale models or visual representations in plans or blueprints.

Wearable Screens

Certain groups feel that screens on devices may become a thing of the past and wearable screens are the future. Technology is already available which facilitate the use of touch-capable projectors that could be adapted for skin or clothing. In the future, your smartphone may be implanted in your body rather than needing to be carried around in your pocket.

3D Printed Foods

One of the most rapidly improving forms of current technology is in 3D printing. It is already possible to “print” a building, but now some companies are experimenting with the possibility of printing food. Printed food would be a superb option in countries where food shortages are a constant problem but could also be used in the home if your fridge is running a little low. Although the technology is some way off at the moment, the potential is undoubtedly there for food printing in the next 20 years.

Food-aware Fridges

Remaining with the food theme, fridges that can detect when you are running low on food such as water or milk are already available. With direct links to supermarkets, the refrigerators will soon be able to order your food, meaning that you will never run short of anything. An increasing number of white goods manufacturers are exploring the opportunities with this technology, and it is expected that it will be available in most homes within 20 years.

5G

Finally, 5G connectivity is possibly the closest form of technology to being commonly available. 5G will mean that mobile devices will offer incredible download and upload speeds anywhere in the world. The technology could be used in everything from mobile phones to cars, not to mention instruments that are yet to be invented. Qualcomm is the leader in this field with 5G phones expected to be widely available by the end of 2019.

For the past decades, we can see technology following a predictable path, where integrated circuits chips are becoming advanced to create smaller, but more power, devices and manual processes have been automated, allowing for increased efficiency and productivity. But today, this trend is anticipated to most likely change in the near future, where there is expected an extreme disruption in technology. As information technology would decrease in phase, second-order technologies—robotics, nanotechnology, genomics, etc—will become the center of attention, automating routine cognitive work. During this time, there will occur four major paradigm shifts that all of us should prepare for.

First, there will be a shift from chips to the system. While the Moore’s Law has helped power up the Digital Revolution to a level where computers have become more powerful and functional, while becoming cheaper, it is said to be nearing its end. There would be too many transistors to squeeze into a chip, causing them to malfunction or take too long for them to communicate with each other, also known as the von Neumann bottleneck. Well, this can be solved by shifting from the chip to the system, which is particularly called “3D stacking” that combines chips into a single three-dimensional chip. Though this can be difficult, as we have to devise new chip designs entirely, it would increase speeds at significant levels to sustain progress.

The second one is a shift from applications to architectures. Innovations, such as office document processors and graphics creation apps, have engendered the widespread use of computers, with the internet allowing for emails, e-commerce and, then, mobile computing. Basically, applications are running today’s world. So far, these programs that are taking place on devices using central processing units are working well enough, but for more advanced functionalities that we want computers to do, like those of self-driving vehicles, the von Neumann bottleneck also causes some limitation for progress. So, the solution would be to move from developing new apps to developing new architectures that have the capacity to handle these apps better. Well, there are already some technologies that can help us reach this level, such as neuromorphic chips, quantum computers and the new field-programmable gate array (FPGA) chips.

As for the third major paradigm shift, it is from products to platforms. While great businesses in the past have made their way to prominence by creating a single specific product, companies today achieve success by making money out of platforms. Great examples are the iPhones using the Apple App Store, Android devices using the Google Playstore and Amazon earning most of its profit from using third-party sellers. As you can see, platforms are very important as they allow people to access technological and business ecosystems, which we will see more in the future.

Lastly, there will be a shift from sustained periods of growth to shorter ones. According to economist Robert Gordon, while earlier innovations like the internal combustion engine and electricity have had broad implications, those of digital technology have been narrow. There are certain indications that future growth will be very different than the past.

In the coming age of disruption, it is very important to know more about these major paradigm shifts and to adapt to them to keep your ventures afloat and stay competitive.

References

http://www.forbes.com/sites/gregsatell/2016/05/15/these-4-major-paradigm-shifts-will-transform-the-future-of-technology/#18382c57794e