Technology is
considered to be the greatest agent of change in the modern world. While never
without risk, positive technological breakthroughs promise innovative solutions
to the most pressing global challenges of our time, from resource scarcity to
global environmental change.
One problem
facing technology is the lack of appropriate investment, outdated regulatory
frameworks, and gaps in public understanding prevent many promising
technologies from achieving their potential.
Another problem,
and the one that hits home with the masses, is attempting to keep up with
technology, and failing.
It’s true that
even while some technologies fail due to what was mentioned in the first
problem, in the field of communications and the Internet, this is not so. In
fact, many complain that it is hard to keep up with technology because the
smartphone or app they buy today may be obsolete in just 6 months. But then,
when we say “keeping up,” is it keeping up just to have the latest in
technology, like the latest iPhone or the latest tablet, or is it merely
keeping up to improve how to do things at work or at home?
When we attempt
to keep up just to stay in trend, then the true purpose of technology is lost.
A new smartphone model with new features that come with it may benefit some but
not all, and this applies to all technologies. Technology should be bought and
used as we need them and how useful they are to us, and not merely to just
“keep up.”
So instead of
just keeping up, here are a few technologies that we can all face with
confidence because somehow in the future, we will need them.
Brain-computer
interfaces
It is already
possible to type just by monitoring the electrical activity of your brain, but
as the technology advances, it could be possible for people with disabilities
to operate wheelchairs using only their thoughts.
Body-adapted
wearable electronics
Whether worn on
the body, embedded in clothes or even under the skin, these devices can track
information, such as heart rate and stress levels, giving people real-time
feedback about their health.
Screenless
display
A 3D image
projected into space, or simply a screenless display, can convey information
that a 2D image presented on a screen cannot, and is close to becoming a
practical reality. One of the more frustrating aspects of modern communications
technology is that, as devices have miniaturized, they have become more
difficult to interact with; for example, no one types out a novel on a
smartphone. The lack of space on screen-based displays provides a clear
opportunity for screenless displays to fill the gap. Full-sized keyboards can
already be projected onto a surface for users to interact with, without concern
over whether it will fit into their pocket. Perhaps evoking memories of the
early Star Wars films, holographic images can now be generated in three
dimensions.
Nanowire
lithium-ion batteries
New batteries based on silicon and using tiny
silicon nanowires can have a longer life, charge more quickly, and hold up to
three times the power of existing batteries.
