You can either disrupt or be disrupted. You can either do it, or it is going to be done to you. – Kenneth Thurber.
A decade ago, the disruptive technologies we have now were unimaginable. Sure, some people had the concept of artificial intelligence and robotics back then, but the sophistication those technologies now have was unfathomed and shrouded in mystery by those who watch them in the movies.
Now, imagine a decade from now, flying cars, floating farms and smart-bio bubbles among others. Since it has become popular opinion that possibilities are endless, here are some cool innovations that might become reality.
1- Airport for Flying Taxis:
If you’re one of those speculators who don’t think technology is strong enough for this, take a good look at cities that are now getting congested. That’s a problem tech can solve. Drones for delivery started the trend and flying electric taxis are beginning to be built are fast becoming a reality with its first Urban AirPort receiving funding from the UK government. The ones that are in the making are powered by a hydrogen generator, as a clean alternative to fuel.
2- Prosthetics that could give people new skills:
We’ve started seeing people use advanced prosthetics already. One 25-year-old biological scientist, has a prosthetic arm with a personal drone and built-in flashlight. And a French artist is using a prosthetic that doubles as a tattoo gun.
Prosthetics will continue to get more advanced to the point where people are fully comfortable with technology merging with the body. For example, people could choose to get cybernetic implants in their legs to make them stronger.
3- Living Robots:
Hollywood movies have painted this as a terrible idea – spelling the end of the human race. But according to science, this is a great growth for technology. Small hybrid robots made of stem cells from frog embryos can one day swim around in human bodies for medical purposes or in the ocean to collect microplastic.
4- Heart Monitoring Attire:
Heart monitoring watches are all over the place, but the accuracy is debatable. Using a single lead ECG printed on the fabric, a company is working on making a smart t-shirt. This piece of clothing will accurately measure heartbeats and upload them to the cloud via Bluetooth. Algorithms will analyze the data, look for abnormalities in the heart rate and alert the user.
5- Virtual reality could replace textbooks:
You could take students to an environment in the past and show them what was happening, like watching a battle taking place. You can explain that sort of thing more easily if they can see it happening, than if you are looking at a textbook. Google’s Expedition App already lets students take trips in VR to places like the Great Barrier Reef. The app first launched in beta form in September 2020.
6- Super-Fast Charging Car Batteries:
Researchers at Penn State University have found that if batteries could heat to 60 degrees celsius for 10 minutes and cool down to ambient temperatures, the heat damage can be avoided. The battery will use a self-heating nickel foil and a rapid cooling system will be designed inside the car.
7- Silicon Chips with Artificial Neurons:
Researchers have found a way to attach human-like neurons onto silicon chips that will mimic the electrical properties of a real neuron. Until now neurons have been like black boxes, but scientists have managed to open the black box and peer inside. If this application becomes a success, this can treat heart failure and even Alzheimer’s.
8- Sound Technology for Forest Fires:
Forest fires are a major threat to human life and the environment. With traditional methods, it takes weeks and even months to put out a massive fire, but researchers at George Mason University are working on a sonic extinguisher. Because sound is made up of pressure waves, it can disrupt the air in the fire, cutting off its supply around the fire, at the right frequency.
9- Self-Healing Concrete:
Researchers have created living concrete using sand, gel, and bacteria. According to experts, this material will have load-bearing and self-healing features, which will be completely safe for the environment. The need for such an invention has come from the fact that concrete is the second-most used material on Earth, besides water.
10– Space trips to Mars:
Elon Musk has promised that he plans to send astronauts to the red planet in 2024 so they get there by 2025. He said the plan was first to see the first set of people going off to mars, and then robots will do some basic stuff like making basic materials [on Mars,] because only so much can be brought to space.
It’s a scary, yet exciting time we live in.
Do you have any question or comment? Do share with us in the comment section.