Evolving technologies that will change the future by 2021

Technology has advanced over the years, from the first invention of the computer that has spawned the imagination of generations to the invention of the drone, it is only understandable that in the coming few years too we can expect the human mind stretching itself to produce a gazillion more inventions.

Let us see some of the new advancements in technology that are expected year-by-year that will affect you and me in ways that are not humanly possible to conceive. Aah, see the irony.

Personal 3D printer

3D Printing is the process of making 3 dimensional solid objects from its digital form. It is created using additive processes where successive layers of material is put up until the entire object is created.

Remember that scene in James Bond’s Skyfall where the legendary Aston Martin DB5 was destroyed? Thank the 3D printer for this. Using a large scale 3D printer, three replica cars that were one-third of the size of the cars were made for this.

3D printing is a reality because layers can be done by fusing layers of materials made from durable plastics and metals based on a template. You can create a working gun, hand-made camera lens, 3d figurines from children’s drawings, 3D fetus, etc.

Self-charging holographic mobile phones

The clearer our physical world is, the less are we influenced by geographical boundaries.

Imagine you have an important meeting where you need to be present, now visualize that you are sitting in the meeting hall, this is possible with the help of self-charging holographic mobile phones. Your mobile phone projects your holographic video and the video of the person you are talking to.

You can be able to attend a meeting peacefully even if you are chilling away to glory. Scientists are working hard to improve video to chat to become holography chat, this is made possible using light beams scattered from objects and reconstructs a picture of the object, a similar technique that human eyes use to visualize the surroundings.

It is rumored that the electronics giant Apple and Amazon are working on this. IBM says that in five years’ time, the 3D interfaces will be so advanced such that it will let you interact with 3D holograms of your friends in real time.

Space Tourism

A number of space related startup companies have sprung in the recent years in the hope that there will be takers for sub-orbital space tourism industry.

With NASA’s collaboration with space aviation agencies for commercially designed space agencies, it can be soon expected there will be a more convenient form of space travel for non-space professionals. Researches in the inter-galactic space and space travel tests have made it possible for non-astronauts to dream about setting foot on the space.

This space has taken baby steps towards this direction, although it does require the traveler to sign an informed consent agreement. Real life Iron Man, Elon Musk’s space exploration venture Space X guarantees you a seat to travel to space at a whooping $20 million per seat. Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic takes you to space at a comparatively lesser fee of USD $250,000. Are you willing to save up big time for a dream outer space travel?

Ozone Therapy

It is an alternative form of therapy that supposedly increases the oxygen intake into the body through the introduction of ozone into the body.

There are various methods in which the introduction of Ozone into the body is done and the benefits of this treatment are aplenty like treating Cancer, AIDS, Multiple Sclerosis, etc. In fact, Ozone was first used during World War I to disinfect wounds. This therapy is also used for slipped disks in the spine, diabetes, heart disease, macular degeneration which is an eye disease and Parkinson’s disease.

Ozone is a naturally occurring chemical that consists of three Oxygen atoms. Ozone is a powerful oxidizing agent. In fact, high concentrations of this chemical can be toxic to living organisms and is considered as a huge source of pollution. However, measured doses of this chemical is known to increase naturally occurring antioxidants in the body.

Oculus Rift

What started as a Kickstarter campaign is now a part of the Facebook’s empire. The Rift is a virtual reality head mounted display developed by Oculus RV. During its crowdfunding campaign, it raised $2.5 million. 22-year old Palmer Luckey sold Oculus RV to Facebook for $2 billion.

Oculus isn’t the first VR headset to hit the market, but with only $1,500 for the device and the computer you need to run it, it is easily one of the most sophisticated and relatively inexpensive one. Oculus has stated that it was mainly made as a gaming device while it is also being used in Media, Social as well as Industrial and Professional uses.

Portable Laser Pen

Read this slowly, there are laser pens that can seal wounds. Hard to believe, right? Lasers can not only be made to create a wound, but it can also be used to seal them. It is used an alternative for traditional needle and thread surgeries.

Scientists have been working on this technology for decades now. Doctors used carbon-di-oxide lasers to seal wounds but it hit a roadblock since they could not control the temperature of the laser. This could be achieved by sealing the wound internally or externally by a process called ‘laser welding’.

Physicists at Tel Aviv University have devised a laser that can heat the body tissues in a precise manner thereby eliminating the previous problem. A pen was created with optic fiber to be able to pinpoint the wound correctly. An FDA approved laser called femtosecond laser is used during cataract surgeries.

Google Smart Cloth

Imagine being able to call and send messages using your clothes? Yes, you read it right. This is exactly what Google is doing in collaboration with Levi’s. You can use your clothes like a track pad. Any item like your jeans, jackets, carpets and even furniture could be used for this.

Google’s Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) is in charge of this development. “We are enabling interactive textiles,” ATAP’s Emre Karagozler said while showing off the new smart textiles. “We do it by weaving conductive threads into fabric.”

The project is named after the founder of a type of loom, it is Project Jacquard. The type of thread used can be made into any size, shape, pattern and can even be made invisible. The material would even be able to gauge your actions like crossing your legs or twiddling your thumb. In fact, the fabric would even be able to notify if the wearer is gaining weight and suggest health related affairs.

Google Loon Project

Google Loon is a project which aims to provide inter-connectivity to rural and remote areas, this is a part of Google X, which is a company run by Google to make technological advancements.

The project makes use of high altitude balloons placed at an altitude of 32 km to create a wireless network where 3G like speeds is possible to get. The project got this name because the idea of providing internet to the entire World’s population seemed like an insane idea.

Users of the Loon’s service connect to the internet using an antenna attached to their building. This July 2015, Google signed an agreement with the Sri Lankan government to launch this technology on a large scale. Thus, Sri Lanka will be the first country to get full coverage of Internet using LTE.

Internet 3.0

Let us say you are in the mood to go for a horror movie and you also want to eat some pizza before watching the movie. This necessarily means that you have to search around a dozen websites before you finish with it.

Internet experts believe that the next generation of the web, which is Web 3.0 will understand a complex search, analyze your response, search the Internet for all possible answers and organize the results for you.

Your Web 3.0 browser will act like your personal assistant. The more you use your web, the browser learns more about you. Eventually it will understand your likes and dislikes and give a specific answer for any queries that you ask. Web 3.0 will happen due to the coming together of all these: Broadband adoption, Mobile Internet access, Open technologies and Mobile devices.

Crash Proof cars

Think of this situation. Your car would not let you make a mistake. Read it again. Does that even make sense?

Imagine the implications of that, the number of accidents that will reduce as a direct effect of this. This has not hit the market yet, but this is what the future holds for us. The advanced models can expect the cars to warn of obstacles, adjust the distance of the car to any other vehicle and activate the brakes.

Although technology helps us a lot in this front to protect us from accidents, it is the same technology that makes us go astray while on the wheels like texting on your smartphone, using the GPS system, etc. There is a new technological aid called active-safety systems that will increase the driver’s awareness to the existing traffic. It uses loud sounds, alerts that are passed visually and vibrations to deter the driver from being distracted.

Elevator into Space

A ribbon like cable is anchored to the surface and it is extended into space, of all the places. Also called a synchronous skyhook, this space elevator is designed to make vehicle transport to the space or orbit without the use of large rockets.

An Earth-based space elevator would consist of a cable with one end attached to the surface near the equator while the other end beyond the geostationary orbit. The cable is held up under tension using the competing forces of gravity which is stronger at the lower end while the centrifuge force is stronger at the upper hand. The climbers can climb using the tether by mechanical means.

The concept of a space elevator was published a century ago by Konstantin Tsiolkovsky in 1895. A Canadian space company called Thoth Technology Inc has patented a free-standing space elevator that could one day take astronauts into space.

Evolving Technologies will define the future

The word ‘technology’ is defined as “the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes” and it stands true in many ways. Today, people are living healthier and better lives thanks to the advent and advancement of technology.

If someone asked you “Has technology made your life better”, we know the answer would be unanimous. When you need something the first thing you head for is your smartphone as most things are available here itself. Technology has covered all aspects of a layman’s life including health, relationships, environment, education, government, etc.

We are at the threshold of many more evolving technologies that will take us by storm in the coming years. It is an exciting journey ahead for all of us.

Author Bio:

Misha holds a Master degree in Marketing and bachelor in computer application. She works as a content & marketing Manager at SoftwareSuggest. She likes travelling to hill stations and reading novels. Follow her on twitter. https://twitter.com/uppalmisha