Emerging Technologies for the Everyday Consumer

Our lives are becoming increasingly connected to devices, other people and a variety of things. Our new digitally connected world requires us to evolve with technology architectures and platforms and to ‘keep up’ or be left behind. Many of the new technological advances have the power to improve our lives, transform industries and safeguard our world, but their adoption also pose significant risks in the human, societal, economic or environmental arenas.

Jeremy Jurgens, Chief Information and Interaction Officer of the World Economic Forum, stated:

“Technology has a critical role to play in addressing each of the major challenges the world faces, yet it also poses significant economic and social risks. As we enter the Fourth Industrial Revolution, it is vital that we develop shared norms and protocols to ensure that technology serves humanity and contributes to a prosperous and sustainable future.”

There are thousands of articles and presentations on emerging technologies and their disruptive effects on our daily lives. If you are like me, you are fascinated by the world of science, technology and engineering, reading each and every article that touts the ‘next best thing’ and actively pursuing all opportunities to work within these fields. If you are not, but still want to remain abreast of the technologies that will change your daily life, read on.

The IoT and Nanodevices – endless possibilities

A buzz word for the last couple of years has been the ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) which is the interconnection, via the Internet, of computing devices embedded in everyday objects, enabling them to send and receive data. The IoT is rapidly expanding our universe and, by 2020, the IoT is expected to comprise up to 30 BILLION connected devices.

Now, through the IoT, connected items and items controlled by artificial intelligence, are providing our everyday things with amazing capabilities; for example, a house that unlocks the front door when it recognises the owner arriving home, or an implanted heart monitor that calls the doctor if the organ shows signs of failing, or even the ability to turn on the air-conditioner twenty minute prior to arriving home.

New IoT devices are announced daily and with these announcements come the increase of the reliance on technology to make our lives easier and perform functions that normal humans would have done previously. With scientists now investigating nanosensors and the ‘Internet of Nanothings’, the future could be endless with the ability of nansensors harvesting huge amounts of real-time information and beaming it up to the cloud.

Artificial Intelligence and Speech Technology – are robots in our future?

Have you ever wanted someone to track your finances or advise you on an outfit for the day, or possibly even search for information you need, make travel plans and schedule appointments? Do you wish that you were rich or a celebrity with a personal assistant who did all of this for you?

Well you needn’t wish for this any longer. The solution has arrived…

Advances in natural language processing and social awareness algorithms, coupled with the unprecedented (and growing) availability of data will soon allow smart digital assistants to help with a range of tasks. Soon, most of us will be able to afford the luxury of our own personal assistant for the price of few lattes a month, thanks to the emergence of an open Artificial Intelligence (AI) ecosystem.

Historically, voice interfaces have been things of science fiction, often seen in sci-fi movies. However, in recent years, advances in machine learning have lead voice control to become something that is realistic for the future and can be practically applied in everyday life. 

The world is now seeing voice-operated virtual assistants (i.e. Microsoft’s Cortana and Apple’s Siri) as well as phones that have the ability to search for information, ready songs for playing and create lists. These systems can be tedious at times, often misinterpreting commands and providing amusing replies, but the technology is improving dramatically and they offer a glimpse of a graceful future in which there’s less need to learn a new interface for every new device and makes communication with machines around us effortless, practical and useful.

Most recently, several pieces of emerging technology have linked together in ways that make it easier to build far more powerful, human-like digital assistants—that is, into an open AI ecosystem. This ecosystem connects not only to our mobile devices and computers—and through them to our messages, contacts, finances, calendars and work files—but also to the thermostat in the bedroom, the scale in the bathroom, the bracelet on the wrist, even the car in the driveway. The inter-connection of the Internet with the IoT and your own personal data, all instantly available almost anywhere via spoken conversations with an AI, could unlock higher productivity and better health and happiness for millions of people within the next few years.

The AI community have their work cut out for them, ensuring privacy and security concerns are sufficiently covered as well as ensuring ‘digital PAs’ have the ability to act in the best interests of the user, but this technological advancement is one to keep an eye on.

Batteries – energy storage that you can count on

One of the greatest obstacles holding renewable energy back is matching supply with demand, hence the big push, in recent years, for renewable energies such as solar and wind power. Unfortunately, the wind is capricious and the sun sets each and every day, so the demand and supply problem still exists.

Enter the age of the battery…

Energy storage is now a huge market, making mini-grids feasible and providing clean, reliable, round-the-clock energy sources to entire areas. Based on sodium, aluminium or zinc, these batteries avoid the heavy metals and caustic chemicals used in older lead-acid batteries and are more affordable, scalable and safer than ever before.

New-age batteries have been developed that have the ability to deliver high enough capacity to power whole towns and mini-grids, connecting isolated rural communities to the world. This technology is completely transformative for those who have no access to the grid whatsoever and also provides assistance with removing carbon emissions from electricity generation.

The supreme battery for use by all is not yet available, but better batteries could solve a number of problems, enabling emissions-free renewables to grow even faster—and making it easier to bring reliable electricity to people globally.

DNA App Store – Improving individual health one gene at a time

Most areas of our lives are becoming automated; why not our health!

A San-Francisco based company called Helix has created the first ‘app store’ for genetic information, holding data about our health risks, physical traits and our relations. With a simple spit sample, the DNA app can analyse our genes and then digitise the findings so that they can be accessed easily by software developers who can target certain customers with their personalised apps based on genetic information. Helix also aims to generate and store data on the customers’ behalf, making genetic information available to consumers at a low price.

As with any personal data, there will always be questions of data integrity. According to Helix, customers will have the ability to control the data and who sees it, with the app even having the ability to erase all data altogether. Regulatory constraints on information will be a hurdle for Helix, but one that many people would see worthwhile to ensure the DNA app is released.

This technology will enable individuals to discover things about themselves that were previously unknown and possibly assist in staving off future injuries and illnesses. We may even be able to download our DNA data and take it elsewhere with us, meaning our medical history would be transportable across continents and languages.

3D Printing – more bang for your buck

3D printing is already a technological advancement of the 21stcentury and we will continue to see advances in this area with a wide range of materials in areas including electronics, pharmaceuticals and biological materials for application into aerospace, medical, automotive, energy and the military.

Progressing from theory to reality is biological 3D printing, with the printing of skin and organs being undertaken as we speak. Although an amazing feat and an advancement that could save countless lives, the full implications of this are still yet to be understood by society as a whole.

As applications of 3D technology expand and prices drop, more goods will be manufactured at or close to their point of purchase or consumption. Furthermore, goods that have relied on the scale efficiencies of large, centralised plants will be produced locally. Even if the per-unit production cost is higher, it will be more than offset by the elimination of shipping etc. For example, in the future, vehicles that are currently made in a few hundred factories around the world will one day be made in every metropolitan area; vehicle parts could be made at dealerships and repair shops, and assembly plants could eliminate the need for supply chain management by making components as needed.

Businesses along the supply, manufacturing and retail arenas will need to rethink their operations and strategies as the 3D market increases. An additional bonus for consumers is that goods will be infinitely more customised and a need for a sense of creativity in meeting individuals’ needs will be required, just as quality control did in the age of rolling out sameness.

All in all, it looks like we, as consumers, will be getting better bang for buck.

Immune Engineering – Providing Hope for Autoimmune Diseases

Genetically altered cells have been developed by Cellectis, a biotechnology company with French roots that hunt and destroy leukaemia. These cells are the most extensively engineered cells ever with four genetic changes, two of which were introduced by the new technique of genome editing.

The cancer treatment, developed in 2011 utilising a gene-editing method called TALENs, is a way of making cuts and fixes to DNA in living cells. The genetically altered cells were found to be able to gain control over the ‘killer cells’ of the immune system, providing results that have led to complete remission in cancer patients.

Imagine what this ‘technology’ could do for the everyday person?

Gene-editing, and its’ ability to manipulate and control the immune system have led to breakthroughs in cancer treatments. This biotechnology also has the capacity to be further engineered to assist other life-threatening diseases that currently have no cure, including treatments for HIV and autoimmune diseases like arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

Drug firms and biotechnology companies are now working to bring treatments such as these to market for full use by the population.

Precise Gene Editing in Plants – Help for Drought-Ridden Farmers

Our ever-battling farmers are being provided with a new ray of hope with the introduction of a new gene-editing method that provides a precise way to modify crops to make them yield more food and resist drought and disease more effectively.

Known as CPISPR and developed by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, Harvard and MIT, this gene-editing methodology is transforming how scientists think about genetic engineering, allowing them to make changes to the genome precisely and relatively easily.

CPISR has been used successfully by China to create fungus-resistant wheat as well as increasing rice yields and the UK has used to fine-tune a gene in barley that helps govern seed germination, which could aid efforts to produce drought-resistant varieties. The US has produced examples of gene-edited corn, potatoes and soybeans as well.

However, with the introduction of this technology come consumer concerns regarding genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and regulatory requirements. Thus far, investigation has proved that resultant plants have no traces of foreign DNA, thereby negating the need for them to fall under existing regulations governing GMOs and putting to rest any consumer fears.

Is this the solution that farmers are seeking?

CPISR and the gene-editing technique will be critical for society to keep pace with the constantly evolving microbes that attack crops. It will also assist with reducing, or negating altogether, the costs of working through regulatory processes that govern GMO’s.

Autonomous vehicles – taking the risk out of driving

Since 2014, the name Elon Musk or Tesla have become synonymous with the subject area of electric and/or autonomous cars. These cars are highly technical and have the potential for saving lives, decreasing pollution, boosting economies and improving the quality of life for the elderly and other segments of society.  

The era of ‘advanced machine learning’ is giving rise to a vast range of smart machine implementations including autonomous vehicles. We are now on the cusp of a transformative technological shift in transportation: from vehicles driven by humans to vehicles that drive themselves. Autonomous vehicles process vast amounts of sensory data from on-board radars, cameras, ultrasonic range-finders, GPS, and stored maps to navigate routes through ever more complex and rapidly changing traffic situations without any human involvement.

Google and Tesla have been testing autonomous vehicles for years, with success however, the word ‘test’ is the operative word here. Consumer-use of vehicles with full autonomous capabilities are still in the foundational stages however, some vehicles are already providing semi-autonomous capabilities with hands-free parking, automatic lane-keeping, emergency braking and semi-autonomous cruise control.

There are obvious legal and regulatory obstacles that need to be faced with the introduction of this technology but adoption of it, once approved and confirmed by all stakeholders, will be swift. The long-term impact of autonomous vehicles on society is hard to predict, but also hard to overstate. The only certainty is that wherever this technology becomes ubiquitous, life will be different.

Penelope is an author, motivational and technical speaker, CEO and Chairwoman. Penelope uses her expertise in her fields and personal experiences as a road map to empower people and help them find their strengths, pursue their dreams and create success.