Trends Identified
Synthetic biology
Scientific advances in synthetic biology are expected to provide the foundations for realising the full innovation potential of biotechnology in contained-use applications, mainly in health and industrial biotechnology applications. It will provide innovative solutions for the conversion of our current unsustainable fossil-based industries into sustainable and competitive bio-based industries for bioproducts (e.g. chemicals, polymers) and bioenergy, for new antibiotics and vaccines, and new diagnostics and treatments for cancer and rare diseases. At the same time, one has to take note of the ongoing debate regarding the scientific and legal definition of what synthetic biology comprises and of the discussions concerning potential risks and benefits of synthetic biology in terms of the environment, consumer health and biological diversity.
2015
Preparing the Commission for future opportunities - Foresight network fiches 2030
European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS)
Genetic Fortune Telling
Scientists can now use your genome to predict your chances of getting heart disease or breast cancer, and even your IQ.
2018
10 Breakthrough Technologies 2018
MIT Technology Review
On drones in 2019
Scott Parazynski, CEO, fluidity (and former astronaut).On drones in 2019: Drones will continue to pop up in amazing new applications in 2019, with ever greater sensor capabilities and advances in pilot-guided automation. We believe that advances in human-machine interfaces in particular will dramatically reduce the training time and cognitive workload for drone pilots, allowing for much wider adoption for enterprise applications in dynamic, unscripted environments. While still a niche market, we see substantial growth in the public safety realm–fire, search and rescue, police and security–as well as DoD and security applications.
2019
The biggest tech trends of 2019, according to top experts
Fast Company
Unchaining land rights
Securing proof of land ownership is an enabling factor for increasing equality. Blockchain technology has the potential to make land registration transparent and tamper-proof. Securing land titles is an important step in empowering people to make investments and improve their financial situation.
2018
Global opportunity report
DNV GL
Visualization
See, discover and explore deeper insights within large, complex data sets Enterprises move into 2011 with information at the forefront of their agendas. According to a recent Gartner survey, increasing the use of information and analytics is one of the top three business priorities1 . Data volumes continue to explode, as unstructured content proliferates via collaboration, productivity and social channels. And while organizations are making headway on enterprise information management and broad analytics solutions, much potential insight is buried within static reports that are accessible only by a small fraction of the organization2 .
2011
Tech Trends 2011 The natural convergence of business and IT
Deloitte
Identity Geopolitics
Self-determination around contested borders sparks regional conflict
2018
The Global Risks Report 2018
World Economic Forum (WEF)
Sensors
Sensing technologies will capture data from our physical world and make it available as digital information. They will continue to become smaller, smarter and, in some cases, self-powering.
2017
Surfing the digital tsunami
Australia, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
Services increasingly customized to the individual
Sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) in print media, signs, and devices will mean that services can be increasingly tailored to the users’ interests by sensing their demographic information and recalling prior choices. Public spaces will be more interactive and able to offer pertinent information without the user navigating tedious menus. Repeat business is ensured by remembering past preferences. AI could remind a hairstylist how a person likes their hair cut, or what toppings they prefer at the burger joint. Means of gathering instant feedback around new experiences will also be useful; at the dentist, a brain-computer interface could verify the patient’s level of comfort. AI tutors could offer students personal attention and “gamify” learning goals (apply game techniques) to encourage progress.
2013
Metascan 3 emerging technologies
Canada, Policy Horizons Canada
The end of privacy
Sensors and the artificial intelligence to use and interpret the information gathered by them will become cheaper, better and faster over the next 15 years. Advances in location sensing gives an indication of the trend. Recently, Google announced the goal to have smart phones in 2015 with positional accuracy within 10 centimetres, with sufficient resolution to notice you sitting up from your desk, taking a call or snuggling up to a partner. By 2028, a package that performs like today’s smart phones could cost as little as $2 to produce. At that price, sensing will be nearly ubiquitous. Most people will carry one or several tools that measure ambient audio, location and air quality. Service providers and developers will be watching and listening to understand what’s going on, what’s around us and where we are, all to feed the helper applications that will support us in our daily lives. One’s identity will be increasingly knowable as well. Today, digital chips track our identity and purchasing histories; in the future, face recognition, and gait and gesture recognition will help identify those not digitally broadcasting their presence to the world. Will our current rules and norms about privacy hold up in the face of improved sensing? Is privacy the right to be left alone, or is it the right to prevent others from knowing anything about you?
2013
Metascan 3 emerging technologies
Canada, Policy Horizons Canada
Low-cost robots may level the playing field
Sensors, artificial intelligence and robots will reshape heavy manufacturing and are likely to have a leveling impact across both developed and developing economies. While developing countries may lose their low-cost labour advantage as advanced economies deploy an affordable AI-enabled robotic workforce, both economies will be able to deploy AI and increase the productivity of their low-skilled workers.
2013
Metascan 3 emerging technologies
Canada, Policy Horizons Canada