Trends Identified

Automated voice spam (robocall) prevention
Spam phone calls are an ongoing problem of increasing sophistication, such as spoofing the caller ID number of the victim’s family and business associates. This is leading people to regularly ignore phone calls, creating risks such as true emergency calls going unanswered. However, emerging technology can now block spoofed caller ID and intercept questionable calls so the computer can ask questions of the caller to assess whether he or she is legitimate.
2018
IEEE Computer Society Predicts the Future of Tech: Top 10 Technology Trends for 2019
IEEE Computer Society
Technology for humanity (specifically machine learning).
We are approaching the point where technology can help resolve societal issues. We predict that large-scale use of machine learning, robots, and drones will help improve agriculture, ease drought, ensure supply of food, and improve health in remote areas. Some of these activities have already started, but we predict an increase in adoption rate and the reporting of success stories in the next year. “Sensors everywhere” and advances in IoT and edge computing are major factors contributing to the adoption of this technology. Recent events, such as major fires and bridge collapses, are further accelerating the urgency to adopt monitoring technologies in fields like forests and smart roads.
2018
IEEE Computer Society Predicts the Future of Tech: Top 10 Technology Trends for 2019
IEEE Computer Society
Smart nappies
Example of Organizationsactive in the area: Monit (South Korea), Abena Nova (Denmark), Siempre Secos (Spain)
2018
Table of disruptive technologies
Imperial College London
Deep ocean windfarms
Example of Organizationsactive in the area: Statoil (Norway), Siemens (Germany), Volturn (US), UMaine (US)
2018
Table of disruptive technologies
Imperial College London
Vertical agriculture
Example of Organizationsactive in the area: Green Skies Vertical Farms (US), Aero Farms (US), Neo Farms (Germany), Urban Crop Solutions (Belgium)
2018
Table of disruptive technologies
Imperial College London
Wireless energy transfer
Example of Organizationsactive in the area: WiTricity (US), Powermat (Israel), Apple/Power By Proxi (US), Qualcomm (US), Mojo Mobility (US), Mopar (US), Fulton Innovation (US).
2018
Table of disruptive technologies
Imperial College London
Ballon-powered internet
Example of Organizationsactive in the area: Google/Alphabet (US).
2018
Table of disruptive technologies
Imperial College London
Powered exoskeletons
Example of Organizationsactive in the area: ReWalk (US), Rex Bionics (US), SuitX/US Bionics (US), Ekso Bionics (US), Lockheed Martin (US).
2018
Table of disruptive technologies
Imperial College London
Computerized shoes & clothing
Example of Organizationsactive in the area: Google/Alphabet (US), Samsung (Korea), Hexoskin (Canada) Owlet (US), Komodo Tech (Canada), Shiftwear (US), Lechal (India), OM Signal (Canada).
2018
Table of disruptive technologies
Imperial College London
Vacuum-tube transport
Example of Organizationsactive in the area: The Boring Company/Elon Musk (US), China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (China).
2018
Table of disruptive technologies
Imperial College London