Trends Identified
Nanoscale design of materials
The increasing demand on natural resources requires unprecedented gains in efficiency. Nanostructured materials with tailored properties, designed and engineered at the molecular scale, are already showing novel and unique features that will usher in the next clean energy revolution, reduce our dependence on depleting natural resources, and increase atom-efficiency manufacturing and processing.
2012
The top 10 emerging technologies for 2012
World Economic Forum (WEF)
Systems biology and computational modelling/simulation of chemical and biological systems
For improved healthcare and bio-based manufacturing, it is essential to understand how biology and chemistry work together. Systems biology and computational modelling and simulation are playing increasingly important roles in designing therapeutics, materials and processes that are highly efficient in achieving their design goals, while minimally impacting on human health and the environment.
2012
The top 10 emerging technologies for 2012
World Economic Forum (WEF)
Utilization of carbon dioxide as a resource
Carbon is at the heart of all life on earth. Yet, managing carbon dioxide releases is one of the greatest social, political and economic challenges of our time. An emerging innovative approach to carbon dioxide management involves transforming it from a liability to a resource. Novel catalysts, based on nanostructured materials, can potentially transform carbon dioxide to high value hydrocarbons and other carbon-containing molecules, which could be used as new building blocks for the chemical industry as cleaner and more sustainable alternatives to petrochemicals.
2012
The top 10 emerging technologies for 2012
World Economic Forum (WEF)
Wireless power
Society is deeply reliant on electrically powered devices. Yet, a significant limitation in their continued development and utility is the need to be attached to the electricity grid by wire – either permanently or through frequent battery recharging. Emerging approaches to wireless power transmission will free electrical devices from having to be physically plugged in, and are poised to have as significant an impact on personal electronics as Wi-Fi had on Internet use.
2012
The top 10 emerging technologies for 2012
World Economic Forum (WEF)
High energy density power systems
Better batteries are essential if the next generation of clean energy technologies are to be realized. A number of emerging technologies are coming together to lay the foundation for advanced electrical energy storage and use, including the development of nanostructured electrodes, solid electrolysis and rapid-power delivery from novel supercapacitors based on carbon-based nanomaterials. These technologies will provide the energy density and power needed to supercharge the next generation of clean energy technologies.
2012
The top 10 emerging technologies for 2012
World Economic Forum (WEF)
Personalized medicine, nutrition and disease prevention
As the global population exceeds 7 billion people – all hoping for a long and healthy life – conventional approaches to ensuring good health are becoming less and less tenable, spurred on by growing demands, dwindling resources and increasing costs. Advances in areas such as genomics, proteomics and metabolomics are now opening up the possibility of tailoring medicine, nutrition and disease prevention to the individual. Together with emerging technologies like synthetic biology and nanotechnology, they are laying the foundation for a revolution in healthcare and well-being that will be less resource intensive and more targeted to individual needs.
2012
The top 10 emerging technologies for 2012
World Economic Forum (WEF)
Enhanced education technology
New approaches are needed to meet the challenge of educating a growing young population and providing the skills that are essential to the knowledge economy. This is especially the case in today’s rapidly evolving and hyperconnected globalized society. Personalized IT-based approaches to education are emerging that allow learner-centred education, critical thinking development and creativity. Rapid developments in social media, open courseware and ubiquitous access to the Internet are facilitating outside classroom and continuous education.
2012
The top 10 emerging technologies for 2012
World Economic Forum (WEF)
Cancer bio marker analysis technology
The technology that analyzes bio markers representing the characteristics of various cancers from clinical samples, to provide the information on the existence, type, onset of disease path, and progress of the cancer. If the multiple cancer diagnosis kit using the cancer bio marker technology is developed and used for clinical tests, social and economic loss from cancer could be reduced significantly, because the incidence of cancer and death rate from cancer can be decreased.
2012
KISTEP 10 Emerging Technologies 2012
South Korea, Korea Institute of S&T Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP)
Real-time automatic speech translation technology
The spoken language automatic machine translation considers the characteristics of the spoken language, such as omission of the subject, inversion and ambiguity, unlike document translation and is promoted by the automatic machine translation technology. Automatic interpretation technology is important in narrowing the input and output difference between speech recognition and automatic translation using the situation/context information.
2012
KISTEP 10 Emerging Technologies 2012
South Korea, Korea Institute of S&T Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP)
Spin transistor
As a new type of electronic engineering technology, it uses both electron charge characteristics and quantum-mechanical spin physical development at the same time. The spin transistor has the property of non-volatility (unique property of spin), high-speed and ultra-low power. This next-generation electron device can overcome the technical limitations of the current electron devices, and can be widely applied to high-density large-capacity information processing and storage.
2012
KISTEP 10 Emerging Technologies 2012
South Korea, Korea Institute of S&T Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP)