Trends Identified

Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC)
Microbial fuel cell is a bio-electrochemical device that directly converts chemical energy in organic matters into electric power, using the catalytic action of microorganism. If sewage/wasted water or waste is processed with this microbial fuel cell, organic pollutants can be utilized as the sustainable raw material that can generate electric power. The sewage/wasted water processing cost can be saved, and economic gain can be obtained by electric power generation.
2012
KISTEP 10 Emerging Technologies 2012
South Korea, Korea Institute of S&T Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP)
Universal flu vaccine
The development of universal flu vaccine that can prevent influenza could improve the quality of life of the people who suffer from flu every year. The universal flu vaccine related technology needs to identify the certain parts of antigen that is well kept during the evolution process to be practically applied widely, in order to optimize its antigenicity for development.
2012
KISTEP 10 Emerging Technologies 2012
South Korea, Korea Institute of S&T Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP)
Superconductivity power transmission technology
The superconductivity power transmission technology is suitable for the green energy strategy that can solve the power supply issue of the major metropolitan cites. Using superconducting cables with high temperature superconductive conductor, it is possible to distribute electric power with large capacity and high efficiency while being eco-friendly.This technology is expected to play a pivotal role in the 21st century power grid, and will be developed as the revolutionary technology that can solve the world’s energy problem, by establishing the global power network that distributes electric power among countries and continents.
2012
KISTEP 10 Emerging Technologies 2012
South Korea, Korea Institute of S&T Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP)
Digital holography technology
Holography is the technology that records or reproduces the distribution of light, which is reflected or diffracted by the actual image. This technology completely reproduces the actual image to give a three-dimensional effect to viewers. Digital holography is implemented by using the electronic devices and optoelectronic devices, and the holographic data is processed by the optical information processing technique. Digital holography is the core base technology that can be applied and used in various industries, such as culture, arts, display, measurement industry, healthcare, and academia.
2012
KISTEP 10 Emerging Technologies 2012
South Korea, Korea Institute of S&T Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP)
Bioplastic
Bioplastic is a new material that has all the functionalities of synthetic resins but can be naturally degraded by burial or long-term sun exposure. However, the production cost is still high and the material is not diverse enough to be widely used as synthetic resins. It is expected that the development of the bioplastic technology can make great economic contribution as well as solving environmental issues. Also, this technology would be helpful in moving to the bioeconomy by causing social environmental changes.
2012
KISTEP 10 Emerging Technologies 2012
South Korea, Korea Institute of S&T Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP)
4G+ mobile communication technology
The next-generation mobile communication technology provides more transmission capacity than 4G mobile communication technology (more than tens of times), efficiently provides various future services including high quality mobile multimedia service, M2M (machine to machine), and direct communication service between terminals, and flexibly accommodates traffic variation of time and place. This technology can contribute to national welfare by linking the various industries such as mobile-based healthcare, education, smart-work, and public safety.
2012
KISTEP 10 Emerging Technologies 2012
South Korea, Korea Institute of S&T Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP)
Eco-friendly natural pesticide
Sustainable crop production became almost next to impossible due to pollution and health problems caused by chemical pesticide. Natural pesticide that has similar efficiency as chemical pesticide needs to be developed for each blight and insect type, by extracting or refining natural materials of which crop disease and vermin control effect was proven (plant extracts and other natural substance), and by combining those several types technically. As natural pesticide is biodegraded in nature, there is no side-effect on human beings, animals, and environment. Consumers can take in safe agricultural products that have no residual chemical substance and as a result, it will greatly contribute to the improvement of human health.
2012
KISTEP 10 Emerging Technologies 2012
South Korea, Korea Institute of S&T Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP)
Mobile Internet
Increasingly inexpensive and capable mobile computing devices and Internet connectivity
2013
Disruptive technologies: Advances that will transform life, business, and the global economy
McKinsey
Automation of knowledge work
Intelligent software systems that can perform knowledge work tasks involving unstructured commands and subtle judgments
2013
Disruptive technologies: Advances that will transform life, business, and the global economy
McKinsey
The Internet of Things
Networks of low-cost sensors and actuators for data collection, monitoring, decision making, and process optimization
2013
Disruptive technologies: Advances that will transform life, business, and the global economy
McKinsey