Trends Identified
Do-it-yourself biohacking
2018 is just the beginning of a “trans-human” age where hacking biology and “extending” humans will increase in popularity and availability. This will range from simple diagnostics to neural implants and be subject to legal and societal questions about ethics and humanity. These biohacks will fall into four categories: technology augmentation, nutrigenomics, experimental biology and grinder biohacking. For example, biochips hold the possibility of detecting diseases from cancer to smallpox before the patient even develops symptoms. These chips are made from an array of molecular sensors on the chip surface that can analyze biological elements and chemicals. Also new to the Hype Cycle this year is biotech, artificially cultured and biologically inspired muscles. Though still in lab development, this technology could eventually allow skin and tissue to grow over a robot exterior, making it sensitive to pressure.
2018
5 Trends Emerge in the Gartner Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies, 2018
Gartner
Dominance of the commercial sector in technological development
The advances in defence technology developments/sales and space exploration/exploitation by commercial sectors have taken away the monopoly that used to be held by governments
2017
Strategic foresight analysis
NATO
Don’t even try to guess the price of oil.
"Here’s a prediction for 2019: Energy markets are going to remain wildly unpredictable. One realization I came to when I worked on my last book was that most everyone who makes predictions about the future of oil prices is alike in one remarkable respect: They are wrong. "Remember M King Hubbert’s famous prediction of peak oil back in the 1970s? He looked roughly right — until the shale revolution changed everything. Now, the shale revolution is supposed to ensure a mammoth and growing supply of U.S. oil for the foreseeable future. 'Lower for longer,' meaning oil prices in the $50 range, has become something of a mantra on Wall Street. But skeptics suspect there may be fewer wells that are profitable at $50 oil than executives would have you believe. If so, and if the dearth of long-term projects over the past decade results in less supply than expected, there may be price spikes in the future. Or not. I think this is the ultimate truth about the oil market: It defies people’s attempts at predicting it, much less controlling it."
2018
50 Big Ideas for 2019: What to watch in the year ahead
LinkedIn
Don’t get stuck in the middle
Brands must strategically commit to either a high-end or low-fidelity value proposition. We are seeing a new polarity in brands: companies offer either a low-cost, low-fidelity value or a high-end experience. Consumers will pay a premium for brands that provide a unique über-experience but they also want brands that provide what they want at a low cost. Even mainstream brands need to offer unique experiences in order to influence engagement and commitment and to drive repeat purchase. In 2019, brands that operate in the middle, offering utilitarian value without a distinct point of difference, will die.
2019
The top trends for brands to watch in 2019
Landor
Don’t invent, evolve
We are on the cusp of a new era in the history of invention. That’s the implication of software that can automatically “evolve” technology, and create designs that often no human would come up with. It’s already transforming fields as diverse as robot locomotion, computer security and drug design.
2011
Seven technologies to disrupt the next decade
NewScientist
Double-edged sword
Whilst technological advances have revolutionised our lives, and offer profound possibilities for tackling challenges, they also maximise vulnerability.
2013
Now for the long term - The Report of the Oxford Martin Commission for Future Generations
Oxford Martin School
Dream reading & recording
Example of Organizationsactive in the area: No example found.
2018
Table of disruptive technologies
Imperial College London
Driverless cars
Automation has the potential to reshape many facets of American life, including how people travel from one place to another. A survey conducted in May found that a majority of Americans – 56% – were more likely to say they would not want to ride in a driverless vehicle. When asked why, the most commonly cited major reasons were a general lack of trust and safety concerns.
2017
Key trends shaping technology in 2017
Pew Research Center
Drone freight delivery
Example of Organizationsactive in the area: Google/Alphabet (US), Amazon (US), Flirtey (US).
2018
Table of disruptive technologies
Imperial College London