Trends Identified
An ECG on your wrist
Regulatory approval and technological advances are making it easier for people to continuously monitor their hearts with wearable devices. Fitness trackers aren’t serious medical devices. An intense workout or loose band can mess with the sensors that read your pulse. But an electrocardiogram—the kind doctors use to diagnose abnormalities before they cause a stroke or heart attack— requires a visit to a clinic, and people often fail to take the test in time. ECG-enabled smart watches, made possible by new regulations and innovations in hardware and software, offer the convenience of a wearable device with something closer to the precision of a medical one. An Apple Watch–compatible band from Silicon Valley startup AliveCor that can detect atrial fibrillation, a frequent cause of blood clots and stroke, received clearance from the FDA in 2017. Last year, Apple released its own FDA-cleared ECG feature, embedded in the watch itself. The health-device company Withings also announced plans for an ECG-equipped watch shortly after. Current wearables still employ only a single sensor, whereas a real ECG has 12. And no wearable can yet detect a heart attack as it’s happening. But this might change soon. Last fall, AliveCor presented preliminary results to the American Heart Association on an app and two-sensor system that can detect a certain type of heart attack. —Karen Hao
2019
10 Breakthrough Technologies 2019 - How we’ll invent the future, by Bill Gates
MIT Technology Review
An ageing population will add further pressure to future labour market challenges
As a result of rising life expectancy and declining birth rates, global population growth has considerably decelerated and this trajectory is expected to continue over the next few decades. One immediate implication of this slowdown is that growth of the global labour force will not be sufficient to compensate for the rapidly expanding pool of retirees, putting pressure on both the pension system and the labour market as a whole. In developed countries, where population ageing is considerably faster, it is estimated that, by 2030, there will be close to five persons aged 65 and over for every ten persons in the labour force, up from 3.5 in 2017.
2018
World Employment and Social Outlook
International Labour Organization (ILO)
An ageing global population
The world is facing an ageing population due to a combination of increased life expectancy and declining fertility rates. As dependency ratios shift with growing elderly populations, governments will be faced with falling saving rates, falling consumption, and growing pressure on social services. There are stark differences in demographic changes between developed countries and developing countries. In general, high-income countries are experiencing population stagnation or decline. Conversely, many developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, are experiencing “youth bulges” and expansion of working-age population. Both demographic scenarios pose challenges for governments seeking to create policies that are economically sustainable and politically palatable.
2017
Global trends to 2035
European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS)
Amplified intelligence - Power to the people
Analytics techniques are growing in complexity, and companies are applying machine learning and predictive modeling to increasingly massive and complex data sets. Artificial intelligence is now a reality. Its more promising application, however, is not replacing workers but augmenting their capabilities. When built to enhance an individual’s knowledge and deployed seamlessly at the point of business impact, advanced analytics can help amplify our intelligence for more effective decision making.
2015
Tech trends 2015 - The fusion of business and IT
Deloitte
Americans are somewhat apprehensive about trying some potential new inventions themselves; driverless cars garner the most widespread interest
Most new inventions appeal at first to a relatively small group of adventuresome early adopters, with the bulk of consumers following along only after they have had a chance to see for themselves what the fuss is about. And indeed, many Americans have a pronounced skepticism toward some new inventions that they might be able to use or purchase in the relatively near future.
2014
US views of technology and the future - science in the next 50 years
Pew Research Center
America First meets One Belt, One Road
Everyone will be a China watcher.
2018
Top Policy Trends of 2018
PWC
Ambient Voice In New Places
Bernard, who invests Amazon’s own money in startups that leverage the Alexa and Echo ecosystem, says that “while voice services started in the home and will continue to grow there, we’re beginning to see this technology move beyond the home and into new on-the-go environments–in the car, the enterprise, in the gym or on a run, and numerous other mobile scenarios. We see this is a key factor that will make interacting with voice services a truly pervasive daily habit, and we expect to see different device concepts emerge that address the unique requirements of each usage scenario.”
2018
The Most Important Tech Trends Of 2018, According To Top VCs
Fast Company
Ambient computing - Putting the Internet of Things to work
Possibilities abound from the tremendous growth of embedded sensors and connected devices—in the home, the enterprise, and the world at large. Translating these possibilities into business impact requires focus—purposefully bringing smarter “things” together with analytics, security, data, and integration platforms to make the disparate parts work seamlessly with each other. Ambient computing is the backdrop of sensors, devices, intelligence, and agents that can put the Internet of Things to work.
2015
Tech trends 2015 - The fusion of business and IT
Deloitte
Amazon and Facebook Lead OTT Bids for Major Sporting Rights
Delivering attractive premium content is critical to the success of any video service. Acquiring exclusive rights to popular sporting events is a well- trodden path to increased viewing figures.
2018
Top Tech trends 2018
Juniper Research
Alternative motor fuels
Alternative motor fuels are intended to satisfy future demands for liquid fuel and are characterised by acceptable costs, minimal environmental and health impact, and increased reliability of supply to domestic markets. In relation to the expected growth in demand for motor fuel, which in Russia now accounts for at least 80-85% of petroleum product output, this alternative product could replace an increasing share of fuels derived from crude oil. According to experts, the likelihood of such fuels competing with traditional fuels after 2020 is high.
2016
Russia 2030: science and technology foresight
Russia, Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation