The first technological innovations can be traced back to the stone age period when man skills were limited to creating simple stone tools, weapons, and cloths. Hundreds of years later, man is still creating different innovations with more skills, motivation, and experience.
Today, technology is primarily geared toward making life easy and better for the coming generations.
Emerging technology generally defines new technologies that are still in their development stage. These technologies hold great potential in shaping how people interact socially, politically, and economically. Below is a list of currently emerging technologies and their possible future. These include:
Blockchain
There has been a lot of hype around blockchain but is it worth it? Simple answer, Yes. Bitcoin and cryptocurrency come to mind for many people when they hear this term, but the blockchain is not all about Bitcoin though these two are inseparable. The concept became famous in 2009 after the launch of Bitcoin by an anonymous founder by the pseudonym, Satoshi Nakamoto.
Blockchain technology or Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) applies the concept of decentralization.
An append-only decentralized transaction ledger, blockchain comprises linked transaction batches known as blocks. In achieving decentralization, identical copies of the same block are stored on several computers to form a blockchain network. Bitcoin is the most popular blockchain network.
Today blockchain technology has emerged from being all about transactions, and we are now seeing a lot of inventions on the ledger. In 2015 Ethereum, the second blockchain was formed and was followed by other networks, the likes of Polygon, Solano, and others, marking the genesis of great inventions on the ledger. Notably, the Ethereum Network has enabled the realization of decentralizing in almost every aspect of humanity. The most thriving form of decentralization on the Network is Decentralized Finance (DeFi), and gaming, with thousands of decentralized applications commonly known as DAPPs, live on the Network.
Blockchain technology is still at its adoption phase though it still faces a lot of obstacles. People are still skeptical about this invention owing to several events relating to crypto hacks and other radical beliefs about the concept of generalization. It will take time before the realization of the benefits of the decentralized ledger.
However, all is not lost as the number of people and governments interested in this invention increases. Lots of blockchain networks attract venture capitalists and governments who are already investing in several blockchain projects. So far, some governments have already changed their monetary systems, while others are still researching ways to incorporate the technology. Cardano network, for instance, is in partnership with several governments in Africa to launch a decentralized application that is believed to be life-changing. The Ethiopian government, for example, has a deal with the blockchain network to build a decentralized data system for its education sector.
Artificial Intelligence
The concept of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been present for centuries. It is important to note that the 1950's hold important history of this invention as the actual prospects of this emerging technology were starting to play out during this period. Alan Turing, a British Polymath, is the foundation behind this invention which applies the concepts of the capability of humans solving problems using existing data.
Alan's dream could not make the playoffs during the early stages due to storage and funding issues by the 1950s basic computers. It was until 1974 that these issues were solved. AI has gone through lots of development since then, but it is until the 2000s that many of the landmark goals were achieved even though governments had given this invention the cold shoulder and nobody was paying attention.
Today, AI is constantly growing. The invention saw a 12.9% annual increase from 2014 to 2019, according to technology writer Alice Bonasio. This technology has become vital and progressive, prompting a Japanese Venture Capital to nominate an AI Board Member for its capabilities to predict market trends faster than a human. This landmark decision made the firm the first organization to make such litigation.
The future of this invention is bright as more innovative technologies are said to be the future of industrialization and other concepts of daily human life. An AI-driven industrial revolution can improve the quality of life for the global population and raise income levels.
5G and the Internet of Things
Communication is one of the aspects of humanity that has evolved. From primitive ways of communicating to advanced relaying information comes 5G and IoT or the Internet of Things.
In the primitive settings of the internet, researchers linked computers through simple packet switching networks to send data to each other. With study and growth, the concept has evolved into complex protocols proving basic abilities, making communication easier.
In the early 1980s, a graduate student at Carnegie Mellon connected a soda vending device using detectors for the status lights to his computer gateway to enable students utilizing the 'finger' protocol to know the availability of drinks remotely. This innovation was known as the ARPANET and later developed into the modern-day node network.
The fifth-generation (5G) of mobile communications networks is emerging as a rebellious technology. Through a much faster and reliable mobile network, the global population will communicate in the most advanced ways hence triggering a potential growth of smart cities. Innovative 5G communication technologies will allow the connection of a broader range of devices, enabling the achievement of a massive Internet of Things.
Augmented/Virtual Reality
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are remarkable inventions or emerging technologies in the filming industry. So, how did it all start?
La Ciotat, a village on the French Mediterranean coast, holds a significant augmented/ virtual filming history. The first real movie was released in the coastal village in 1865. The realistic nature of the film mystified the audience to the extent of screaming at the approaching visual train as it approached on the screen.
If you are wondering, the first real movie was characterized by a beautiful continuous 50-second real-time shot: a classic black and white rendering of reality scenes with two-dimensional features. Not much was happening in the filming sector until later in 1935. This year marks the beginning of colored films thanks to the realization of "Becky Sharp." This upgrade was possible following the invention of the three-color Technicolour technology.
Though the industry has evolved, the two-dimensional and color rendering of reality is still a principal feature in most films today.
The concept of 3D was first introduced in the 1950s, but the growth of this invention declined due to its complex nature and was considered expensive.
3D filming was reintroduced late 20th after the launch of IMAX. Today, this niche has attracted big film industry players, but a chunk of the film industry earnings is still coming from 2D expressions. The primary concerns about the mass adoption of 3D presentation, however, remain on user experience. Over the years, there have been rising concerns over users experiencing sickness symptoms like; nausea, headache, and fatigue.
Despite user experience concerns and other obstacles that may threaten emerging augmented/ virtual reality inventions, players are keen on improving and making this technology sustainable for future use cases. Players in AR/VR software development are keen on launching products that enhance the invention and user experience. Rumour has it that Apple is working on multiple AR/VR headset models. The tech firm, like other players, is keen on searching for the "most compelling application" and the lead in the emerging markets of virtual reality. Apple will launch an AR headset in 2022. Enthusiasts are also keen on the release of a pair of AR glasses in 2023.
Biometrics
Biometric identification is an electronic system used to generate people's identity based on their unique biological features and behavior. Its history traces back to the 1800s, and the first data was recorded in Paris, France. Alphonse Bertillon formulated a method of recording specific body measurements for the classification and comparison of criminals. In the sample period, it was established that fingerprints are unique to every person, and later the system was quickly embraced by law enforcement, replacing Bertillon's methods becoming the standard for criminal identification. The rest is history.
In recent years Biometrics technology has evolved from a novelty technology to a part of the daily life of the global population. In 2013, Apple introduced a fingerprint to unlock the iPhone. Almost every phone comes with this feature. The technology has evolved into using other features like face and eyes to identify device owners.
Things are not stopping soon as scientists are looking forward to integrating Biometric technology with other inventions. For instance, Artificial Intelligence can help improve the usability of devices as the system can learn and adapt to its users.
Serverless Computing
In the early stages of computing, computers were connected to a centralized system that enabled the machines to communicate, making them operate as a single unit. Through the invention of and improvement of Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), serverless computing has become popular. In 2020 67% of enterprise IT infrastructure and software spending was for cloud-based undertakings.
The concepts of abstraction, decoupling, and integration run through the entire history of computing. These gradual changes have taken this innovation to greater heights. Cloud computing developed after the understanding of virtualization in software and hardware infrastructures.
In the coming days, Serverless computing has the remarkable capacity of progressively improving its abilities to involve a more comprehensive set of fields, let alone IT. This will help improve company security as it is a gateway to achieving scalability.
