Technology is already shaping our lives in ways we wouldn’t have thought possible. We are becoming increasingly connected, with more and more people gaining internet access every single day. We check our smartphones throughout the day and use them to chat with people, get the latest news, listen to music and play games. But smartphones are only one of the numerous technological innovations we know of and interact with, and some of them can completely change the way we live our everyday lives, including the following five.
1. Augmented reality
Augmented reality is going to take over the world thanks to Apple’s recent push into the AR market. The giant has released an augmented reality development platform called ARKit which allows developers to create AR-enabled applications, games and new and innovative types of AR content. Considering that Apple currently has hundreds of millions of devices – namely iPhones and iPads – already in the hands of their consumers, it’s safe to say that augmented reality will become the next big thing as soon as September, which is when iOS 11 becomes available to consumers.
2. Blockchain and cryptocurrencies
Blockchain refers to the type of technology used to power virtual and cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple. Hailed as one of the best inventions since the internet itself, this technology allows individuals to exchange value without the need for a central authority such as a bank or government, and without having to worry about getting scammed. A company from Boston is trying to use the technology and leverage blockchains and smart phones in order to make the elections cheaper, far more transparent and prevent any kind of voting fraud from occurring during casting, as well as during the counting process.
3. Big data
It’s only in the last couple of years that businesses and organizations have realized the true potential of big data. The term refers to large amounts of data we knowingly (or not) leak out that business can use to tailor user-specific experiences or refine their ad-targeting efforts. This data includes your name, age, location, religious and sexual preferences, the type of device and browser you’re using, the things you like or dislike and in some cases even sensitive information such as credit card and social security numbers, for instance when you’re shopping for something online.
But big data can also be used to power machine learning and cognitive technologies and help shape the era of prescriptive analytics software to make an informed prediction of what is going to happen in the future and why it is going to happen.
4. Self-driving cars
The technology behind self-driving vehicles is nothing new and Tesla is proving it by announcing its third line of self-driving cars, apply named the Tesla Model 3. But other companies are also trying to enter the market, with Apple testing their own self-driving car and Intel announcing their entrance after purchasing an Israeli self-driving company. This is hardly surprising; as driverless cars have the potential to drastically reduce the number of car-related accidents, traffic congestions and lower our carbon fingerprint.
Gene editing is one of the most controversial topics and Crispr is the next-generation tool that’s going to be used to do it. This technology allows scientists to alter and edit genes known to cause various disorders and genetic diseases, such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and Huntington’s disease. Additionally, this tool can be used to extract viruses from living organisms, slow down the growth of cancer cells and even have superbugs kill themselves.
Technology is evolving and progressing at an incredible pace and we’re bound to see new and exciting ones that will shape the way we live in the future. Whether it’s augmenting our everyday tasks using AR, using a single decentralized currency or relying on gene editing tools to get rid of diseases, these five technologies are paving the way for future innovations and shaping the way technology will be used in our daily lives.
About the Author
Peter is a lifestyle writer and a recent newly wed living in Brisbane, Australia. After graduating from Australian Institute of Creative Design, he worked as a fashion stylist and also as a freelance writer for few local magazines in Brisbane. Beside writing, he loves shopping, cooking exotic meals and traveling around tropical destinations with his hubby Josh. His future plans are in creating his personal lifestyle blog about everyday life-saving tips. Follow Peter on Facebook and Twitter.