Every year, technology advances at a quick pace, bringing new ideas and groundbreaking projects to the market. At any given time, scientists, engineers, and brilliant minds are hard at work developing the next piece of futuristic technology that will transform our lives. Although it may appear that scientific development is stable, we have lived through a time of tremendous technological advancement in the previous half-century.
There are breakthroughs taking place right now that seem to have sprung directly from the pages of science fiction. There is a lot to look forward to in the realm of future technology, whether it be robots that can read minds, bionic eyes, sweat-powered timepieces, or lots of other mind-blowing technologies. We've selected some of the most significant and intriguing concepts for you to consider.
List of 10 Future technology concepts that have the potential to impact our planet
Brain-reading robots
Bones produced in 3D
Dairy products made in a lab
Planes powered by hydrogen
Health-tracking "twins" in the digital age
Virtual reality universes
the capture of direct air
Green funerals are a growing trend
Artificial Eyes
Drone airports and flying taxis
- Brain-reading robots
Brain signals are utilized to control a robot arm. EPFL Alain Herzog 2021Brain reading technology is no longer a science fiction theme, and its use has advanced dramatically in recent years. Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne have tested one of the most fascinating and practical applications we've seen thus far (EPFL). These researchers have created a way for tetraplegic patients (those who can't move their upper or lower bodies) to interact with the world using a machine-learning algorithm, a robot arm, and a brain-computer interface.
During testing, the robot arm would do simple tasks such as maneuvering around an obstruction. The system would then use an EEG cap to analyze brain signals and automatically decide whether the arm had performed a motion that the brain deemed wrong, such as moving too near to the obstacle or traveling too quickly. The system may then adjust to the individual's tastes and brain signals over time. In the future, this might lead to brain-controlled wheelchairs or assistive equipment for tetraplegic patients.
- Bones produced in 3D
3D printing is a growing business that promises anything from low-cost housing to affordable robust armor, but one of the most intriguing applications is the creation of 3D printed bones. Ossiform is a medical 3D printing firm that creates patient-specific replacements of various bones out of tricalcium phosphate, a substance that has qualities comparable to human bones.
It's really simple to use these 3D printed bones. An MRI may be performed at a hospital and then uploaded to Ossiform, which creates a 3D model of the patient-specific implant required. The surgeon approves the design, which may subsequently be produced and utilized in surgery. The use of tricalcium phosphate allows the body to remodel the implants into vascularized bone, which makes these 3D printed bones unique. That is, they will allow for the full restoration of function that the bone they are replacing had. To promote the greatest possible integration, the implants have a porous structure with big holes and channels for cells to connect to and reconstruct bone.
- Dairy products made in a lab
You've probably heard of cultured "beef" and Wagyu steaks made in a lab cell by cell, but what about other animal-based foods? A rising number of biotech firms across the world are looking into lab-made dairy, which includes milk, ice cream, cheese, and eggs. And more than one person believes they've figured it out. The dairy sector isn't even close to being ecologically friendly. It accounts for 4% of global carbon emissions, more than air travel and shipping combined, and demand for a greener splash to pour into our teacups and cereal bowls is increasing.
Milk isn't nearly as tough to make in a laboratory as meat. Rather than growing it from stem cells, most researchers seek to make it by fermentation, with the goal of producing the milk proteins whey and casein. Some products, such as Perfect Day's, are now on the market in the United States, with continuous research focusing on duplicating the mouthfeel and nutritional advantages of conventional cow's milk. Aside from that, scientists are working on lab-produced mozzarella that melts exactly on top of a pizza, as well as other cheeses and ice cream.
- Planes powered by hydrogen
When it comes to commercial aircraft, carbon emissions are a major worry, but there is a potential answer that has gotten a lot of money.
Plans for a hydrogen-powered plane have been revealed as part of a £15 million UK initiative. Fly Zero is the name of the project, which is being directed by the Aerospace Technology Institute in collaboration with the UK government. A proposal for a mid-size plane fueled entirely by liquid hydrogen has been developed as part of the project. It would be capable of transporting 279 people halfway across the world without stopping.
If this technology is realized, it might imply a zero-carbon trip from London to Western America with no pauses, or a single-stop journey from London to New Zealand.
- Health-tracking "twins" in the digital age
Humans may stroll into the med bay in Star Trek, where many of our concepts for future technology were conceived, and have their complete body digitally examined for indicators of disease and injuries. Doing so in real life, according to the creators of Q Bio, would enhance health outcomes while also reducing the burden on doctors.
The US business has developed a scanner that can assess hundreds of indicators in less than an hour, ranging from hormone levels to fat accumulation in the liver to signs of inflammation or any number of malignancies. It plans to utilize this information to create a 3D digital twin of a patient's body, which can be followed over time and updated with each new scan.
Q Bio CEO Jeff Kibitz expects that it will usher in a new age of preventative, personalized care, in which physicians can use the massive quantities of data gathered to not just prioritize which patients need to be seen right away, but also to create more complex ways of detecting sickness. Here's a link to an interview with him.
- Universes of virtual reality
The corporation once known as Facebook has changed its name to Meta after a major rebranding. This is the first step for Zuckerberg and his massive staff into the metaverse, which is an embodied internet accessed mostly through virtual and augmented reality.
Meta will begin to invest more time in technology for accessing this new reality – largely in VR – as part of this approach. Meta has been working on a new headgear under the name 'Project Cambria' since 2021.
Unlike earlier VR endeavors from the company, such as the Oculus Quest 2, this one won't be aimed at the general public, instead of aiming to provide the finest VR experience possible. The Cambria is said to be focusing on better eye and facial tracking (to enhance avatar and in-game movement accuracy), a higher resolution, a larger field-of-view, and even attempting to make the headgear substantially smaller.
VR is receiving a lot of financing right now, thanks to Meta, Google, Sony, and a slew of other large tech firms, and will see significant advancements in the next years.
- The capture of direct air
Trees, via the process of photosynthesis, have remained one of the most effective ways to lower CO2 levels in the atmosphere. However, new technologies may be able to provide the same function as trees, absorbing more carbon dioxide while taking up less area. Direct Air Capture is the name given to this technique (DAC). It entails extracting carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and either storing it in deep geological caverns beneath the earth or combining it with hydrogen to create synthetic fuels.
While this technology has a lot of potentials, it currently has a number of drawbacks. Direct air capture facilities are presently operational, although the existing versions need a significant amount of energy to operate. If energy levels can be decreased in the future, DAC might be one of the most important technical achievements for the environment's future.
- Green funerals are a growing trend.
Individuals confronting the reality of the climate catastrophe are prioritizing sustainable living, but what about eco-friendly death? Death is often a carbon-intensive process, marking the end of our ecological impact. According to studies, the average cremation produces 400 kg of CO2 into the atmosphere. So, what's a more environmentally friendly option?
You may be composting instead in Washington State, USA. Bodies are placed in chambers with natural decomposition aids such as bark, mud, straw, and other natural materials. After 30 days, your body is changed to dirt and can be returned to a garden or forest. The business behind the procedure, Recompose, says that it uses an eighth of the carbon dioxide produced by cremation. Fungi are used in an alternative technology. Luke Perry, the late actor, was buried in a bespoke "mushroom suit" developed by a start-up named Coeio in 2019. The business says that their suit, which is built with mushrooms and other microbes, aids decomposition and neutralizes poisons released as a person decays.
Most alternative methods of disposing of human corpses after death are not based on new technology; they are just awaiting societal acceptability. Another example is alkaline hydrolysis, which entails breaking down the body into its chemical components in a pressured room over a six-hour period. It is permitted in some US jurisdictions and produces fewer emissions than in more traditional ways.
Bionic eyes have been a staple of science fiction for decades, but real-world research is rapidly catching up with the far-sighted writers. Thanks to a plethora of new technologies, people with various forms of vision impairment will soon be able to see again.
In January 2021, Israeli doctors successfully inserted the world's first artificial cornea into a 78-year-old man who was blind on both sides. Soon after his bandages were removed, the patient was able to read and identify family members. The implant also fuses to human tissue naturally and is not rejected by the recipient's body. Belgian scientists developed an artificial iris that may be attached to smart contact lenses to address a variety of eye impairments in 2020. Scientists are even working on wireless brain implants that would eliminate the need for spectacles.
Monash University in Australia is undertaking tests for a system in which users wear a pair of glasses connected with a camera. This feeds data straight to the implant, which sits on the brain's surface and provides a basic sensation of sight to the user.
- Drone airports and flying taxis
Our crowded cities are in dire need of a break, and respite from the air, rather than the roads, maybe the answer. With the first Urban AirPort obtaining money from the UK government, plans for a novel sort of transportation hub — one for delivery drones and electric air-taxis – are becoming a reality.
It is being constructed in Coventry. The hub will be a testbed for the firm behind it, and ideally a proof of concept. The concept is to eliminate the need for as many delivery trucks and personal automobiles on our roads by replacing them with a clean alternative in the shape of a new type of tiny aircraft, powered entirely off-grid by a hydrogen generator. Hyundai and Airbus, among others, are working on it.
The importance of infrastructure cannot be overstated. Organizations such as the Civil Aviation Authority are investigating the creation of air corridors that might connect a city center to a nearby airport or distribution center.