Technology has become an essential part of our lives. There is no doubt on that. As soon as we wake up, we use the technology to go throughout our daily routine. The alarm-clock that wakes us up, the kettle that heats up our coffee, the GPS and apps that tells us where to go and how to reach our destination… in fact, this list has no end, as technology is now so embedded in our live-style that sometimes, we forget we are using it. It is not excessive to say at all that we owe our life to, is because of technology.
But all these technologies need a support, they cannot be displayed on their own. Evidently, there is the need of a device that can mediate its possible applications that make our lives better. Quite curiously, the recent history of the technological evolution, has shown us that the smaller the device is, the better chances of success it will have. We just have to take a look at our devices to see this coming up to life: smartphones, smart-watches, thinner and bigger screens, smaller laptops and computers… but all of them more powerful as time goes by and a new technology comes up.
Said this, we can sum up the next: technology is part of our lives and it needs a close ally in the form of a device that enables it to be displayed. Every year that goes by, new technologies are developed or improved. Our hunger for new knowledge is insatiable.Scientific knowledge is constantly being renewed and re-written and the limit of waht we can know is uncertain. Some even say that there is no limit at all!
This year (2017), there are some breakthrough technologies that change the way we see the world that surrounds us. These include ìleavesî that turn CO2 into fuel or a brand new technique that harvests water from air, according to a list made by the World Economic Forum. Just a final note before jumping into the list, all of these new technologies are made with an important consciousness about caring for the nature and limiting the climate change, among other great concerns.
Here it goes the 5 most important and astonishing technologies of this year:
1. Liquid biopsies
Liquid biopsies are mostly related to cancer treatment and diagnostic. This new way of biopsy aims to detail the exact size, location and type of cancer the patient is dealing with, with an accuracy never seen before. This is possible thanks to homing in on circulating-tumor DNA (ctDNA). With liquid biopsies, disease progression or resistance to treatment can be spotted much faster than just relying on symptoms or imaging. Whatch the following video, explaining how liquid biopsies work:
2. Harvesting clean water from air
A team from MIT and University of California, Berkeley has successfully tested a process using porous crystals that convert the water using no energy at all, something that’s never been possible without electricity so far. Zero Mass Water, an US start-up from Arizona is able to produce 2-5 litres of water a day based on an off-grid solar system.
3. Liquid fuels from sunshine
Is it possible to simulate a plant photosynthesis system? The answer is yes, we have decoded and recreated it in an lab. This is how it works: using sunlight-activated catalysts to split water molecules into water and hydrogen, and then using the same hydrogen to convert CO2 into hydrocarbons. That way, we can generate clean energy and save it. It can be implemented in the already running solar and wind energy production.
4. Genomic vaccines
Health and well-being is always one of the main focus of technological development. This year, there has been developments concerning a new way of developing and implementing vaccines. These vaccines are much better than the regular ones in a number of ways. They are faster to manufacture and less expensive. These genomics-based approach to vaccines also enables more rapid adaptation in the event of a pathogen mutating, and finally allows scientists to identify people who are resistant to a pathogen. With this system, an individualized vaccine is tailored for each person.
5. Quantum computing
Quatum computing is still an underdeveloped and very expensive technology. But progress has been made and in 2016 the technology firm IBM provided the public access to the first quantum computer in the cloud.Soon we will all be say good bye to the old, heavy and physical laptops. Watch the following video, that lets you know about the amazing computers about to come:
Founder Dinis Guarda
IntelligentHQ Your New Business Network.
IntelligentHQ is a Business network and an expert source for finance, capital markets and intelligence for thousands of global business professionals, startups, and companies.
We exist at the point of intersection between technology, social media, finance and innovation.
IntelligentHQ leverages innovation and scale of social digital technology, analytics, news and distribution to create an unparalleled, full digital medium and social business network spectrum.
IntelligentHQ is working hard, to become a trusted, and indispensable source of business news and analytics, within financial services and its associated supply chains and ecosystems.
