The “New Technologies” in the current discussion has a few things in common. Most are technologies whose development, application, or both is still in early stages, and/or are literally still relatively unproven. This was true even with traditional technologies over the centuries. As new technologies emerged and were put into use, their effects on society were often far reaching and radical. While most traditional technologies were improved, changed, improved again, and then were superseded by newer and more technically advanced technology, many traditional technologies remained largely unchanged or at least rarely replaced. While the “New Technologies” mentioned here is in early stages of development and may never be successfully applied to solve some of society’s pressing problems, these same technologies have the potential to make significant positive changes in society and the economy.
Let’s consider the latest technology trends and their effect on society as a whole, as well as individual markets and sectors. There are many things that impact the way people go about their day to day lives, including technologies designed to simplify the process of doing things. The advent of the internet has made finding and purchasing all sorts of goods and services much easier for consumers, and has broadened the range of products and services available to businesses and other organizations. However, even with the recent boom in online shopping, traditional stores have not disappeared entirely, and are in fact, becoming more popular than ever.
One of the most exciting new technologies of the 21st century is likely to be the integration of digital medicine and artificial intelligence. Digital medicine involves using electronic medical records to allow doctors to make accurate, personalized decisions about patient care. This can be particularly valuable in areas where the quality of life is already starting to dwindle, due to aging, disease, or severe trauma. Currently, there are a number of technologies in development that could pave the way for digital health records and other types of electronic patient care. Examples include: automated prescribing systems, which would allow doctors to order dosage and medication; and digital pharmacy, which would allow patients to purchase drugs through a computer interface, without the need for a pharmacist.
Another new technology trend that is already taking shape is 4G technology, which stands for “generation of electronics”. This emerging technology trend will utilize ultra-fast communication networks to create new capabilities in voice and data networking. This new technology trend will likely be most beneficial to hospitals and healthcare organizations, but may have implications for other industries as well.
Other emerging trends in technology and innovation include advanced virtual reality headsets, augmented reality glasses, and binaural audio technology. Virtual reality headsets and augmented reality glasses will allow people to virtually “travel” inside of the computer by using eye movement and sound. Augmented reality glasses will create a three dimensional image of objects, such as a car, through the eyes of the wearer. A new trend called binaural audio will allow two different frequencies to be used in conjunction with each other, in order to create new forms of electronic communications and entertainment.
Of the many technologies available today, cloud computing is quickly becoming the most popular choice. Cloud computing allows users to access computing resources from multiple locations at the same time, without the need for software installation or application downloads. With cloud services, users only pay for the resources that they use. For example, instead of purchasing hardware and software packages that require monthly fees, cloud users only pay for the storage and data transfers that they use. The future of computing holds a number of exciting opportunities, and we are only at the beginning of its discovery.
