dotlah! dotlah!
  • Cities
  • Technology
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Society
  • Science
  • About
Social Links
  • zedreviews.com
  • citi.io
  • aster.cloud
  • liwaiwai.com
  • guzz.co.uk
  • atinatin.com
0 Likes
0 Followers
0 Subscribers
dotlah!
  • Cities
  • Technology
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Society
  • Science
  • About
  • Science
  • Technology

Top 10 Emerging Technologies Of 2019

  • September 3, 2019
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0

The World Economic Forum (WEF) recently released a report detailing the ten “world-changing technologies that are poised to rattle the status quo.”

Let’s see for ourselves what these technologies have to offer.

Top 10 Emerging Technologies for 2019, Adapted from “Top 10 Emerging Technologies 2019”, by Institute for Economics and Peace, 2019, retrieved from https://www.weforum.org/

1. Bioplastics for a Circular Economy

Some developments in the bioplastics industry allow lignin, a component of wood, to be broken down into its simpler components using engineered solvents.

With this possible, plastics can then be made from it. Lignin is found in wood waste and agricultural byproducts which otherwise doesn’t have any other function.

Eventually, lignin in the bioplastics can then be broken down back into its components using special enzymes.

With this, we are forming a circular plastic economy where plastic comes from waste and is capable of being completely degraded and recycled for other uses.

2. Social Robots

Incorporating social behavior in robots will be the mark of a new generation of robot assistants for this year. Robots which can recognize human emotions and gestures as well as learn from previous interactions can provide better services:

  • Hotel check-ins
  • Airport customer service
  • Shopping assistance
  • Fast-food checkout
  • Assisting the elderly

3. Tiny Lenses for Miniature Devices

Engineers have recently figured out the physics of metalenses, which are the smaller counterparts of traditional lenses. With this possible, microscopes and laboratory tools can be miniaturized.  For consumers, this means, smaller cameras and other optical sensors.

Aside from reducing size, the further development of these lenses will also entail a lower cost in lens production.

Right now, the costs are still high for metalenses. With companies such as Google and Samsung investing in this kind of technology, this should be less of a problem in the next few years.

4. Disordered Proteins as Drug Targets

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), a class or proteins that drives illnesses like cancer and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s has been so far undruggable. This means drugs cannot be used to inhibit these proteins.

Recent discoveries found multiple drug candidates which have the potential for clinical application. With this, we might soon have better solutions for the aforementioned  diseases.

5. Smarter Fertilizers

2019 is also witness to the development of controlled-release fertilizers, those that have their shells tuned to alter nutrient-release rates depending on the soil’s conditions (temperature, acidity, moisture changes). This kind of fertilizers will play a huge eliminating the excessive release of nutrients.

6. Collaborative Telepresence

The simultaneous development and rolling out of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and 5G technologies will eventually render physical location irrelevant in business meetings.

Technologies are being developed to allow collaborative telepresence participants to interact with remote environment and even feel what their robotic avatars touch. The pieces that will make this kind of long-distance collaborations are slowly coming into place.

7. Advanced Food Tracking and Packaging

Blockchain technology in conjunction with enhanced food packaging technologies will bring food industry to another level.

Blockchain will allow a reliable tracking of food items to prevent outbreaks from being out of control. Meanwhile, food packaging improvements will be making it easier to prevent food from being spoiled or contaminated in the first place.

8. Safer Nuclear Reactors

The primary concern with nuclear reactors is the potential for it to explode when power plants overheat. Developments to make cooling of the nuclear reactors even more reliable will make it easier for the public and the government to invest on the carbon-free nuclear energy.

9. DNA Data Storage

Every second, massive volumes of data are being generated and stored. The constant development we are experiencing globally will make data storage an ever-present problem.

Right now, the prospect of DNA being used as a means to store data is being explored.

WEF states that “all the world’s current storage needs for a year could be well met by a cube of DNA measuring about one metre on a side. “ This is given how even simple bacteria were found to be capable of storing large volumes of information within small spaces.

10. Utility-Scale Storage of Renewable Energy

Renewable energy storage is constantly being developed. This year saw some significant development in some potential viable candidates:

  • Flow batteries
  • Hydrogen-fuel cells
  • Gravity storage

Investment in energy storage will prevent the excess energy production of renewable energy sources from going into waste. This will also lower energy storage costs in general. On the whole, this will make renewable energy sources even more attractive to companies, apart from the fact that it will greatly propel the decarbonization of the world’s energy production.

Total
0
Shares
Share
Tweet
Share
Share
Related Topics
  • Emerging Technologies
  • Future
  • Sustainability
majulah

Previous Article
  • Cities

How The West Can Adapt To A Rising Asia

  • September 2, 2019
View Post
Next Article
  • Science
  • Technology

What Will A Future Energy Market Look Like?

  • September 4, 2019
View Post
You May Also Like
oracle-ibm
View Post
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Technology

IBM and Oracle Expand Partnership to Advance Agentic AI and Hybrid Cloud

  • Dean Marc
  • May 6, 2025
View Post
  • Software
  • Technology

Canonical Releases Ubuntu 25.04 Plucky Puffin

  • Dean Marc
  • April 17, 2025
View Post
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Technology

Tokyo Electron and IBM Renew Collaboration for Advanced Semiconductor Technology

  • Dean Marc
  • April 2, 2025
View Post
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Technology

IBM contributes key open-source projects to Linux Foundation to advance AI community participation

  • dotlah.com
  • March 22, 2025
View Post
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Technology

Mitsubishi Motors Canada Launches AI-Powered “Intelligent Companion” to Transform the 2025 Outlander Buying Experience

  • Dean Marc
  • March 10, 2025
View Post
  • Technology

New Meta for Education Offering is Now Generally Available

  • Dean Marc
  • February 26, 2025
View Post
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Technology

Deep dive into AI with Google Cloud’s global generative AI roadshow

  • dotlah.com
  • February 18, 2025
View Post
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Technology

How the UK’s plans for AI could derail net zero – the numbers explained

  • dotlah.com
  • February 9, 2025


Trending
  • 1
    • Cities
    • Lah!
    Pilot Project To Develop High-Powered Fast-Charging Plaza For Electric Vehicles
    • August 7, 2021
  • 2
    • Environment
    • People
    • World Events
    The Countries Best And Worst Prepared For A Pandemic
    • February 4, 2020
  • 3
    • Cities
    Grab Introduces Holistic Support Programme For Driver-Partners
    • May 27, 2021
  • 4
    • People
    Where Same-Sex Marriages Are Legal
    • June 25, 2020
  • Nintendo Switch Deals on Amazon 5
    • Gears
    10 Physical Nintendo Switch Game Deals on MAR10 Day!
    • March 10, 2025
  • singapore-night-sky-pexels-phil-goulson-2058911 6
    • Cities
    • Technology
    Data Analytics: The Key to Delivering Smart Cities
    • September 30, 2021
  • Semiconductor 7
    • Computing
    • Science
    Decoding The Digital. Distinguishing Computer Science And Information Technology In Society And Industry.
    • May 2, 2024
  • Black Friday Gifts 8
    • Gears
    Black Friday. How to Choose the Best Gifts for Yourself and Others, Plus Our Top Recommendations.
    • November 17, 2024
  • 9
    • Lah!
    NUS And UNESCO Establish Chair On Architectural Heritage Conservation And Management In Asia
    • May 21, 2020
  • 10
    • Lah!
    • Technology
    S’porean At Local Startup Explains Deep Tech & Its Relationship With… Tomatoes?
    • November 5, 2020
  • 11
    • Society
    OCBC Bank Supports Singapore’s First Community Shop That Provides Food That Low-income Households Truly Need
    • February 12, 2020
  • 12
    • Environment
    • People
    Hurricanes And Wildfires Are Colliding With The COVID-19 Pandemic – And Compounding The Risks
    • August 28, 2020
Trending
  • 1
    Trump’s global trade plans are in disarray, after a US court ruling on ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs
    • May 29, 2025
  • 2
    315,000 Singaporeans have used new career and skills planning tool by SkillsFuture Singapore
    • May 23, 2025
  • college-of-cardinals-2025 3
    The Definitive Who’s Who of the 2025 Papal Conclave
    • May 8, 2025
  • conclave-poster-black-smoke 4
    The World Is Revalidating Itself
    • May 7, 2025
  • oracle-ibm 5
    IBM and Oracle Expand Partnership to Advance Agentic AI and Hybrid Cloud
    • May 6, 2025
  • 6
    Conclave: How A New Pope Is Chosen
    • April 25, 2025
  • 7
    Canonical Releases Ubuntu 25.04 Plucky Puffin
    • April 17, 2025
  • 8
    Mathematicians uncover the logic behind how people walk in crowds
    • April 3, 2025
  • 9
    Tokyo Electron and IBM Renew Collaboration for Advanced Semiconductor Technology
    • April 2, 2025
  • 10
    Tariffs, Trump, and Other Things That Start With T – They’re Not The Problem, It’s How We Use Them
    • March 25, 2025
Social Links
dotlah! dotlah!
  • Cities
  • Technology
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Society
  • Science
  • About
Connecting Dots Across Asia's Tech and Urban Landscape

Input your search keywords and press Enter.