Fetaured article by Sandra Hayward, freelance writer and columnist
2017 is left behind. What are great things we are capable of doing now which we couldn’t a year ago? How did technology change the world last year? What new technology are we expecting in 2018?
The previous year was rich in technological discoveries. Elon Musk gave hope for the settlement of Mars, scientists started using the CRISPR gene editing technique, more companies began to invest in the development of self-managed cars, and Twitter refused from 140-characters messages. The ways technology has changed our lives cannot be described in several sentences.
Blockchain
Being created in 2009, Blockchain technology became world famous in 8 years. The reality show “Bitcoin” became one of the most interesting and spectacular in 2017. Everyone followed the development of cryptocurrency regardless of whether he has bitcoins, is going to buy them, or mine.
Bitcoin has appeared, exists and will exist precisely due to the blockchain. But blockchain is not limited to cryptocurrencies only. This technology is distributed in the public sector, on social media, Internet of things, and others. Blockchain makes things safer and improves tracking.
In 2018, blockchain is going to integrate into the Internet of things, turning it from IoT (Internet of Things) to BIoT (Blockchain Internet of Things). It will help to reduce the level of hacking significantly and can be used, for example, to create smart cities in which heating systems are connected to more effectively control energy consumption and traffic lights to regulate traffic during rush hours.
Robots
Home robots are becoming common. And we mean not only robotic vacuum cleaners now. American scientists predict in their article on technology for a better life that home helpers like Amazon Alexa, Amazon Echo Dot, or Google Home Mini are going to appear in every home.
“Alex, I’m at home,” you’ll say, opening the door to your apartment. And it will help you call a taxi, order a pizza or suggest an editing thesis official site.
Voice assistants are just the onset of how the digital world penetrates into our daily life. In the current year, your doctor might be able to launch nanorobots into your body, which, for instance, will destroy platelets aggregation. In addition, these robots will be capable of informing people what to do in order to be healthier and giving personalized and useful advice.
Earbuds for Translation
Google came up with a solution for translation – $159 for a pair of earbuds called Pixel Buds. They work with Pixel smartphones and Google Translate application to get the translation almost in real time.
Google Translate has already got a function that enables to automatically determine which languages the users speak and then to translate their speech. But any background noise can prevent the application from understanding what people are saying and determine that a person has stopped talking and it’s time to start translating.
The role of technology in our life is to arrange it easier. So do Pixel Buds. It is a hope for the possibility of communication between people speaking different languages, almost in real time. The person who wears Pixel Buds presses and holds a finger on the right earpiece while talking. Splitting the interaction between the phone and buds gives each person the ability to control the microphone and helps the speakers maintain eye contact as they do not need to transfer their phone back and forth.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is going on to improve this year. It will learn to offer you the most appropriate advertising on the Internet, favorite music on Spotify and beloved TV shows on Netflix. More companies are starting using artificial intelligence in their activities. AI is becoming part of almost every application or website.
3-D Metal Printing
Having existed for many decades, three-dimensional printing still remains the prerogative of some amateurs and designers who produce one-time prototypes. Printing various objects with the help of something other than plastic, in particular, metal, was expensive and slow.
3D printing is cheaper and much simpler now, which allows it to become a practical way of manufacturing numerous parts. Its wide distribution may change the way we produce many products.
This technology will enable us to create lighter and more durable parts, complex shapes that cannot be manufactured using conventional methods of working with metals.
In the era of endless innovations, it is impossible to underestimate how technology affects our lives. Moreover, nobody is able to say exactly what we have to expect from our current year. The only forecast in which you can be 100% sure is that the future will be different from the present. It should be expected that everything may change starting from how we are treated and how we run our business.
About the Author
Sandra Hayward is a freelance writer and columnist. She is passionate about trending technology and gadgets and have visited more than twenty countries as for now. Besides, she loves her family, pop culture, and creativity in all its forms. View her on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/edubirdie/
