Technology is advancing at rapid rates daily with new applications being adopted by the day. As a result, more and more things these days are becoming automated, and interactions are becoming more remote. Once unimaginable technologies such as self-driving cars, personalized recommendations, as well as voice-controlled machines such as Alexa are becoming the norm rather than the exception.
With technologies such as the Internet of Things, technology has become part of day-to-day life. Technology is becoming so embedded in our daily life that it is becoming embedded in society even without the realization of some people. For instance, 20 or so years ago, smartphones were only reserved for the elite. But these days, almost everyone has a smartphone and it is easy to see why.
So which technologies are reshaping our worlds? Here are 5 amazing technologies that you haven’t heard about this year:
Solar paint
For people that are looking for a source of renewable energy, solar panels make sense. However, solar panels can be quite a costly affair to install and even costlier to maintain properly. The good news is that there is an alternative on the horizon.
Researchers from the Melbourne Institute have developed a type of paint that absorbs solar energy. The paint can absorb moisture from the atmosphere, split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen while collecting the components in fuel cells where they will be utilized later. Solar paint is said to be more effective and cheaper to produce compared to solar panels.
What makes solar paint so special is that aside from collecting hydrogen, which is one of the cleanest forms of fuel available, solar paint also makes the creation of clean energy more efficient. By covering areas that typically don’t receive sufficient amounts of sunlight such as fences and walls with solar paint, these surfaces can, in turn, generate clean energy as well.
Smart food labels
Although we consume food daily, human beings haven’t done a great job at managing our food production. You may or may not know this, but about one-third of the food we eat is wasted each year partly as a result of poor planning. Despite the severe food wastage that is taking place, more than 20,000 people die from hunger each year, which is sad and disappointing.
Food wastage often takes place at home. Expiration dates that give inaccurate dates are some of the major reasons why people waste food. That’s why scientists have worked to develop smart food labels that allow users to determine the freshness and safety of the food they have at home.
Researchers at the University of Alberta have created a label that changes color once it detects a food-destroying pathogen. The labels are manufactured from reactive polymer that is layered with sensors that are used to identify particular molecules that cause food to go bad.
Robot lawn mowers
Interested in freeing up some of your time? Then you may need a robotic lawn mower more than you realize. Robotic lawnmowers do not operate on batteries or petrol, which means that they are more environmentally conscious than traditional lawnmowers. Like robotic cleaners, robotic lawnmowers work their way around one’s lawn in a random manner, which also prevents those pesky wheel marks from being formed in the process.
Since they do not use petrol or batteries, robotic lawnmowers have to be charged before use. The charging stations for robotic mowers are typically situated out of sight. What’s so impressive about robot lawn mowers is that they are mulching mowers. This means that they do not collect the grass from the lawn.
Rather, they cut it into fine clippings before scattering them all over so that they can decompose into the soil. The best robotic mowers can map out your lawn, finding the most efficient route to take, whether that will involve random patterns or a straight route. This method makes certain that the entire lawn is mowed and that nothing is left out.
Bioprinting
Bioprinting consists of the use of biomaterials for printing purposes in place of ink. Biomaterial such as adult stem cells is used to create structures such as bones, organs, and skin. This technology can transform the way organ transplants are done.
The technology will go a long way in helping to ensure that the body’s chances of rejecting an organ are reduced significantly. While this bioprinting technology is still in the initial research stages, scientists all over the world have recorded breakthroughs with this technology. Techniques are now being devised for bio-printed corneas, cartilage, and even hearts!
Until only recently, the main challenge to commercializing bioprinting was that most 3D printers lacked the vital speed required to print an entire organ or organic structure without causing the cells to die. Thankfully though, researchers have managed to engineer a much faster and more effective printing process that has increased the chances of cells remaining alive until they can be transplanted.
Artificial Intelligence
AI technology is the technology of the future. According to Healthcare Weekly, AI used to be the stuff of fiction movies and sci-fi novels. However, Artificial technology has become so embedded in our daily life that some people don’t even realize how dependent they are on AI technology.
AI is being used by nearly all industries. For instance, educators are utilizing AI for numerous applications including plagiarism detection, proper grading, and personalization. In the entertainment industry, AI technology is taking over. For example, through the use of machine learning, streaming websites such as Netflix can rank, customize and offer suggestions for each user in a personalized manner.
Ecommerce shops are also using AI to predict customer behavior. In addition, online shops are also relying on AI Chatbots to offer 24/7 assistance to its customer, thus ensuring that business is running smoothly whether it is night or day.
Final Thoughts
Where would the world be without the vast technological advancements that we have made in the last decade? These are just a few of the technologies that are shaking up the world. However, there is a lot more to come in the future, which is extremely exciting!
