8 ms·

List of Emerging Technologies

162 points by aleyan 5y ago

NickNaraghi 5y ago
From Bezos' last shareholder letter[0]: "Draw the box big around all of society, and you’ll find that invention is the root of all real value creation." I'm really hopeful that invention, like the ideas represented on this list, will get more attention and excitement from our youngest and smartest minds. In fact, I believe that having a successful society is dependent on this. [0]: https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/company-news/2020-letter-to-shareholders https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/company-news/2020-letter-to...
- blacksmith_tb 5y ago
  Invention is great, but I would think that statement has an implied "... that we can make money on" at the end - at least, it seems to me like there's lots of value created by people doing non-inventive things, whether that's a chef making a great meal or a teacher helping a child or... most of the things most people are doing most of the time?
  - unishark 5y ago
    I think the business use of the word "value" already implies the ability to make money from it. But consider what it means to make money. Suppose you invent technology whereby those people doing their things most of the time can become twice as productive. They would be eager to pay for this benefit, and society has gained far more "value" by your definition as well.
    - pitspotter 5y ago
      I think you're both right. The benefits of successful invention (most inventions being unsuccessful) redound 1000-fold on surrounding society (rather than on the inventor, who nevertheless may profit). Yet it's good people who assure the conditions under which invention is even possible.
  - dTal 5y ago
    The statement is either flatly false (if "value creation" is the same thing as "valuable") or tautologically true (if it means "novelty"). The sneaky insertion of real into "all real value creation" outs it as a No True Scotsman statement.
    - u385639 5y ago
      Consider taking the statement in the context of the argument made in the letter.
alexfromapex 5y ago
For entertainment, I’d add laser short throw projectors since I just spent a long time researching them on YouTube.
- teawrecks 5y ago
  I don't think the intention of this page is for people to post what they just learned about on YouTube...
outside1234 5y ago
I am glad to see they have "head transplant" but how dare they forget time travel!
- kbenson 5y ago
  In 2012, Xiaoping Ren published work in which he grafted the head of a mouse onto another mouse's body; again the focus was on how to avoid harm from the loss of blood supply; with his protocol the grafted heads survived up to six months.[1] That's wild, but the more I think about it, the more I wonder if there's really all that much we don't know about how to transplant a head onto another body, if it's just to keep the donor alive (that is, what we don't know may not stop us from being successful putting a second head on to someone and connecting the blood supply so the brain survives). 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_transplant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_transplant
agnosticmantis 5y ago
Classifying Neural-sensing headset under Aerospace (only because an application is pilot assist tools) seems a bit strange.
mikepurvis 5y ago
While interesting, I'm surprised this hasn't become entangled in WP:NOR: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research
FabiansMustDie 5y ago
It reminds me of how useless reference texts have become. Wikipedia is decent for a quick overview of a certain topic; but "boy oh boy," is it useless for anything of substance and depth. All of these technologies, merely glossed over. Many, perhaps, even complete bunk with no realistic applications or time-frames for usable prototypes, all mixed in together! Junk food for the mind.
whoisjuan 5y ago
Still waiting for graphene to be commercially available in something. It has been hyped as the ultimate super material for decades and yet, it's being used in absolutely nothing.
- LatteLazy 5y ago
  No one can find a way to (mass) manufacture it with controlled properties...
- mianos 5y ago
  Isn't it used as a separator in lithium polymer batteries already?
- eunos 5y ago
  https://twitter.com/gac_motor/status/1354806440687505408 https://twitter.com/gac_motor/status/1354806440687505408
- dghughes 5y ago
  Graphene will first be in golf clubs, tennis rackets, or porn is nature's way. There is a recall here in Canada for non-medical masks that have graphene contamination in them, it may cause lung damage. So there's that.
Laakeri 5y ago
Quantum computing is a prime example of a technology in phase 2, definitely not in "commercialization".
- cyberlurker 5y ago
  I see your point, but there are companies that are renting time slots on their rudimentary cloud quantum computers right now, among other commercial ventures. I’d say it’s not “definitely not” in “commercialization”.
russellbeattie 5y ago
We're definitely overdue for a major consumer tech introduction. * Late 30s: Radio * Late 40s: Vinyl Records (Edited: Atomic energy isn't a consumer product) * Late 50s: TV * Late 60s: Transistors / rockets * Late 70s: Microcomputers. * Late 80s: Desktop publishing * Late 90s: Internet/Web * Late 00s: Smartphones/tablets * Late 10s: VR? Streaming media? Electric cars? Cryptocurrency? It takes a while for a new technology to spread to widespread adoption. For example, the 2007 launch of the iPhone lead to a decade of mobile adoption a few years later. But it seems there's been no new tech paradigm shift lately that's equivalent to the massive influence of previous innovations. Or at least I'm not seeing it yet.
- DougWebb 5y ago
  Late 10s: Social media. Not all revolutions are good.
  - russellbeattie 5y ago
    Yeah... you might be right. About both points.
  - jpadkins 5y ago
    social media was prior decade.
- riskable 5y ago
  The late 10s should probably have IoT (e.g. Nest thermostats, security systems, etc) and "smart" home assistants like the Amazon Echo Dot, Google Home, etc. Remember: The S in IoT stands for security.
  - bichonnages 5y ago
    Radio > IoT
- Uehreka 5y ago
  "Past performance is no guarantee of future results."
imwillofficial 5y ago
This is a list I could get lost in for hours... So much for my weekend... ::rolls up sleeves:: “Memristors you say?” ::is never seen again::
Borrible 5y ago
Is there a list of aborted technologies and technologies that died in childbirth? Like, say, electric cars in 1900-1915?

162 points by aleyan 5y ago

From Bezos' last shareholder letter[0]: "Draw the box big around all of society, and you’ll find that invention is the root of all real value creation." I'm really hopeful that invention, like the ideas represented on this list, will get more attention and excitement from our youngest and smartest minds. In fact, I believe that having a successful society is dependent on this. [0]: https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/company-news/2020-letter-to-shareholders https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/company-news/2020-letter-to...

blacksmith_tb 5y ago
Invention is great, but I would think that statement has an implied "... that we can make money on" at the end - at least, it seems to me like there's lots of value created by people doing non-inventive things, whether that's a chef making a great meal or a teacher helping a child or... most of the things most people are doing most of the time?
- unishark 5y ago
  I think the business use of the word "value" already implies the ability to make money from it. But consider what it means to make money. Suppose you invent technology whereby those people doing their things most of the time can become twice as productive. They would be eager to pay for this benefit, and society has gained far more "value" by your definition as well.
  - pitspotter 5y ago
    I think you're both right. The benefits of successful invention (most inventions being unsuccessful) redound 1000-fold on surrounding society (rather than on the inventor, who nevertheless may profit). Yet it's good people who assure the conditions under which invention is even possible.
- dTal 5y ago
  The statement is either flatly false (if "value creation" is the same thing as "valuable") or tautologically true (if it means "novelty"). The sneaky insertion of real into "all real value creation" outs it as a No True Scotsman statement.
  - u385639 5y ago
    Consider taking the statement in the context of the argument made in the letter.

alexfromapex 5y ago

For entertainment, I’d add laser short throw projectors since I just spent a long time researching them on YouTube.

teawrecks 5y ago
I don't think the intention of this page is for people to post what they just learned about on YouTube...

outside1234 5y ago

I am glad to see they have "head transplant" but how dare they forget time travel!

kbenson 5y ago
In 2012, Xiaoping Ren published work in which he grafted the head of a mouse onto another mouse's body; again the focus was on how to avoid harm from the loss of blood supply; with his protocol the grafted heads survived up to six months.[1] That's wild, but the more I think about it, the more I wonder if there's really all that much we don't know about how to transplant a head onto another body, if it's just to keep the donor alive (that is, what we don't know may not stop us from being successful putting a second head on to someone and connecting the blood supply so the brain survives). 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_transplant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_transplant

agnosticmantis 5y ago

Classifying Neural-sensing headset under Aerospace (only because an application is pilot assist tools) seems a bit strange.

mikepurvis 5y ago

While interesting, I'm surprised this hasn't become entangled in WP:NOR: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research

FabiansMustDie 5y ago

It reminds me of how useless reference texts have become. Wikipedia is decent for a quick overview of a certain topic; but "boy oh boy," is it useless for anything of substance and depth. All of these technologies, merely glossed over. Many, perhaps, even complete bunk with no realistic applications or time-frames for usable prototypes, all mixed in together! Junk food for the mind.

whoisjuan 5y ago

Still waiting for graphene to be commercially available in something. It has been hyped as the ultimate super material for decades and yet, it's being used in absolutely nothing.

LatteLazy 5y ago
No one can find a way to (mass) manufacture it with controlled properties...
mianos 5y ago
Isn't it used as a separator in lithium polymer batteries already?
eunos 5y ago
https://twitter.com/gac_motor/status/1354806440687505408 https://twitter.com/gac_motor/status/1354806440687505408
dghughes 5y ago
Graphene will first be in golf clubs, tennis rackets, or porn is nature's way. There is a recall here in Canada for non-medical masks that have graphene contamination in them, it may cause lung damage. So there's that.

Laakeri 5y ago

Quantum computing is a prime example of a technology in phase 2, definitely not in "commercialization".

cyberlurker 5y ago
I see your point, but there are companies that are renting time slots on their rudimentary cloud quantum computers right now, among other commercial ventures. I’d say it’s not “definitely not” in “commercialization”.

russellbeattie 5y ago

We're definitely overdue for a major consumer tech introduction. * Late 30s: Radio * Late 40s: Vinyl Records (Edited: Atomic energy isn't a consumer product) * Late 50s: TV * Late 60s: Transistors / rockets * Late 70s: Microcomputers. * Late 80s: Desktop publishing * Late 90s: Internet/Web * Late 00s: Smartphones/tablets * Late 10s: VR? Streaming media? Electric cars? Cryptocurrency? It takes a while for a new technology to spread to widespread adoption. For example, the 2007 launch of the iPhone lead to a decade of mobile adoption a few years later. But it seems there's been no new tech paradigm shift lately that's equivalent to the massive influence of previous innovations. Or at least I'm not seeing it yet.

DougWebb 5y ago
Late 10s: Social media. Not all revolutions are good.
- russellbeattie 5y ago
  Yeah... you might be right. About both points.
- jpadkins 5y ago
  social media was prior decade.
riskable 5y ago
The late 10s should probably have IoT (e.g. Nest thermostats, security systems, etc) and "smart" home assistants like the Amazon Echo Dot, Google Home, etc. Remember: The S in IoT stands for security.
- bichonnages 5y ago
  Radio > IoT
Uehreka 5y ago
"Past performance is no guarantee of future results."

imwillofficial 5y ago

This is a list I could get lost in for hours... So much for my weekend... ::rolls up sleeves:: “Memristors you say?” ::is never seen again::

Borrible 5y ago

Is there a list of aborted technologies and technologies that died in childbirth? Like, say, electric cars in 1900-1915?