DNA Data Storage, Social Robots to Metalenses-Top 10 Emerging Technologies

Bioplastics for a circular
economy: The use of cellulose or lignin from plant waste in production of
plastic can increase the strength of biodegradable plastic. It doesn't use
crops that are needed for food production.
Social robots: Robots today are
able to recognize voices, faces and emotions, interpret speech and gestures,
respond to verbal and non-verbal cues, and even make eye contact. They’re
increasingly being used to care for the elderly, educate children and do all
sorts of tasks in between.
Metalenses: These lenses so small
that, up until now, it has been impossible to make them through traditional
glass-cutting and glass-curving techniques. A breakthrough in the way lenses
are produced will allow further miniaturization in sensors and medical imaging
devices.
Disordered proteins as drug
targets: “Intrinsically disordered proteins” are proteins that can cause cancer
and other diseases. Unlike conventional proteins, they lack a rigid structure,
which makes them difficult to treat. Now, scientists have found a way to
prevent their shape-shifting long enough for treatment to have an effect.
Collaborative telepresence:
Imagine video conferences where you can not only feel as if you’re in the same
room as your correspondents but can actually feel one another’s touch.
Smarter fertilizers: Much of the
improvement in fertilizers over the years has been in enhancing their ability
to slowly release nutrients as and when they are needed. The drawback is that
they still contain ammonia, urea and potash. The latest versions use more
environmentally friendly sources of nitrogen, plus microorganisms that improve
take-up by plants.
Advanced food tracking and
packaging: Locating the source of food contamination can now take minutes
rather than days as a result of a novel blockchain approach to monitoring
food’s progress through the supply chain. Meanwhile, sensors in packaging can
tell us when food is about to spoil, reducing the need to trash whole batches
once an expiry date is reached. Safer nuclear reactors: The great
risk with nuclear power is that the fuel rods can overheat and, when mixed with
water, produce hydrogen, which can then explode. New fuels are coming online
that are much less likely to overheat and, if they do, produce very little or
no hydrogen. These new configurations can replace existing fuel rods with
little modification.
DNA data storage: At the rate we
are producing data, we probably have less than 100 years before the magnetic or
optical storage systems we use at the moment will reach maximum capacity. These
systems also consume huge amounts of energy. DNA, life’s storage material, has
no such limitations. According to one estimate, all the world’s current storage
needs for a year could be met by a cube of DNA measuring about one metre on a
side.
Utility-scale storage of
renewable energy: Lithium-ion batteries will likely be the dominant technology
for the next five to 10 years and continuing improvements will result in
batteries that can store four to eight hours of energy – long enough, for
example, to shift solar-generated power to the evening peak of demand.
Source: World Economic Forum -www.weforum.org
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