Experts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology presented a new list of ten technologies that can completely change the world. Seven out of ten of these technologies already exist:
1. Feeling city - to be built by 2019
Alphabet (Google's parent company) is already working with the Canadian and Toronto governments to build a smart city that will use almost all existing smart technologies.
The developers want all decisions in the life of the city (political, technological, design) to be made on the basis of information received from millions of sensors. Also, the city wants to rely on the car-sharing system, abandoning private cars, and placing thousands of robots underground, which will take on all the physical labor.
2. Secure Internet - already exists
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The developers of the Zcash cryptocurrency announced the creation of a protocol that provides complete anonymity, in contrast to the open blockchain. Through such a protocol, you can, for example, confirm your age, but without transmitting the date of birth. American banks JP Morgan Chase and ING have already adopted a new protocol for the operation of their payment systems.
3. Artificial embryos - already exist
Scientists at the University of Cambridge have grown a mouse embryo using only stem cells from another embryo. Experts admit that such an "artificial" embryo is unlikely to become a mouse, but this breakthrough could lead to the fact that mammals (and humans, as one of the species) can be born without an egg. Artificial, or synthetic embryos enable scientists to study, literally step by step, the origin of human life, representatives of the university said.
4. Available artificial intelligence - already exists
Almost everyone knows or has heard about AI, but it still remains a tool for large tech companies and is too expensive for others. However, cloud developers have begun to create cloud AI that is both affordable and easy to use.
5. Sparring artificial intelligence - already exists
Experts from Google Brain, DeepMind and Nvidia have been able to make artificial intelligence create realistic original images and sounds without human intervention. This breakthrough will allow, for example, a self-driving car to train itself by creating images of pedestrians and cars in different situations. Thus, the system will progress independently, without human influence.
6. Headphones with built-in translator - already exist
Google and Baidu recently introduced the Pixel Buds, which work respectively with Pixel smartphones and the Google Translate app. The device costs $ 159. They allow you to translate from one language to another almost instantly.
7. Metal 3D printing - already exists
Researchers at Livermore National Laboratory, California, said they have developed a method to 3D print steel parts that are a number of stronger than conventional parts. At the same time, Markforged and Destop Metal began supplying printers that could 3D print metal. GE intends to create a similar device.
8. Material quantum leap - in 5-10 years
Researchers from IBM have proposed using the most powerful quantum computers to create new molecules (ordinary computers cannot cope with this). New molecules will help create more effective drugs and materials.
9. Carbon-free natural gas - after 5 years
Three American companies - technology 8 Rivers Capital, energy company Exelon Generation and construction company CB&I - decided to make natural gas completely environmentally friendly. Net Power's development allows carbon dioxide to be collected before it enters the atmosphere. Such a system will provide “clean” and relatively cheap electricity.
10. The predictive genome already exists
Medicine will soon be able to predict at birth what diseases a person will suffer from. Scientists have found that common diseases and some features of mental development depend not on the presence of a particular gene, but on a certain interaction of a group of genes. So far, the development can only recommend closer observation for those at especially high risk of the disease.