When it comes to the future of the world, we often paint it as a place filled with ridiculous contraptions and off-the-wall devices. But, what if the future we are heading for is not that far off from these flights of fancy? This article will take a close look at some truly futuristic inventions making their way into public use.
Electronics
According to Cornell University, Ruidong Zhang has made the first-ever pair of silent speech eyeglasses. These AI-equipped spectacles can track and predict the words a person is saying by reading their lips. In the first public showcasing of these lip-reading goggles, Zhang is seen mouthing his password to unlock his nearby smartphone.
Next up from E Ink, they have launched their new Spectra 6 ePaper. Those amongst us who frequently use Kindles and other e-readers are in for a treat. As this is the first time that such colour saturation and vividness can be seen. It marks a revolutionary point where we can see the swing away from traditional paper as ePaper can now replicate, if not surpass, the quality of traditional paper.
Finally, the University of Technology Sydney has made its graphene brain- computer interface and its military applications public. This small chip, placed behind the user’s ear and combined with a head mounted augmented reality lens, allows the user to send mental commands to an electronic device. In the demonstration video, the Australian military showcases how they give silent commands to a quadruped robot.
Automation
Aurora also announced that their fully autonomous self-driving truck is complete and is being tested. They have plans to release this revolutionary technology by next year for commercial use. So perhaps gone are the times of multiple trucks trying to overtake each other while you are on your way down to the coast for vacation. This does, however, open the discussion around challenges that this technology will introduce, such as job losses.
Flying Machines
Institu, a subsidiary of Boeing, just announced its VTOL drone and vertical take-off procedure that could change the aeronautical industry forever. The larger application of drone technology would shrink the size of runways and lessen fuel use. It could also mean that the future of having drones flying from a storage site and delivering your goods to your front door is a step closer than we thought.
Reality
Nueyes also introduced its NuLoupes surgical visualisation spectacles which is built upon live 3D stereoscopic imaging technology. This will allow for real-life 1x to 10x magnification while keeping that high resolution image. When this is combined with the new equipment that medical professionals are using, it could make surgeries safer. Not only that, but it could open the door to more advanced surgeries.
Sony has also released their spatial reality displays. These authentic 3D viewing tools can cast 2D images into a pseudo-3D state. This makes it possible for engineers to draw in the third dimension or architects to fully develop their designs.
Biology
Hwang Woo-suk opened the gates to cloning for the entire world. According to Cell, which published the article on the first macaque monkeys being cloned, people have the capability of cloning primates, so the possibility of cloning humans is not far off. This technology might also allow for organ cloning. The only question now is, how do you keep this ethical?
With these examples merely being the tip of the iceberg, it is easy to see that the world we are going towards is going to be a wild and interesting one. One that hopefully solves more problems than it causes.