This session on Emerging and Future Technologies is one that
I have been looking forward to as I know I will be amazed by the many forms of
new technologies that are emerging.
The lesson started with prof asking us if we have changed
our viewpoint on matters from asking ‘why’ to ‘why not?’ Personally, I feel
that this course indeed open my eyes to possibilities that could happen in the
world of technology. Hence I would say that I am starting to ask ‘why not’.
Emerging and
Future Technologies
First, we started with a video on Claytronics, which is a concept
that combines nanoscale robotics and computer science to create individual
nanometer-scale computers called claytronic atoms. These atoms can then
interact with each other to form tangible 3-D objects that a user can interact
with. This opens up many possibilities as product prototypes and different
designs can be made at an instant for comparison or improvement.
We also saw a video on Plastic Electronics introduces the
idea of flexible plastic screens. It also proposes the idea of these flexible
plastic screens replacing out current metallic devices and glass screens
(ipads, smartphones etc). This is great as one of my greatest problems with
electronic devices such as smartphones screens is the fact that it is easily
scratched and will likely crack when dropped on the floor. With this flexible
screen, such worries will not exist anymore. It may even become possible when
an entire 42 inch television is replaced by this flexible screen and I can fold
this flexible screen and slot it into my pocket. This may sound far-fetched but
Samsung has already come out with the first curved screen phone and what I
mentioned could be just around the horizon. Then some of us raised the concern
of such usage of plastic depleting the Earth’s fossil fuels. But new ways of
making plastics from renewable sources are developing and this problem would
not be such an obstacle.
Then we moved to drivers of Emerging and Future
Technologies. We covered several drivers including market-driven research,
technology-driven research, supply creating demand, mass media and advertising,
and the confluence of the ‘smarts’. In my opinion, most revolutionary
technological products are made when there are drivers like technology-driven
research and supply creating demand. For example in the area of 3D printing,
because we have the technology and know how, we have come up with 3D Printers
and this supply will most likely generate demand (much like iphone and
Walkman).
Key Takeaway Points
This phrase by Kahlil Gibran is really the largest takeaway that is overarching
this lesson: “There is a space between man's imagination and man's
attainment that may only be traversed by his longing”. Our dreams are our targets that can only be
achieved when we crave very hard for it. Without our longing the gap between
our imagination and attainment will always be there. Successful companies like
Google, Facebook, Apple didn’t happen overnight. It happens through an
imagination by the leaders of the companies which is then followed by longing
and work by all the people that made the achievement possible.
Presentations
For Jun Kai’s presentation on nuclear fusion, I feel that such an
amount of energy would really power the world at a much larger scale compared
to any other renewable energy like solar energy, hence investment should really
be forthcoming. However Prof and some of my course mates pointed out that the
immediate benefits of nuclear fusion cannot be seen any time in the immediate
future and as a result, investors will not be so willing to invest. And this funding
reason is also why many budding projects fail. I feel here is where we need the
‘smart’ investors to come in with their ‘smart’ money to fund this project. Of
course the risks are huge but the benefits are out of the world.
Issues for
discussion
With so many emerging technologies, which area should a
smart investor with loads of cash focus on? Should revolutionary areas such as
Electronic Plastics or Claytronics get priority or should evolutionary technology
such as nanotechnology get the funding as the benefits of it are soon to be realized.
Personal Rating
Lesson was interesting and I came to know of many new and
emerging technologies such as Claytronics. Presentations also introduced both
evolutionary (next gen mouse, nuclear fusion, flying cars/people) and
revolutionary technology (underwater living). Would give the lesson a 8/10.
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