In just a few short months, we will be approaching a new year, and it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t give my opinion on technology in 2018.
I feel like 2017 has been the year of advanced technology. It has never been more apparent to me that technology is evolving at an extremely fast pace and we, as humans, are still adapting to the idea of it.
Advances in technology is something I am always excited to read about and enjoying giving my opinion on. I grew up in the technology/social media introduction generation. By this, I mean that I was a teenager when Facebook launched.
I grew up in the era of Myspace, Bebo and MSN. I was dialing up to the internet via a Modem, and using a very large, heavy and slow desktop computer. I have evolved as a person alongside technology and to me; it has become a huge part of my day-to-day life.
Here are some of the trends that I believe will define technology in 2018.
Augmented Reality Becomes An Investment
The first trend I want to talk about is Augmented Reality.
We first saw how powerful Augmented Reality was when Pokemon Go launched. Sometimes as humans we don’t actually realise that Augmented Reality has been a huge part of social media for quite some time. Take Snapchat for example. It’s face filters are a prime example of AR and this is often overlooked.
Recently, the likes of Apple and Amazon have been investing in AR on quite a large scale, and this will only increase throughout 2018.
Virtual Reality Will Get More Intelligent
Virtual Reality has evolved a lot over the last two years and it is going to become even more intelligent throughout of 2018.
I won’t go into too much detail around VR as I am going to dedicate a whole piece of content to it in the future as I have come across some amazing advancements in Virtual Reality.
iRobot Could Become A Reality
Who remembers the incredible Will Smith-led 2004 piece of cinematography? I do. I remember watching it just last year, feeling quite uncomfortable about the reality of robots, and how 2018 may be the year that physical robots become a household fixture.
Artificial Intelligence Will Enhance Human Interaction
Probably the most spoken about trend is Artificial Intelligence.
This year will be the year of Artificial Intelligence. For businesses especially, the integration of AI with their already existing technology processes is going to be extremely important.
Whilst I still feel that Artificial Intelligence is a long way off from replacing human interaction, it is still going to need implementation. Machine learning is exactly that; learning. The more intelligent it gets, the more it will be needed to achieve technology advancements.
Smarter Car Technology
I have always dreamed about living in a reality that Star Wars vehicles are the norm and whilst we are still a long way from that being true, car technology will become a lot more advanced.
This isn’t just about self-driving cars (although, they are amazing and controversial). I’m talking about costly driving experience enhancers such as voice control, shopping features, dashboard companions and visual aids.
Facial Recognition Technology
One of my favourite TV shows was called “Lie To Me” and stared Tim Roth. I found it fascinating, and always wanted to be able to read facial expressions, and even purchased a book titled “What Every Body Is Saying” written by former FBI counterintelligence agent; Joe Navarro.
As it turns out, technology has made advancements into facial recognition and expression readers. Forward-thinking AI companies are already implementing this, and don’t forget about the iPhone X which can be unlocked by facial recognition.
Advanced Performance Analysis in Sports Technology
It’s no secret that I am a huge sports fan, and always want to stay as up-to-date as possible when it comes to technology trends in sport.
I first wrote about sports technology back in 2014 when I spoke about the Babolat Play racquet that was able to track your tennis activity, and send it directly to your smartphone.
This has now become more advanced thanks to drones, artificial intelligence and virtual reality.
Investment In Blockchain Will Skyrocket
Blockchain may still be a relatively new term to you, but this is something that is going to become more mainstream in 2018. Blockchain is in essence a digital file where information is blocked together via a “chain” and secured through private key cryptography making it almost unbreakable.
The idea behind cutting out the middleman and moving towards a bankless system is extremely appealing, and could be a game-changer for the financial sector.
Big Data Leading Trends
So much happens in a digital second. Billions of data is created, and every single person that consumes any data, leaves a footprint behind. Because of how the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime creating a large amount of data at a rapid pace, a new term has been created; Big Data.
It used to be just the large corporations with the resources to make use of Big Data, but things have changed, and will continue to change. Businesses of all sizes now have access to, and can analyse Big Data.
Technology can be scary, but as long as you are prepared, and do your research it shouldn’t be too daunting of a concept.
What do you think is going to be the biggest technology advancement in 2018?