MIT Technology Review annually projects 10 “Breakthrough Technologies” for the coming year. From immune engineering to a DNA app store – the list is diverse and the technologies intriguing to say the least.
“The 10 on this list all had an impressive milestone in the past year or are on the verge of one,” the magazine says.
“These are technologies you need to know about right now.”
The list:
- Immune Engineering
Genetically engineered immune cells are saving the lives of cancer patients. That may be just the start.
- Precise Gene Editing in Plants
CRISPR offers an easy, exact way to alter genes to create traits such as disease resistance and drought tolerance.
- Conversational Interfaces
Powerful speech technology from China’s leading Internet company [Baidu] makes it much easier to use a smartphone.
- Reusable Rockets
Rockets typically are destroyed on their maiden voyage. But now they can make an upright landing and be refueled for another trip, setting the stage for a new era in spaceflight.
- Robots That Teach Each Other
What if robots could figure out more things on their own and share that knowledge among themselves?
- DNA App Store
An online store for information about your genes will make it cheap and easy to learn more about your health risks and predispositions.
- SolarCity’s Gigafactory
A $750 million solar facility in Buffalo will produce a gigawatt of high-efficiency solar panels per year and make the technology far more attractive to homeowners.
- Slack
A service built for the era of mobile phones and short text messages is changing the workplace.
- Tesla Autopilot
The electric-vehicle maker sent its cars a software update that suddenly made autonomous driving a reality.
- Power from the Air
Internet devices powered by Wi-Fi and other telecommunications signals will make small computers and sensors more pervasive.
Read the full list in detail with profiles of each technology at:
https://www.technologyreview.com/lists/technologies/2016/
