List of emerging technologies 1

List of emerging technologies

In the history of technology, the following list of emerging technologies, the character of
which comprise cutting-edge developments,[1] represent contemporary advances and
innovation around the 21st century in various fields of technology. Emerging technologies
are those technical innovations which represent progressive developments within a field for
competitive advantage.[2] However, the opinion on the degree of impact, status, and
economic viability of several emerging technologies vary. There is an ongoing public policy
debate over many emerging technologies and their implications for society.

Energy technologies
Emerging Status Potentially Marginalized Potential Applications Related
Technology Technologies Articles

Nuclear fusion Theory and experiments Fossil fuels, renewable Electric power generation
power energy, nuclear fission
power

Biofuels Diffusion Fossil fuels Energy storage, Issues

particularly for relating to
transportation biofuels

Hydrogen Diffusion (of hydrogen Other technologies for Storage of energy

economy fuel cells); Theory and storing energy
experiments for less (conventional batteries,
expensive production of fossil fuels)
hydrogen

Nanowire Working prototypes Other technologies for Laptops, mobile phones

battery storing energy (hydrogen, and long-range electric
conventional batteries and cars. Storing power for
in some cases fossil fuels) electric grid

Ultracapacitor Diffusion and continued conventional batteries Regenerative braking;

development generally faster-charging,
longer lasting, more
flexible, and/or greener
energy storage

WiTricity Working prototypes Batteries Wireless energy transfer

Transportation
Emerging Technology Status Potentially Potential Related
Marginalized Applications Articles
Technologies

Electric cars Small scale Internal Greener Tesla

production, combustion transportation Motors,
infrastructure engine Better Place,
investment Riversimple
List of emerging technologies 2

Personal rapid transit Working Conventional Greener List of

prototypes rail/bus public transportation existing,
(and models) transport; would planned, and
reduce need for proposed
everyone to own PRTs
their own car

Personal Aircraft Commercial Commercial

production Airlines

Crower six stroke engine Working Conventional Greener

prototypes Four-stroke transportation
(and models) engine and
Two-stroke
engine

Precooled jet engines Laboratory subsonic jets Very fast, long

verified distance air
precooler travel, space
travel

Scramjet Working Hypersonic Jet Very fast air

prototypes engines, Rocket travel
engines

Non-rocket spacelaunch Theory and Rocket Space

• Launch loop some colonization,
• Mass driver experiments mass space
• Space gun travel, disposal
• Space elevator of radioactive
waste

Personal Air Vehicle

Information Technology
Emerging Status Potentially Potential Related Articles
Technology Marginalized Applications
Technologies

Artificial intelligence Theory and Replacement of Creation of Applications of

experiments; limited Human decision, intelligent devices artificial
application in analysis, etc. intelligence
specialized domains

Machine translation Prototyping and Human translation of Easier cross-cultural

research natural languages, in communication
areas where
misunderstanding is
non-critical and
language is
formalized
List of emerging technologies 3

Machine vision Prototyping and biological vision, the Biometrics, Computer vision,
research visual perception of Controlling Pattern recognition,
humans processes (e.g. a Digital image
Driverless car, or an processing
Automated Guided
Vehicle), Detecting
events (e.g. for visual
surveillance),
Interaction (e.g. for
Human-computer
interaction), Robot
Vision

Machine augmented Diffusion of primitive Libraries, schools,

cognition/exocortices amplifications; training, pocket
working prototypes calculators
of more; theory and
experiments on more
substantial
amplification

Semantic Web or Search engines Making the web

Answers Machine machine-readable by
linking data on the
web based on its
meaning

General-purpose Diffusion of non CPU for a few Order of magnitude

computing on graphics standardized specialized faster processing of
processing units methods applications parallelizable
algorithms.

Solid-state drive Diffusion; Hard disk drive Less delicate, low

development of mass (lighter laptop
larger capacity computers &
portable electronics),
faster, quieter, lower
power consuming
storage

3D optical data Prototyping and All other optical data Storage and Holographic Disc
storage or research storage solutions, archiving of data that Ultra HD sony and
Holographic data magnetic tape data was previously other big
storage storage, and other erased for economic companies are
mass storage reasons interested in this
devices. technology

Spintronics Working prototypes Mechanical magnetic Data storage MRAM

hard disk drives

Optical computing Theory and Many integrated Smaller, faster, lower

experiments - some circuits and other power consuming
components of electronics devices computing
integrated circuits
have been developed
List of emerging technologies 4

Quantum computing Theory and Electronic Much faster

experiments computing, optical computing, for
computing certain kinds of
problems, chemical
modeling, new
materials with
programmed
properties, theory of
high-temperature
superconductivity
and superfluidity

Quantum Commercialization Secure

cryptography communications

Wireless Diffusion Wired Ubiquitous network

communication communication connectivity

Screenless display Theory and displays Augmented reality, Virtual retinal

experiments virtual reality display, Adaptive
optics

3D displays Theory and CRT, LCD, and other Television, Computer Autostereoscopic
experiments, display technologies interfaces, cinemas display,
Commercialization Stereoscopic
display, Volumetric
display,
Holographic display

Organic light-emitting first commercial LCD and plasma Displays; lighting OLED TV,
diode OLED TV in 2008, displays Comparison of
Sony XEL-1 display technology

Interferometric Commercialization CRT, LCD, plasma, Non-emissive Interferometric

modulator display and development e-paper and other displays with fast modulator display,
display technologies response times and Comparison of
potentially the most display technology
realistic colors of all
display technologies

Laser displays first commercial LCD and plasma Displays with very Laser TV,
Laser TV in 2008, displays wide colour gamut Comparison of
Mitsubishi LaserVue prowess display technology
TV

Phased array optics Theory Conventional Mass production of 3

displays (e.g., Dimensional imagery
Television)

Holography Diffusion Display Technologies

Memristor Working prototype Some current Smaller, faster, lower

integrated circuits, power consuming
many other storage, analogue
electronics devices electronics, Artificial
intelligence
List of emerging technologies 5

3D printing In commercial Manual creation of Rapid prototyping

production prototypes and also and production of not
some mass only plastic objects
production methods but multi-material
that lack the ability items, with the
for customization potential to
significantly
customize products
for individual
consumers

Thermal copper pillar Working prototypes Conventional thermal Electric circuit Ultra high defintion
bump in discrete devices solutions, heat sinks, cooling; micro-fluidic holograpic disc
bulk thermoelectrics actuators;
small-device
thermoelectric power
generation

Immersive virtual Theory, limited consensus reality an artificial Immersion,

reality commercialization environment where Simulated reality
the user feels just as
immersed as they
usually feel in
consensus reality

Biotechnology
Emerging Status Potentially Potential Applications Related Articles
Technology Marginalized
Technologies

Genetic Commercialization; Animal husbandry, Creation and Genetically

engineering ongoing research & Plant breeding modification of species, modified food,
development bio-machines, Genetic pollution
elimination of genetic
disorders.

Synthetic biology, Research & Chemical industry, Creation of infinitely BioBrick, Igem,
Synthetic development Petroleum industry, scalable production Synthetic
genomics Process industries processes based on Genomics
programmable species of
bacteria and other life
forms

Nootropics Available Now Drugs that improve Piracetam,

memory or cognition in Aniracetam,
healthy or aged Pregnenolone
populations.

Anti-aging drugs: Animal testing Existing treatments Life extension

resveratrol, for age-related
SRT1720 diseases

Vitrification or Theory and some Ischemic Damages Organ transplant,

Cryoprotectant experiments Cryonics

Hibernation or Animal trials, ongoing Surgical anesthesia Organ transplant, space

Suspended research and travel, prolonged
Animation development surgery, emergency care
List of emerging technologies 6

Stem cell Research and Treatment for a wide Stem cell

treatments experiments range of diseases and treatments, Stem
injuries cell

Personalized Theory Orphan drugs Cancer management and

medicine Preventive treatment;
genetic disorders

Robotics and applied mechanics

Emerging Status Potentially Potential Related Articles
Technology Marginalized Applications
Technologies

Swarm Robotics Theory and experiments distributed Autonomous swarm intelligence,

computing, construction, Space autonomous
Complexity in construction robotics,
behavior by nanorobotics,
simplicity in particle swarm
architecture, optimization,
Multi-agent
systems,
Behavior-based
robotics

Molecular Theory and experiments Small products and Desktop devices that
nanotechnology, parts production & can make anything
Nanorobotics retail given the materials,
cheap planetary
terraforming

Powered Electric wheelchairs, Heavy lifting,

Prototyping and
exoskeleton forklifts. paralysis, muscle
Diffusion, research &
related diseases,
development,
[3] warfare, construction
Commercialization

Material science
Emerging Status Potentially Potential Applications Related
Technology Marginalized Articles
Technologies

High-temperature Cryogenic Receiver Front-End Copper wire No loss conductors,

superconductivity (CRFE) RF and microwave frictionless bearings,
filter systems for mobile phone magnetic levitation,
base stations; Working lossless high-capacity
prototypes in dry ice; theory accumulators, electric
and experiments for higher cars
temperatures

High-temperature Superfluid gyroscopes already Mechanical High-precision measure of

superfluidity exist but work at very low Gyroscope gravity, navigation and
temperatures maneuver devices.
Potentially devices to
produce gravitomagnetic
field, frictionless
mechanical devices.
List of emerging technologies 7

Nanomaterials: Diffusion, theory, in use Structural steel Stronger, lighter, and

carbon nanotubes occasionally and experiments and aluminium more intelligent materials,
space elevator

Metamaterials Diffusion Classical optics Microscopes, cameras,

cloaking devices

Self-healing materials Experimental Demonstrations Structural Plastic parts, wide range

Materials of applications

Programmable matter Theory/Experiments Coatings, Wide range of applications

e.g. quantum dots catalysts

Others
Emerging Status Potentially Marginalized Potential Applications Related
Technology Technologies Articles

LED lamp Diffusion Incandescent and Illumination

Fluorescent Lighting

Force field Unknown Military and law enforcement, Plasma

space travel. window

See also
General
List of inventors, list of inventions, Industrial Ecology, sustainable development
Nano-
nanoscience, molecular manufacturing, Neurotechnology
Ethics
casuistry, engineering ethics, nanoethics, Bioethics, Neuroethics
Computers
brain–computer interface, rugged computer, handheld computer, virtual reality
Other
anthropogenics, machine guidance, Radio frequency identification, National Science
Foundation

Further reading
• IEEE International Conference on Emerging Technologies and Factory Automation, &
Fuertes, J. M. (1999). 1999 7th IEEE International Conference on Emerging Technologies
and Factory Automation proceedings, ETFA'99, October 18-21, 1999, UPC, Barcelona,
Catalonia, Spain. Piscataway, N.J.: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
• Jones-Garmil, K. (1997). The wired museum: Emerging technology and changing
paradigms. Washington, DC: American Association of Museums.
• Giersch, H. (1982). Emerging technologies: Consequences for economic growth,
structural change, and employment : symposium 1981. Tübingen: Mohr.
List of emerging technologies 8

References
Footnote
[1] Popular Science. May 1982. Vol. 220, No. 5. Bonnier Corporation. Page 75+. ISSN 0161-7370
[2] International Congress Innovation and Technology XXI: Strategies and Policies Towards the XXI Century, &
Soares, O. D. D. (1997). Innovation and technology: Strategies and policies. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic.
[3] Christopher Mims (2009). " Exoskeletons Give New Life to Legs (http:/ / www. sciam. com/ article.
cfm?id=honda-exoskeleton-assist-devices)". Scientific American. . Retrieved 2009-04-21.

External links
• Special Reports 10 Emerging Technologies (http:/ / www. technologyreview. com/
special/ emerging/ ). Technology Review.
Article Sources and Contributors 9

Article Sources and Contributors

List of emerging technologies  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=306403995  Contributors: Ace Frahm, Agalmic, Akadruid,
Antisyzygous, Arthur Rubin, Big B-65, BigDog, Blanchardb, BlueNight, Bluetd, CanadianLinuxUser, CharlesC, ChildofMidnight, Coby.royer, Daniel C,
Dejasol, Despres, Dojarca, Dy yol, EDG161, Elias, Elzair, Epastore, Exander, Francis Tyers, Frap, Glane23, HairyFotr, Hibernian, Hirsch.im.wald,
Hulagutten, Iridescent, J.delanoy, Jamesontai, Jjoensuu, John Abbe, Juliancolton, KellyCoinGuy, Kencf0618, Kigali1, Kjramesh, Korath, Kvongunten,
LaFoiblesse, Maghnus, Marasmusine, Martarius, Materialscientist, McSly, Meika, Mikael Häggström, Mongrel1979, Moofski, Nirogard, Oldag07, Oleg
Alexandrov, Pro crast in a tor, Protious, Queenmomcat, Reddi, Reinderien, Richard Arthur Norton (1958- ), Rilak, Ronz, Rpraveenkum, Samsoncity,
Sejomagno, Shapeshift1, Slazman999, Solphusion, Spidern, The Enslaver, TheBendster, Themfromspace, UnitedStatesian, Victordelpanno, Visionary77,
Will363636, Wolfkeeper, YUL89YYZ, Ysangkok, Zazaban, Zodon, 199 anonymous edits

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