The future as we stereotypically imagine it is rapidly approaching. From papyrus to iPads, telephones to Facebook, what could possibly be next? As a digital strategist, I wish I could say I have the answers, but IBM beat me to it, of course.
The following are IBM’s recently released “Next Five in Five,†a list of life-changing innovations predicted to make a debut within the next few years. Looks pretty promising, although it is sans flying cars.
- Interactive holograms and real time 3-D interface from digital devices
- Batteries recharged by air, static electricity or kinetic energy, lasting 10 times longer than they do now.
- Invaluable info collected from sensors in everyday devices and social media will be collected by scientists to formulate data sets for research.
- Insightful computers feeding information to you to optimize your daily commute and soft-pedal traffic jams.
- Systems that recycle thermal energy inadvertently emitted by computers and data centers.
It’s about time, I say. My mind is teeming with the possibilities these technologies hold. Considering the likely immensely positive impact of these innovations, let’s hope IBM is right.
Now if only teleportation were on the map.
