[HN Gopher] List of Emerging Technologies
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       List of Emerging Technologies
        
       Author : aleyan
       Score  : 87 points
       Date   : 2021-04-16 18:00 UTC (4 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (en.wikipedia.org)
 (TXT) w3m dump (en.wikipedia.org)
        
       | Laakeri wrote:
       | Quantum computing is a prime example of a technology in phase 2,
       | definitely not in "commercialization".
        
       | agnosticmantis wrote:
       | Classifying Neural-sensing headset under Aerospace (only because
       | an application is pilot assist tools) seems a bit strange.
        
       | alexfromapex wrote:
       | For entertainment, I'd add laser short throw projectors since I
       | just spent a long time researching them on YouTube.
        
         | teawrecks wrote:
         | I don't think the intention of this page is for people to post
         | what they just learned about on YouTube...
        
       | mikepurvis wrote:
       | While interesting, I'm surprised this hasn't become entangled in
       | WP:NOR:
       | 
       | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research
        
       | outside1234 wrote:
       | I am glad to see they have "head transplant" but how dare they
       | forget time travel!
        
         | kbenson wrote:
         | _In 2012, Xiaoping Ren published work in which he grafted the
         | head of a mouse onto another mouse 's body; again the focus was
         | on how to avoid harm from the loss of blood supply; with his
         | protocol the grafted heads survived up to six months._[1]
         | 
         | That's wild, but the more I think about it, the more I wonder
         | if there's really all that much we don't know about how to
         | transplant a head onto another body, if it's just to keep the
         | donor alive (that is, what we don't know may not stop us from
         | being successful putting a second head on to someone and
         | connecting the blood supply so the brain survives).
         | 
         | 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_transplant
        
       | NickNaraghi wrote:
       | From Bezos' last shareholder letter[0]: "Draw the box big around
       | all of society, and you'll find that invention is the root of all
       | real value creation."
       | 
       | I'm really hopeful that invention, like the ideas represented on
       | this list, will get more attention and excitement from our
       | youngest and smartest minds. In fact, I believe that having a
       | successful society is dependent on this.
       | 
       | [0]: https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/company-news/2020-letter-
       | to...
        
         | blacksmith_tb wrote:
         | Invention is great, but I would think that statement has an
         | implied "... that we can make money on" at the end - at least,
         | it seems to me like there's lots of value created by people
         | doing non-inventive things, whether that's a chef making a
         | great meal or a teacher helping a child or... most of the
         | things most people are doing most of the time?
        
           | unishark wrote:
           | I think the business use of the word "value" already implies
           | the ability to make money from it.
           | 
           | But consider what it means to make money. Suppose you invent
           | technology whereby those people doing their things most of
           | the time can become twice as productive. They would be eager
           | to pay for this benefit, and society has gained far more
           | "value" by your definition as well.
        
       | FabiansMustDie wrote:
       | It reminds me of how useless reference texts have become.
       | 
       | Wikipedia is decent for a quick overview of a certain topic; but
       | "boy oh boy," is it useless for anything of substance and depth.
       | 
       | All of these technologies, merely glossed over. Many, perhaps,
       | even complete bunk with no realistic applications or time-frames
       | for usable prototypes, all mixed in together!
       | 
       | Junk food for the mind.
        
       | whoisjuan wrote:
       | Still waiting for graphene to be commercially available in
       | something. It has been hyped as the ultimate super material for
       | decades and yet, it's being used in absolutely nothing.
        
       | russellbeattie wrote:
       | We're definitely overdue for a major consumer tech introduction.
       | 
       | * Late 30s: Radio
       | 
       | * Late 40s: Vinyl Records (Edited: Atomic energy isn't a consumer
       | product)
       | 
       | * Late 50s: TV
       | 
       | * Late 60s: Transistors / rockets
       | 
       | * Late 70s: Microcomputers.
       | 
       | * Late 80s: Desktop publishing
       | 
       | * Late 90s: Internet/Web
       | 
       | * Late 00s: Smartphones/tablets
       | 
       | * Late 10s: VR? Streaming media? Electric cars? Cryptocurrency?
       | 
       | It takes a while for a new technology to spread to widespread
       | adoption. For example, the 2007 launch of the iPhone lead to a
       | decade of mobile adoption a few years later. But it seems there's
       | been no new tech paradigm shift lately that's equivalent to the
       | massive influence of previous innovations. Or at least I'm not
       | seeing it yet.
        
         | Uehreka wrote:
         | "Past performance is no guarantee of future results."
        
         | xondono wrote:
         | Considering atomic energy as somehow a "consumer tech" looks
         | fishy
        
           | russellbeattie wrote:
           | Oh, huh. Yeah. I actually went back and added the word
           | "consumer" after I made the list to be more specific, then
           | forgot about that.
           | 
           | Vinyl records! That's what should have been there. The LP was
           | introduced in 1948 and the 45 in 1949.
        
         | EthanHeilman wrote:
         | It seems really hard to label exact starting points here. I
         | could see in 2030, we look back and late 10s is clear but we
         | can't find out for late 20s.
         | 
         | Where do we put really good batteries? Lyft? Amazing phone
         | cameras? Quadrotors? Fitness trackers? In ten years it will be
         | clear where to place those.
        
         | DougWebb wrote:
         | Late 10s: Social media. Not all revolutions are good.
        
           | russellbeattie wrote:
           | Yeah... you might be right. About both points.
        
           | jpadkins wrote:
           | social media was prior decade.
        
         | riskable wrote:
         | The late 10s should probably have IoT (e.g. Nest thermostats,
         | security systems, etc) and "smart" home assistants like the
         | Amazon Echo Dot, Google Home, etc.
         | 
         | Remember: The S in IoT stands for security.
        
         | donclark wrote:
         | SpaceX may be the biggest thing in late 10s?
        
         | mlaretallack wrote:
         | good point, all the above are 'communications'. the question
         | is, what is the next stage of communications.
        
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       (page generated 2021-04-16 22:01 UTC)