Great Advancements Being Made in Technology
Since the invention of the computer, the world has witnessed a rapid evolution in technology. Technological advancements have been seen in medicine, agriculture, aviation, robotics, telecommunications, etc. Artificial intelligence, geotargeting, automation, and other advances in information technology expressly set the stage for more technological evolution. To keep up with technological development and remain relevant, people need to stay on top of the innovations hitting the market. Here are some of the latest advancements in technology that the world has witnessed to date.
● Cloud Computing
Cloud computing allows IT professionals to store data and access resources via the internet. Cloud computing has enabled organizations and individuals to store a large amount of data. This has solved many storage spaces and data loss problems besides saving people money since one only pays for cloud space utilized.
Machine learning tools are expensive and inaccessible to many businesses; however, with cloud computing, a library of machine learning tools is now available to many, which has opened up new possibilities for innovation. Cloud computing comes with its fair share of disadvantages, including but not limited to corporate espionage and concerns about data theft.
● Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to “machines that respond to stimulation consistent with traditional responses from humans, given the human capacity for contemplation, judgment, and intention.” Artificial intelligence incorporates critical reasoning and judgment. AI is today being used in advanced analytics services, finance, telecommunication, aviation, and transportation.
These systems help humans anticipate problems and deal with them as they come, with speed and precision. The applicability of artificial intelligence is growing. For example, it’s being used in manufacturing, health care, space exploration, and energy development. At home, today, artificial intelligence is applied to switch on lights, draw the curtains, play music, close doors, etc., by a simple motion or voice command.
By utilizing the extraordinary processing power of the computer, humans can supplement their skills with AI to improve productivity.
The development of artificial intelligence, improvement of robotic capabilities, cloud computing, and the recent advancements in health technology has vastly contributed to improvement in human living standards. However, with these advancements also comes the question of human behavior change, ethical use, and disadvantages that these technologies pose. Therefore, humans should dynamically improve governing policies to keep up with the pace at which technology is revolutionizing the world.
● Messenger RNA Vaccines
Major biotech companies developed Messenger RNA vaccines for the Coronavirus in December 2020. This vaccine’s technology, based on messenger RNA, was in the works for over 20 years. At the onset of the COVID19 pandemic, scientists turned to messenger RNA to create the vaccines. The vaccines were approved in the US, marking the beginning of the end of the pandemic. This technology has never been used before and could transform medicine. The invention of vaccines for several other diseases like malaria could be in the pipeline. These mRNA Vaccines can be quickly modified to vaccinate against the mutated forms of the Coronavirus.
● Robotics
Industrial robots are expanding in magnitude around the world. Japan has the most significant number of robots, followed by North America, then China. It’s estimated that in 2013, there were about 1.2 million robots, which is set to increase to more than 3.5 million by the end of the year 2022. Industrial robots have aided humans in performing heavy-duty faster and with precision in large industries such as car manufacture and assembly companies.
Artificial intelligence has seen the introduction of intelligent robots. Sofia, the world’s first AI Humanoid robot, was developed by the Hong Kong-based company Hanson Robotics. Sofia was activated on February 14, 2016. Sofia the Humanoid is a social robot that can process and strike basic human conversations. Work on the improvement of this robot is underway. Hanson Robotics says that upgraded versions of Sofia should be expected in the future.
Flying robots, also known as drones, can be remotely controlled using software-controlled flight plans in their embedded systems. These systems work with onboard sensors and a global positioning system (GPS). Drones were initially believed to be a preserve for the military. However, their invention has improved photography and videography. Some security companies also use drones fitted with cameras for surveillance to support law enforcement and enhance security. Local delivery has also been made easier with these drones. Drones can also streamline agriculture management by facilitating pest eradication and irrigation.
