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Emerging Technologies
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Emerging Technologies
The use of multimedia, 3-D modeling, real-time tracking, registration, intelligent
interaction, and sensing to merge virtual information with real world is called Virtual Reality or
Augmented Reality (Chen et al., 2019). For Virtual Reality to work, the simulation of images,
text, 3-D models, music, and videos are applied to the real world. The research on VR in
universities and laboratories has successfully shifted its use at hypothetical levels to industry and
mass production stages. It is a human-computer interaction that is feasible and innovative due to
which prestigious academic organizations, like Massachusetts Institute of Technology and
Columbia University, and corporations, like SONY, have actively employed the VR technology
for its algorithms. One of the key technologies of VR is the Intelligent Display Technology that
helps augmented reality of human beings become a reality through the display of human vision
on intelligent devices, like Helmet Display (HMD), handheld device display, and PC display.
The most intuitive way for humans to interact with the environment is through their vision,
which helps humans generate 65% of the insightful ideas used in the real world. HMD helps in
portraying simple graphics produced by a computer as real scenes in time through
superimposition. Handheld device display includes the use of smart phones that use videos to
lightly and precisely impose VR on real life. Lastly, PCs convert real world images into 3-D
models that are displayed on the screens. Other types of VR technologies include 3-D
registration technology and intelligent interaction technology.
Virtual Reality is an important emerging technology because it makes the impossible
seem approachable. It can help project physical presence in the imaginary world, hone a
fabricated sensation to be felt in real world, and help machines comprehend humans. It can
develop machines that track a human eye to determine where he is looking; understand human
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voice to write a command, which is also called speech-to-text technology, and helps humans
better defend themselves. VR is currently being used in military to enhance the training of troops
with combat glasses, revolutionize the mapping of information, and track the movements of
enemies. VR is a tool to create one’s desired world that until a few decades ago seemed
impossible. Virtual Reality is the most important technology of the current era because it can
save lives by helping disable patients through, help surgeons communicate with each other
through a technology called STAR, and transform the extraction of blood through technologies,
like Accuvein. VR is not only important for industry; it encompasses all the spheres of life, from
video gaming at home to walking through Amazon’s virtual shopping store.
Virtual Reality has transformed the way business is conducted; making operations rapid
and effective, and has created fantastic new experiences through the presentation of an imaginary
world in real time. It is estimated that by 2030, a global economic boost of $1.5 trillion will be
provided by VR to the world due to enhanced customer experiences and new technological
transformations produced by it (Seeing is believing, n.d.). The diverse uses of VR ranging from
workplace safety to employee training have led to its rapid efficient adoption by corporations.
Other business impacts of VR include rapid product design and delivery, the merging of diverse
design teams from all parts of the world in a single room that leads to higher quality of products,
the development of a new revenue system where automotive, hospitality, and retail sectors would
be able to market their products through VR, and the use of touch system or “haptics” by users to
get the help they need from support teams. In a social sphere, VR use in video games can affect
the eye sight of children who excessively engage in these games while wearing a virtual reality
head set. Since, VR projects an imaginary world around a user wearing a display device; he or
she can lose spatial awareness resulting in injury from sudden movements. Virtual Reality makes
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a dream approachable through the realization of an imaginary world; hence, children and young
adults often get too attached to these devices leading to loss of socialization. It is estimated that
in five years, extended reality that encompasses both virtual and augmented reality will lead to
the use of Teslasuit in education and learning (Marr, 2020). A Teslasuit would be able to display
the user’s heartbeat, perspiration level, and stress through biometric sensors, Furthermore,
offices will soon diminish from the world as VR would be used to create virtual offices at home
for each employee where they would be merged at one point through the use of a VR headset.
Virtual Reality is a groundbreaking innovation that has only progressed in the last few decades.
It has a broad scope in human welfare and sustainability; however, a slight wrong use of this
technology could be hazardous. As a large base of VR users is made of young adults, the
addicting nature of this technology could destroy the social and personal lives of such
individuals. Hence, development in this technology should take place without a leap towards
development of dangerous bioweapons, military weapons, and toxic video games.
Another important emerging technology today is 3-D printing that uses a ComputerAided Design (CAD) model to print an object from the provided geometrical representation by
adding layers of materials to it (Shahrubudin et al., 2019). It uses layer fabrication technology to
produce 3-D models by using materials like metals, polymers, ceramics, composites, smart
materials, and special materials. There are different types of 3-D printing including binder
jetting, directed energy deposition, materials extrusion, materials jetting, powder bed fusion,
sheet lamination, and vat photo polymerization. Some of the uses of 3-D printing include the
production of artificial heart pumps, cornea of the eye, and food. 3-D printing technology is
important to shed light on because it is a rapid production technology with less time-
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consumption and more cost-benefits. Since it helps in the production of prototypes, it is vastly
useful in education and small businesses which are crucial contributors to a nation’s success.
Businesses have been revolutionized since the adoption of the 3-D printing technology
with more consumer-savvy production. Clients have a better input in what they desire from a
business in terms of the final product due to the formation of a prototype from initial geometrical
measurements. Manufacturing processes have become more flexible and responsive with a
higher quality control. It has helped businesses emphasize on their errors and improvements by
creating prototypes, which also helps to reduce wastage of material caused by the trial and error
process. People at home can print objects of daily use, like dog collars, utensils, and stationery,
through portable 3-D printers. With a bloom in world population, food demand has exceeded its
rate of supply. 3-D printing can help provide excess food at a low cost to the growing population.
It reduces the amount of unnecessary ingredients in food and utilizes healthy raw materials. In
healthcare, 3-D printing is helping in the production of human skin, increasing the efficiency of
drugs, maintaining tissue function, controlling cancerous tissues, and enhancing surgical
techniques.
It is projected that 3-D printing would be able to replace rare parts of objects. Automotive
Industries would greatly profit from 3-D printing of rare parts of cars and other vehicles which
would have otherwise gone to waste due to missing crucial parts (Panel®, 2020). Moreover,
fashion industry would soon be able to print apparels at the spot for customers according to their
precise measurements without pre-making the entire stock of different sized articles of clothing.
This would eliminate waste products and save time. 3-D printing seems like a single solution to
an array of problems. It saves time, cost, and environment while also offering high quality,
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consumer-savvy products. The benefits of 3-D printing outweigh any of its potential risks; hence,
rapid research and development should be conducted to further progress in this field.
Lastly, alternative energy is another essential emerging technology that replaces
traditional sources of energy, like coal, oil, and natural gas. Alternative energy is a sustainable
form of energy that uses wind, solar, and water resources to generate power without depleting
the natural resources of the Earth. Coal, oil, and natural gas are non-renewable energy sources
that do not replenish themselves once they are depleted. Contrarily, renewable energy, like
hydropower, solar power, and wind energy replenishes itself on human life scale and does not
run out. Presently, alternative energy is by far the most important emerging technology because
the most destructive issue facing the planet today is climate change. Climate change is leading to
increased natural disasters, disease outbreaks, and weather changes around the globe. The most
important contributor to climate change is the use of fossil fuels. These fossil fuels emit
greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide and methane, when they are combusted, which leads to
global warming and ultimately climate change. To combat climate change, highlighting the
benefits of alternative energy is crucial. Alternative energy, like hydropower, solar power, and
wind power, does not emit harmful greenhouse gases in the air or pollute water bodies of the
planet. Hence, it promotes healthy living conditions for people and lesser pandemics in the world
due to decreased vector-borne diseases. Alternative energy, like biomass, is produced from
animal manure and debris. Much of this manure is found in rural areas where biomass production
plants can lead to greater local employment opportunities and lead to economic benefits for the
country. Lastly, businesses would be able to operate without the lingering threat of destroying
the ecosystems in their surroundings. The world would collectively be able to adopt
sustainability through alternative energy sources.
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It is expected that by 2024, alternative energy would make up 30% of the world’s total
energy through wind and solar power (Wartsila, 2020). Moreover, the electrification of the
European industry through renewable energy would reduce carbon emissions by 90% by 2050.
Lastly, it is projected that hydrogen for electricity generation will be produced in the future from
the electrolysis of water. Alternative energy is the technology that should be developed and
researched today to adopt it worldwide as soon as possible before climate change consumes the
entire health of the planet. Hydro and solar powers have almost no potential mortal risks; hence,
alternative energy is the safest technology of this time.
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References
Chen, Y., Wang, Q., Chen, H., Song, X., Tang, H., & Tian, M. (2019). An overview of
augmented reality technology. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1237, 022082.
https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1237/2/022082
Marr, B. (2021, January 5). The Future Of Virtual Reality (VR). Forbes.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2020/12/18/the-future-of-virtual-realityvr/?sh=5657005c27be.
Panel®, E. (2020, September 30). Council Post: 10 Exciting Ways 3D Printing Will Be Used In
The Future. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2020/10/01/10exciting-ways-3d-printing-will-be-used-in-the-future/?sh=21c6f1915c7f.
PricewaterhouseCoopers. (n.d.). Seeing is believing. PwC.
https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/industries/technology/publications/economic-impact-ofvr-ar.html.
Shahrubudin, N., Lee, T. C., & Ramlan, R. (2019). An Overview on 3D Printing Technology:
Technological, Materials, and Applications. Procedia Manufacturing, 35, 1286–
1296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.promfg.2019.06.089
Wärtsilä (2020, November 26). 5 technologies changing the future of renewable energy.
Wartsila.com. https://www.wartsila.com/insights/article/5-technologies-changing-thefuture-of-renewable-energy.
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