These cutting-edge technologies will change how we live, work and play
We are living at the vanguard of technology, with exciting new developments nearly every day. These have completely transformed the way we live and work, with more to come in the future.
Yes, some of these risk being over-hyped and on the verge of forming a bubble – the market for drones in particular being called “over-hyped” by some observers. But with enough research into forthcoming innovations, you just might spot opportunity in some of these sectors of the market for tech products.
We look at some of the coolest innovations of our time – some of which could be worth investing your money in.
3D Printing
3D printing – aka additive manufacturing, for the way things are built in layers – brings custom digital designs to fruition. Over just a few years, 3D printing has become sophisticated enough to a point where it is altering the futures of certain industries – with some firms already printing out working automobiles, or even an entire house in just 24 hours.
One to watch: Proto Labs (PRLB) has seen big jumps in revenue recently, with more spikes possible as US infrastructure spending is set to increase.
Virtual Reality
VR, as it is know, has arguably been the hottest thing to hit the gaming industry in recent years. However, there are many other applications for the technology besides game immersion. CEO of VR firm Improbable, Herman Narula, says that the simulation technology in VR has real-world applications such as building real-life models of towns and cities to replicate traffic flow for urban planning purposes, or controlling autonomous vehicle fleets.
One to watch: Alphabet Inc (GOOG). Google’s holding company may be an obvious choice for the tech investor, but with its Android platform powering the latest wave of untethered VR technology, it is future-proofing itself.
Driverless cars
One of the most anticipated technological developments is undoubtedly fully self-driving cars. The key appeal of these vehicles is the reduction of traffic jams and safer roads, since human error has been found to be the biggest cause for crashes. Self-driving vehicles have been undergoing testing in Singapore since 2013, while the state of California in the United States is paving the way for fully-autonomous vehicles allowed for public use as early as next year. It is estimated that the market for autonomous vehicles could grow to US$290 billion in less than 20 years.
One to watch: Intel Corp (INTC). The silicon chip maker’s bold and pricey acquisition in March 2017 of vehicle technology firm Mobileye has put it in direct competition with other chip makers Nvidia and Qualcomm, both already developing driverless technology.
Smart home technology
With more and more Internet-capable home devices these days, controlling your lights, air conditioners, and even your car from your phone is becoming increasingly common. Now, with intelligent home assistants like the Amazon Echo and Google Home, all your connected devices can be controlled by voice alone. You can also use these assistants to play music, shop online, and even schedule your appointments for the day.
One to watch: Amazon (AMZN). The online commerce giant’s huge resources have allowed it to develop its own products, such as the Echo, which have been critically-acclaimed.
Drones
Multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, have become popular as toys, but most users are barely scratching the surface of their device’s capabilities. In some markets, drones are currently used to deliver your shopping, but in the future they could monitor farms, assist in search-and-rescue missions, provide data on storms and hurricanes, and even protect endangered species. In Singapore, planning is in the works for drones to check roof gutters for mosquito breeding sites.
One to watch: DJI. Makers of the top-selling Phantom line of leisure drones, DJI is privately held for now, but is rumoured to be planning an IPO in 2017 – to the tune of US$10 billion or more. Could this be hype, or opportunity? Time will tell.
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Opinions expressed in the article are for reference only and do not represent that of the sponsor.
