THE WORLD IN 2015:
10 PREDICTIONS OF INNOVATION

by Basil Moftah

“It is said that the present is pregnant with the future.” – Voltaire (1694-1778)

As far back as one can look in history, humans have tried to predict everything from the weather and rise and fall of tides to, in more recent times, stock performance and who will reign as champion in a sporting event. From Nostradamus to Toffler to Kurzweil, academics, astronomers, economists, futurists, mathematicians, scientists, sociologists, sports enthusiasts and others have contributed to the science – and art – of predicting what is to come.

It was only fitting then, that our IP & Science business, with innovation at its core, should also partake in leveraging its assets to forecast the future. With its rich scientific and intellectual property repositories, and deep industry expertise, this business is dedicated to helping customers research, innovate and commercialize tomorrow’s inventions.

The group compiled a paper outlining 10 innovation predictions for the world in 2025, based on research done by Thomson Reuters analysts using the company’s patent and scientific literature solutions.

In some cases, the analysts found a growing body of work that gave additional credence to the prediction. In others, the topic was still emerging. In all instances, they followed a trail of current research and innovation activity to connect the dots and make these innovation predictions.

What will the major innovations impacting our world in 2025 be?

1. DEMENTIA DECLINES

Understanding of the human genome and genetic mutations leads to improved detection of, and prevention methods for, the onset of neuro-degenerative diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Analysis and understanding of the human genome will have far-reaching effects in 2025. As Baby Boomers begin to reach their 80s, more and more scientific research funds will be directed toward afflictions they may encounter.

2. SOLAR IS THE LARGEST SOURCE OF ENERGY ON THE PLANET

Methods for harvesting, storing and converting solar energy are so advanced and efficient that it becomes the primary source of energy on our planet.

Thanks to improvements in photovoltaic technology, chemical bonding, photocatalysts and three-dimensional nanoscale heterojunctions, the use of the sun as the world’s primary source of energy is no longer for the environmentally conscious select; it is for the masses.

3. TYPE I DIABETES IS PREVENTABLE

A versatile human genome engineering platform is a reality, paving the way for the modification of disease-causing genes and helping to prevent certain metabolic conditions.

Type 1 diabetes and other metabolic conditions such as muscular dystrophy will be preventable in 2025, but not by diet and exercise. Advancements in ribonucleic acid-guided (RNA-guided) engineering used for specialist sequence synthesis will be so much more sophisticated that they influence the human genome engineering platform. The pillar biological molecules of life on earth: RNA, DNA and proteins, and the roles they play, will be understood much more clearly in the next decade.

4. FOOD SHORTAGES AND PRICE FLUCTUATIONS ARE THINGS OF THE PAST

Advancements in lighting technologies and imaging techniques, coupled with genetic crop modification, provide an environment ripe for successful indoor crop growth and detecting diseased foods.

Simultaneous revolutions in both lighting technologies and imaging techniques will have far-reaching effects in the next decade. Advancements in Organic Light Emitting Diodes, LCD and plasma technologies, alongside three-dimensional displays coupled with hyperspectral imaging, will improve year-round crop growth, helping feed the world’s eight billion people and overcoming environmental changes that will affect traditional farming.

5. ELECTRIC AIR TRANSPORTATION TAKES OFF

Lightweight aerospace engineering coupled with new battery technologies power electric vehicle transportation – on land and in the air. Getting from point A to point B will be significantly different in 2025 from how it happens today. Cars and airplanes will still exist, but they will be smarter, battery-powered, able to travel longer distances and more lightweight. Advancements in non-carbon-based fuel sources, including lithium-ion batteries, reversible hydrogen storage options, nanomaterials in fuel cells and thin-film batteries will all contribute to this reality.

6. DIGITAL EVERYTHING…EVERYWHERE

From the smallest personal items to the largest continents, everything everywhere will be digitally connected, and responsive to our wants and likes. Thanks to the prevalence of improved semiconductors, graphene-carbon nanotube capacitors, cell-free networks of service antenna and 5G technology, wireless communications will dominate everything, everywhere.

7. PETROLEUM-BASED PACKAGING IS HISTORY; CELLULOSE-DERIVED PACKAGING RULES

Bio-nanocomposites based on nanocellulose make 100% fully biodegradable packaging pervasive. Petroleum-based packaging products will be no more. Research is emerging today focused on the use of bio-nanocomposites and nanocellulose for packaging. In 2025, these materials will be staples of choice in the packaging industry. Advancements in the use of these elements will, in 2025, provide packaging materials that are fully biodegradable.

8. CANCER TREATMENTS HAVE VERY FEW TOXIC SIDE EFFECTS

Drug development is so much more precise, binding to specific proteins and using antibodies to give exact mechanisms of action, that the debilitating effects of toxic chemicals on patients is significantly reduced.

Just as Big Data is enabling companies to deliver personalized customer experiences, so too are life sciences moving from broad-brush drugs to very accurate and targeted treatments that result in significantly improved patient experiences.

9. DNA MAPPING AT BIRTH IS THE NORM TO MANAGE DISEASE RISK

The evolution of micro-total analysis systems (single-cell analysis) and advancements in nanotechnology, coupled with more widespread Big Data technologies, make DNA-mapping at birth the norm, as well as part of one’s annual physician exam.

As the volume of matter which can be manipulated in the lab gets smaller and smaller, greater possibilities for precise medical screening emerge. Blood tests potentially become a thing of the past, as nano-probes will be inserted into a patient to gather data over longer periods of time and provide greater accuracy.

10. TELEPORTATION IS TESTED

Kinematical techniques used to understand the Higgs boson particles generated in the Large Hadron Collider advance such that quantum teleportation is more commonplace.

The frequent request heard on Star Trek® will not be such an abstract concept as we move through the 21st century.

We are on the precipice of this field’s explosion; it is truly an emerging research front. Early indicators point to a rapid acceleration of research leading to the testing of quantum teleportation in 2025 – while not yet of humans, it will include other forms of matter.

Based on our research, the next decade promises a pace and scope of innovation that is unrivaled, not only in our time, but any time. The significance of the role that innovation will play leading into 2025 cannot be overstated, as lives are saved, people are fed, quality of life is enhanced and our environment is improved for future generations.

We invite you to consider how you will use the knowledge from these predictions as you move toward 2025. Will you run your business differently? Pursue a new educational degree or change careers? Will you invest differently? Encourage your children to look at careers in a particular field? If our predictions are on target, there are exciting and significant innovations coming – mind-blowing, really. In the meantime, the information and analysis that was used to make these predictions can play a valuable role in helping you maximize the opportunities you face in the business world between now, 2025 and beyond.

Fuente: Thomson Reuters

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