What’s next in tech?

by | Apr 9, 2020 | Skill Set, Spring 2020 | 0 comments

Technology is evolving faster than ever, and companies and individuals have to keep up with all of the latest tech trends or run the risk of falling behind. Here, we’ve pulled together a few technologies to watch this year and stay on top of the opportunities they may bring.

Augmented and virtual reality

Virtual reality provides a digital immersive experience where humans can view a computer-generated world using headsets, and augmented reality places digital objects in the real world through a screen or digital display. While this technology has largely been confined to video games and smartphone features, there are many possibilities for research and industry applications. Currently, Mines researchers are actively using AR and VR for projects like mine mapping, human-robot interaction and more.

5G data networks

This new generation of mobile internet connectivity will bring ultrafast download and upload speeds and more stable connections all around. The increased bandwidth will enable machines, robots and autonomous vehicles to collect and transfer more data than ever, and 5G could have huge implications for researchers working on innovations in every industry, particularly those working with the “internet of things” and smart machinery.

Personalized medicine

As health care moves away from a “one-size-fits-all” approach, medical technology is becoming more personalized. This allows doctors to more precisely prescribe medicines and apply treatments, thanks to a data-driven understanding of how effective a particular treatment might work for a specific patient. Mines researchers are already working in this field, developing technology like “nanoparticles” that can be injected into the bloodstream for targeted drug delivery and “nanoparticle tattoos” that can read important biological markers in patients.