Last month’s newsletter explained that the market is currently in a correction mode. Since then, the market has been up, then down, and up again. There is no good way to determine whether the correction is now over, and until we can be sure, let’s assume that the correction is continuing.
In January I attended the third Abundance360 conference in Los Angeles. The room was packed with entrepreneurs who are creating the future—literally–with their software, hardware, and new exponential technologies. It is difficult to leave the conference without feeling a sense of awe and wonderment at the progress being made to solve so many of the world’s problems.
So, yes the market correction continues, but so does progress.
In the past I’ve described the various exponential technologies that are changing our everyday life in both obvious and subtle ways. By way of review they are:
- Robots
- eliminating human error and increasing productivity
- 3D Printing
- printing complex solid objects with perfect customization on-demand
- Artificial Intelligence
- machines that listen, look, read, write, and integrate knowledge
- Genomics
- reading, writing, editing the programming language of life: DNA
- Virtual and Augmented Worlds
- sharable digital interactive environments
- Networks and Sensors
- connecting to everything everywhere all the time
Each of these technologies is stunningly powerful on its own. But the real game-changer is the trend toward convergence of these technologies. As an example, robots converging with sensors converging with artificial intelligence produces the future of personal transportation: self-driving, autonomous automobiles.
Here are some examples of how our everyday life is changing right now—not sometime in the future:
Mini-Microscope
Engineers at the University of Washington have developed this mini-handheld microscope to help neurosurgeons distinguish between cancerous and non-cancerous tissue during surgery by zooming in at the cellular level.
Rescue Drones
Researchers from the University of Zurich have developed a drone with onboard artificial intelligence that can identify and follow manmade trails in search of missing hikers. These drones help rescue squads deploy instantly and navigate challenging terrain.
Armband Translators
There is a project, called Sceptre, at Arizona State University that could revolutionize communication for the hearing-impaired . The armbands are connected to software that understands American Sign Language. When a hearing-impaired person makes a gesture, the armband reads the gesture and a corresponding English translation appears on a screen. Imagine an emergency where a first responder or hospital worker needs to obtain information of someone who is hearing-impaired. This armband can provide the necessary capability to communicate during such a time.
Yes, everyday life is changing. Right now.
