IBM predicts five innovations that will change our lives within five years
28 November 2008
The third annual "IBM Next Five in Five" unveiled this week is a list of innovations that have the potential to change the way people work, live and play over the next five years.
The five innovations predicted by IBM are:
- Energy saving solar technology will be built into asphalt, paint and windows
- You will have a crystal ball for your health
- You will talk to the Web . . . and the Web will talk back
- You will have your own digital shopping assistants
- Forgetting will become a distant memory
The Next Five in Five is based on market and societal trends expected to transform our lives, as well as emerging technologies from IBM's Labs around the world that can make these innovations possible.
In the next five years, technology innovations will change our lives in the following ways:
Energy saving solar technology will be built into asphalt, paint and windows
Ever wonder how much energy could be created by having solar technology embedded in our sidewalks, driveways, siding, paint, rooftops, and windows? In the next five years, solar energy will be an affordable option for you and your neighbors.
Until now, the materials and the process of producing solar cells to convert into solar energy have been too costly for widespread adoption. But now this is changing with the creation of ''thin-film'' solar cells, a new type of cost-efficient solar cell that can be 100 times thinner than silicon-wafer cells and produced at a lower cost. These new thin-film solar cells can be ''printed'' and arranged on a flexible backing, suitable for not only the tops, but also the sides of buildings, tinted windows, cell phones, notebook computers, cars, and even clothing.
You will have a crystal ball for your health
What if you could foresee your health destiny and use that knowledge to modify your lifestyle? Even though we are told that things like French fries, potato chips, cheese and wine aren't good for us, what if you could find out specifically that you are someone who could consume more of those vices without having negative impact on your health?
In the next five years, your doctor will be able to provide you with a genetic map that tells you what health risks you are likely to face in your lifetime and the specific things you can do to prevent them, based on your specific DNA - all for less than $200.
