TOP coming tech this year
Self-Driving Cars
The promise of self-driving cars has been motoring around
for a few years now, but 2015 may well be the first calendar year that
we see some real, on-the-street results.
Truly autonomous vehicles still have plenty of technological (and legislative) hazards to navigate, but many improved "driver assist" technologies are expected in 2015.
Just before the holidays, Google announced that its prototype was ready for testing.
Volvo already has a car on the road that feature tech developed for self-driving. Its next-generation model XC90 sedan has built-in adaptive cruise control that maintains a set distance, in stop-and-go traffic, between you and the car in front. The park assist pilot allows the car to steer itself into tight parking spots.
Truly autonomous vehicles still have plenty of technological (and legislative) hazards to navigate, but many improved "driver assist" technologies are expected in 2015.
Just before the holidays, Google announced that its prototype was ready for testing.
Volvo already has a car on the road that feature tech developed for self-driving. Its next-generation model XC90 sedan has built-in adaptive cruise control that maintains a set distance, in stop-and-go traffic, between you and the car in front. The park assist pilot allows the car to steer itself into tight parking spots.
Volvo
Bendy Displays
The idea of flexible displays -- screens that can be bent,
twisted and even rolled up like a newspaper -- is another one of those
sci-fi ideas that keeps surfacing then submerging again. Functional
flexible displays actually date all the way back to the 1970s.
But we should see some movement in 2015 as major players like LG and Samsung continue development on paper-thin OLED (organic light-emitting-diode) panels. The technology is being explored for both small screens (smartphone) and large screens (television). OLED displays are much more durable than traditional screens as well, promising future displays that are both tougher and more flexible than the one you have today.
But we should see some movement in 2015 as major players like LG and Samsung continue development on paper-thin OLED (organic light-emitting-diode) panels. The technology is being explored for both small screens (smartphone) and large screens (television). OLED displays are much more durable than traditional screens as well, promising future displays that are both tougher and more flexible than the one you have today.
LG Corp
Online Security
In the wake of the epic Sony Pictures hack and a scary
increase of online security breaches, you can expect to see a
significant surge in products and services that offer to help protect
your money and information online.
Developments on the horizon include improvements in biometric authentication, credit cards that use quantum physics, and more subscription services that act as pre-emptive identity theft protection systems. Also watch for companies that store your information -- from social media to shopping -- to beef up security protocols, on both their end and yours.
Developments on the horizon include improvements in biometric authentication, credit cards that use quantum physics, and more subscription services that act as pre-emptive identity theft protection systems. Also watch for companies that store your information -- from social media to shopping -- to beef up security protocols, on both their end and yours.
Pepijn W.H. Pinkse
Drone Madness
Drones will continue to swarm the news headlines in 2015,
for good or ill, thanks to their potential utility in hundreds of
industries -- and some percolating issues around regulation. According
to a recent Washington Post report,
the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has 167 pending applications
for commercial drone projects, with "hundreds more" expected in 2015.
Amazon is aggressively testing drone package delivery systems, insurance companies hope to use drones for inspections, and industrial concerns want to use them for monitoring facilities. Meanwhile, artists and filmmakers are finding new uses for UAVs, and a huge market is emerging for personal camera drones. The skies are about to to get very crowded.
Let us know what your own predictions are in the comments below, and we'll meet back here at the end of 2015 to see who was right. Happy New Year.
Amazon is aggressively testing drone package delivery systems, insurance companies hope to use drones for inspections, and industrial concerns want to use them for monitoring facilities. Meanwhile, artists and filmmakers are finding new uses for UAVs, and a huge market is emerging for personal camera drones. The skies are about to to get very crowded.
Let us know what your own predictions are in the comments below, and we'll meet back here at the end of 2015 to see who was right. Happy New Year.
Thinkstock
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