10 technology trends in 2018 that will change our lives

1. 3D-printing using a metal

For decades, technology 3D-printing only in demand among fans and designers. They created a one-off prototypes made of plastic, because other materials such as metal, made printing expensive and can not be a long process.

Now 3D-press allows you to quickly and easily produce objects made of any material, including metal. This means that businesses do not need to store the mountain of details in a warehouse. After he entered the order, it can immediately produce and send to the client. In the long run the plants become more versatile. Manufacturers will be able to produce parts of different complexity, without any additional equipment.

2. artificial embryos

Embryologists Cambridge University were able to artificially create mouse embryos from stem cells. This achievement opens up new possibilities for understanding how life began.

The next step, according to Magdalena, will be the creation of artificial embryonic human stem cells. Working on it, scientists at the University of Michigan and Rockefeller University.

Artificial human embryos to help explore the concept of life itself. However, in this case, gets a number of ethical questions. What if they would be indistinguishable from the real embryos? How long they can be grown in the laboratory before they feel pain?

3. smart city

The concept of "smart city" until the realm of fantasy. All plans for the creation of this infrastructure still exist only on paper. However, the New York company Alphab's Sidewalk Labs within Quayside project is going to rethink this idea and create an entire city block in Toronto, using the latest digital technology.

Alphab's Sidewalk Labs plans to place a number of sensors that will collect information about the city and its inhabitants. In terms of the project refers to the automated vehicles and robots working in the underground. In addition, the company will place the software in the public domain, so the developers can build and deploy their own services.

Alphab's Sidewalk Labs intends to monitor closely the social life. This decision is of concern to residents. They worry about the safety of their personal data. However, Sidewalk Labs employees believe that they can resolve this issue.

According to the state agency Waterfront Toronto, and other cities in North America are already in line to participate in the project Quayside.

4. Artificial Intelligence for all

Artificial Intelligence (AI) was an expensive toy for big companies like Amazon, Baidu, Google and Microsoft, and for the rest were unavailable and incomprehensible tools. However, industry giants are planning to deploy its development cloud services, so that they can take advantage of others.

Until now, this area was dominated by AWS - a subsidiary of Amazon. Google has not stood aside and developed TensorFlow - AI library with open source. It is used for programming with machine learning. Recently, the search giant announced Cloud AutoML. This is a set of systems that make the AI ​​more easy to use.

Microsoft and Amazon has created Gluon - machine learning library open source. It should help in the creation of neural networks - a key technology of artificial intelligence, which roughly simulates the human learning.

It is not known which company will be the market leader. In any case, consumers will benefit.

5. Neural networks with imagination

Artificial Intelligence is well versed in the subjects. Show a million pictures, and he with extraordinary accuracy determine which depicts pedestrians crossing the road. However, the AI ​​has long been deprived of the opportunity to create their own. Whether artificial intelligence imagination, he could use it for training. For example, a neural network in the unmanned vehicle has learned to recognize people on the road without having to go outside.

University of Montreal graduate student Ian Goodfellow proposed solution to this problem. He described the method that is called "generative controversial network", or GAN. The algorithm is built on the interaction of two neural networks - oscillator and a discriminator. One of them produces an image, and the other compares them with a database and determines the authenticity.

Take the example of unmanned vehicle. At the beginning of training pedestrian image will be different from reality. The generator can draw it with three hands, a huge head or no different from humans. The discriminator will reject these images. In the end one of the neural network will draw realistic pedestrian, that the other will not be able to distinguish it from the present.

GAN is rightly considered a technological breakthrough. Some experts believe that with this artificial intelligence algorithms learn how to better understand the world around us.

6. Babel fish

This is a fictional creature from the series of books by Douglas Adams' "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy." A kind of organic implant by means of which the carrier can understand any language. Fish translates alien speech in real time and sends signals directly to the brain.

Our technology is not yet so advanced, but also something that they can. Google announced headphones Pixel Buds, which, in addition to their main tasks are to translate foreign language in real time using voice assistant. While the headphones are being developed. However, anyone can gain access to the underlying technology of voice translation on her smartphone.

It is worth mentioning and Microsoft. The company has implemented the translation in real time via the Skype application. At this rate, mankind will invent a Babel fish.

7. Eco-friendly energy

Natural gas - a cheap and affordable source of energy. With it extracted 30% of the electricity in the US and 22% worldwide. However, it pollutes the environment.

US startup NetPower built an experimental power plant in Houston. Carbon dioxide, which is obtained as a result of combustion gas to be processed or sold to other businesses. With the new technology it is possible not only to solve environmental problems, but also reduce the cost of electricity production.

8. Anonymity on the Internet

Zero-knowledge proof - a protocol that protects personal data on the web. He gained great popularity due to cryptocurrency Zcash, which launched in 2016. Developers have used a method called zk-SNARK, to allow users to make anonymous transactions.

In most public blokcheynov transactions visible to everyone. In theory, they are anonymous, but by comparing data from other sources, it is possible to track the user. Acne Buterin, creator of Etherium - the second most popular blokcheyn network, called zk-SNARK «technology completely changes the game."

Banks will be able to make payments without divulging this information on the client. Last year, JPMorgan Chase added zk-SNARK in its own payment system based on blokcheyna. Normal users will not stay on the sidelines. For example, they can prove that they have enough money on the card, without revealing banking data.

However, still have a lot of work. zk-SNARK - complicated and slow technology, which requires additional configuration.

9. genetic forecasts

It turns out that the most common diseases, traits and behavior, as well as the intellect does not depend on one or more genes and their combinations. Using data from large genetic studies, scientists have developed a so-called polygenic risk assessment.

New DNA tests will help create more effective medicines. Pharmaceutical companies could use the results of tests in the laboratory. For example, to dial a group of volunteers who have a risk of Alzheimer's diseaseFor testing new drugs.

DNA tests The problem is that, in addition to diseases, they can identify the traits and even intelligence. On the one hand, this is good, on the other - it is not known how will access to this information by teachers and parents. How will the education of children, if the parents find a low level of intelligence in the child?

10. quantum computers

Chemists have been dreaming about the effectiveness of drugs based on novel proteins of powerful batteries and connections that can turn sunlight into liquid fuels. We do not have all of these things, because they simulate molecules on modern computers is very difficult. Not enough power.

Try to imitate the behavior of electrons even in a simple molecule, and you will encounter great difficulties. But soon everything will change. Recently, IBM researchers have modeled molecule with a 7-qubit quantum computer. Over time, researchers will be able to simulate more complex molecules on machines with a large number of qubits.