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The world of tech is full of surprises. Who would have imagined a shift from the traditional newspapers to televised news broadcasts? Even better, one cannot help but wonder how a small processor chip can run limitless applications and games in the blink of an eye. With every achievement, we may believe that this might be the peak of technological advancements. However, science has proven us wrong and continues to do so for the years to come. Here are some revolutionary developments in technology that shaped our world for the better.
Social Media
All users, including us, use social media on an hourly basis. With over 5 billion users, it has become one of the greatest innovations of all-time: connecting friends, family, and businesses, irrespective of the distance. The simplicity and ease of access offered by these platforms have completely revolutionized our lives. Arguably social media is often considered a controversial innovation due to the privacy concerns it has shown over the years. But even with that, it has shown a lot of promise since its debut.
Like other technologies, social media continues to get better as it ages. With the strides in AI and machine learning, privacy will soon not be a concern. In terms of career opportunities, there is no better platform to work on as a tech enthusiast. Therefore, an online bachelor computer science degree will undeniably boost your chances of landing a job with such companies.
Tiny Artificial Intelligence
We have been hearing this term for decades now, but how far has AI come? Often considered the boogie-man of sci-fi media, AI has made tremendous strides in recent years. AI is powerful enough to operate complex algorithms from devices as small as our cellphones. Researchers have achieved this feat by shrinking the machine learning models with the knowledge distillation process. One might assume that shrinkage means a reduction in data. Though that statement is true, it is not entirely the case here.
Despite the decrease in volume, the AI functionality is still just as fast and powerful as its original counterpart. As AI continues to evolve, its benefits increase with each passing day. It guarantees peak safety and privacy to its users and gets incorporated with companies like Google and Apple.
3D Printing
Many industries have been using 3D plastic printers for several years now. It revolutionized our lives, enabling us to create inanimate objects from the leisure of our homes. However, over time, 3D printing has shown remarkable progress. Multiple countries are using industry-scale printers to fabricate small houses. The cost is unbelievably low as well, starting from $2000 to $10000. Moreover, the average structure requires less than 24 hours to construct. 3D printing has also shown its advantages to the medical field, allowing the creation of prosthetics that fit perfectly.
Nevertheless, the plastic used for fabricating all such articles is environment friendly. Even better, in the years to come, users may not require certain products at all. They will have the option to print such items themselves.
Electric Cars
Fossil-fuel driven cars with engines made their appearance over 150 years ago. Simplifying our lives and revolutionizing our means of transport, the engine was a noteworthy achievement for humanity. However, with the progression of time, our planet’s fuel reserves have been depleted at a significantly high rate. Researchers theorize the end of fossil-fuels in less than 30 years from now. Luckily, science and technology prevailed and brought forth the perfect solution: electric cars.
Electric cars incorporate the use of motors powered by electricity stored in the battery. While research and progress on such vehicles began over a century ago, the product suitable for consumers recently reached completion. Manufacturers such as Tesla and a few others introduced super-charging stations all across the country. These stations will act similarly to the fair fuel station. Nevertheless, one cannot overlook the environmental benefits of electric cars. Additionally, these vehicles are outperforming even the fastest of fuel-powered vehicles.
Touchscreens
The invention of cellular devices to communicate became popular in the late 20th century. Though smartphones are unquestionably one of the most incredible innovations of all-time, touchscreens took the creativity to the next level. The success of all such smart devices today would not be possible without this piece of tech. The simplicity and immersion these devices offer are unparalleled. Research commenced on this technology in the 1980s, with proper technology integration in the late 2000s.
Microsoft tried its take on the implementation, but Apple’s iPhone truly revolutionized the industry. Touchscreens have drastically improved over the years, going from capacitive, flexible, and cheap feeling screens to flawless, multi-touch capable, premium-feeling glass screens. Moreover, several other manufacturers have begun incorporating technology in a variety of different devices. Today, we can find touchscreens on our smartphones, laptops, cars, and even refrigerators. The innovation is perhaps the most overlooked innovation of our generation.
Conclusion
The tech industry has never failed to deliver. While we may not realize it, the progress and accomplishments technology has made in the 21st century is incredible from shifting from letters and postcards to emails and social media and fossil-fuel engines to electricity-driven cars. More importantly, the strides made for AI may perhaps be the next innovation to revolutionize our world even further.