List of emerging technologies

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of currently emerging technologies, which contains some of the most prominent
ongoing developments, advances, and innovations in various fields of modern technology.
Emerging technologies are those technical innovations which represent progressive
developments within a field for competitive advantage.[1]

Contents

1 Agriculture

2 Climate engineering

3 Construction
o 3.1 Architecture
o 3.2 Materials science

4 Displays

5 Home appliance

6 Electronics

7 Energy

8 Entertainment

9 IT and communications

10 Medical
o 10.1 Neuroscience

11 Military

12 Outer space

13 Robotics

14 Transport

15 See also

16 References

Agriculture
Emerging
technology

Status

Potentially
marginalized
technologies

Agricultural
robot[2]

Research and
development, trial
projects

Closed
ecological
systems[3][4][5]

Research and
development, working Agricultural
demonstrators (e.g.
science
Biosphere 2)

In vitro meat
Precision
agriculture
Vertical
farming

Research and
development[6][7][8]

Animal
husbandry,
fishing[8]

Research and
development, diffusion
Research, development,
Industrial
experiments, and
agriculture
diffusion[9][10][11]

Potential
applications

Related articles

Agriculture,
scientific
research, space
colonization

Greenhouse, Eden
Project, Bioshelter,
Seawater
greenhouse,
Perpetual harvest
greenhouse system

Humane,
resourceefficient,
healthier and
cheaper meat[8]

New Harvest

Crop and meat

production

Climate engineering
Emerging
technology
Atmospheric
carbon dioxide
removal

Status
Research and
development

Construction

Potentially
marginalized
technologies
Fossil carbon
sources

Potential applications

Related
articles

Climate change mitigation,

closing the carbon cycle,
Virgin Earth
input for carbon neutral fuel Challenge
production

Emerging
technology

Potentially
marginalized
technologies

Status

3D printing
Commercial
and Bioproduction[12][13]
printing

Claytronics

Hypothetical,
experiment

Molecular
assembler

Hypothetical,
experiment

Utility fog

Hypothetical,
experiment

Potential applications

Related
articles

Rapidly prototyping and

producing cheaper objects,
Manual prototype with potential to
RepRap
production, some
significantly customize
Project,
methods of mass
products for individual
Contour
production that lack consumers, e.g. buildings,[14] Crafting, Dcustomizability
cars,[15] electronics,[16]
Shape
furniture,[17] decorations or
clothes[18]
3D printing,
traditional
manufacturing
methods and tools
Replicator
3D printing,
(Star Trek),
traditional
Von Neumann
manufacturing
universal
methods and tools
constructor

Architecture
Emerging
technology

Status

Arcology

Research, development,
Commercialization

Domed city

In progress in Dubai[19]

Potentially
marginalized
technologies

Potential applications

Related
articles

Weather-controlled
city, colonization of
other bodies

Materials science
Emerging
technology
Aerogel

Status
Hypothetical,
experiments,
diffusion, early
uses[20]

Potentially
Potential
marginalized
Related articles
applications
technologies
Traditional
Improved insulation,
Insulation,
insulative glass if it
Glass
can be made clear,
sleeves for oil
pipelines, aerospace,

Emerging
technology

Amorphous metal
Bioplastic

Status

Experiments
Some products
developed

Potentially
marginalized
technologies

Kevlar
Fossil fuel
plastics

Potential
applications
high-heat & extreme
cold applications
Armor

Lighter and cheaper

wires, antistatic
materials, organic
solar cells
New materials;
nuclear weapons,
power

Conductive
Polymers

Research,
experiments,
prototypes

Conductors

Femtotechnology,
Picotechnology

Hypothetical

Present
nuclear

Experiments,
diffusion

Synthetic
diamond and
carbon
nanotubes
(e.g.
Buckypaper)

Hypothetical,
experiments,
diffusion, early
uses[21][22]

Components with
higher strength to
weight ratios,
transistors that
operate at higher
silicon-based
frequency, lower cost
integrated
of display screens in
circuit
mobile devices,
storing hydrogen for
fuel cell powered
cars, sensors to
diagnose diseases[23]

Fullerene

Graphene

Cryogenic receiver
front-end (CRFE)
RF and microwave
filter systems for
Copper wire,
mobile phone base
High-temperature
semiconductor
stations;
superconductivity
integral
prototypes in dry
circuits
ice; Hypothetical
and experiments
for higher
temperatures[24]
Magnetorheological developed and
Shock

Related articles

Programmable
matter

No loss conductors,
frictionless bearings,
magnetic levitation,
lossless highcapacity
accumulators,
electric cars, heatfree integral circuits
and processors
Magnetorheological Electrorheological

Emerging
technology

Status

Potentially
marginalized
technologies

fluid

researched

absorber

High-temperature
superfluidity

Superfluid
gyroscopes already Mechanical
exist but work at gyroscope,
very low
flywheel
temperatures

LiTraCon

Experiments,
already used to
Glass
make Europe Gate

Potential
applications

Related articles

damper heavy motor

damping, operator
seat/cab damping in
construction
vehicles, seismic
dampers positioned
in building absorbing
detrimental shock
waves and
oscillations within
the structure making
them earthquakeproof, enhance body
armour fluid bullet
resistant, Humvees,
and various other all- fluid
terrain vehicles
employ dynamic MR
shock
absorbers/dampers.
Magnetorheological
finishing was used in
the construction of
the Hubble Space
Telescope's
corrective lens,
shock absorbers of a
vehicle's suspension
are filled with
magnetorheological
fluid.
High-precision
measure of gravity,
navigation and
maneuver devices,
possible devices to
emit gravitomagnetic
field, frictionless
mechanical devices
Construction of
skyscrapers, towers,
and sculptures like
Europe Gate

Emerging
technology

Metamaterials

Metal foam
Multi-function
structures[26]
Nanomaterials:
carbon nanotubes

Status
Hypothetical,
experiments,
diffusion[25]
Research,
commercialization
Hypothetical,
experiments, some
prototypes, few
commercial
Hypothetical,
experiments,
diffusion, early
uses[27][28]

Potentially
marginalized
technologies
Classical
optics
Hulls
Composite
materials
mostly

Hypothetical,
experiments[29][30]

Coatings,
catalysts

Quantum dots

Research,
experiments,
prototypes[31]

LCD, LED

Field-effect
transistors
Aluminum,
titanium,
Superalloy
Research, diffusion
composite
materials
Silicon
Synthetic diamond Research
transistors

Displays

Related articles

Microscopes,
cameras,
metamaterial
cloaking, cloaking
devices
Space colonies,
floating cities
Wide range, e.g., self
health monitoring,
self healing material,
morphing

Stronger, lighter
Structural steel
materials, space
and aluminium
elevator

Programmable
matter

Silicene

Potential
applications

Wide range, e.g.,

claytronics, synthetic
biology
Quantum dot laser,
quantum dot display,
future use as
programmable
matter in display
technologies (TV,
projection), optical
data communications
(high-speed data
transmission),
medicine (laser
scalpel)

Hypothetical,
research

Aircraft jet engines

Electronics

Potential
applications of
carbon nanotubes,
carbon fiber

Emerging
technology

3D displays

Status

Research,
commercialization[32][33]

Potentially
marginalized
technologies

Potential
applications

Television,
other display
computer
technologies,
interfaces,
CRT, LCD
cinemas

Related articles
Autostereoscopic
display,
stereoscopic
display, volumetric
display,
Holographic
display, Light Field
display, Nintendo
3DS, HTC Evo 3D

Ferro Liquid
Some commercial products
Display
Field emission
Research
display
Holography
(Holographic
display,
Display
Diffusion[34][35][36]
Computertechnologies
generated
holography)
Non-emissive
displays with
Other display fast response
Interferometric
Interferometric
technologies, times and
Development,
modulator display,
modulator
CRT, LCD, potentially the
[37]
commercializing
comparison of
display
plasma, emost realistic
display technology
paper
colours of all
display
technologies
first commercial Laser TV LCD and
Displays with Laser TV,
Laser video
in 2008, Mitsubishi
plasma
very wide colour Comparison of
displays
LaserVue TV
displays
gamut
display technology
LCD and
OLED TV,
Diffusion,
Displays,
OLED displays
plasma
Comparison of
commercialization[38][39][40]
lighting
displays
display technology
Organic lightemitting
Development
transistor
Conventional
Mass production
Phased-array
display
Hypothetical[41][42]
of 3-dimensional
optics
devices (e.g.,
imagery
television)
Screenless
Hypothetical,
Traditional
Augmented
Head-mounted

Emerging
technology

Status

display (Virtual
retinal display,
experiments[43]
Bionic contact
lens), EyeTap

Potentially
marginalized
technologies

displays

Telescopic pixel
In development
display
Timemultiplexed
Commercialized
optical shutter
Volumetric
Working prototypes
display

Potential
applications

Related articles

reality, virtual
reality, EyeTap
could allow the
user to reference
the blue prints
like in a
construction
yard, in a 3D
manner,
display, Head-up
Delivers the user display, adaptive
constant up to optics
date information
on the stock
market, the
user's
corporation, and
meeting
statuses, visual
disabilities

3-dimensional
imagery

Swept-volume
display

Home appliance
Emerging
technology

Status

Potentially
marginalized
technologies

Potential applications

Washing with small

Traditional
consumption of water,
Commercialization[44]
washing machines electrical energy and
detergents
Magnetic
Already used for achieving Conventional
Refrigeration without
refrigeration cryogenic temperatures in refrigerators
the need for
the laboratory setting
compression and with
(below 10K)
more energy efficient
which may be in
refrigerators, air
Bead
washing
machine

Related
articles

Emerging
technology

Potentially
marginalized
technologies

Status

Potential applications

Related
articles

conditioners and
spacecraft
Qarnot

Commercialization[45]

V-tex

Commercialization[46]

Conventional
heaters,
supercomputers,
datacenters
Conventional
refrigerators

Computing and heating

Cooling drinks

Electronics
Emerging technology
Biometrics
Digital scent
technology
Electronic nose
E-textiles

Flexible electronics

Memristor

Status
Diffusion

Potentially
marginalized
technologies
Keys and ID
documents

Potential
applications

Smell-OVision,
iSmell

Diffusion
X-ray and MRI
Research,
scans for
[47][48]
commercialization
detecting
cancer
[49]
Research, diffusion

Related
articles

Detecting spoiled
food, chemical
weapons and
cancer

Flexible and
folding
electronic
Nokia
devices (such as Morph,
smartphones),
Flexible
Research, development,
Flexible
solar
organic
some prototypes[50][51]
cells which are lightlightweight, can emitting
be rolled up for diode
launch, and are
easily deployable
[52][53]
Working prototype
Some current Smaller, faster,
integrated
lower power
circuits, many consuming
other
storage, analogue
electronics
electronics,
devices
programmable
logic,[54] signal

Emerging technology

Potentially
marginalized
technologies

Status

Potential
applications

Related
articles

processing,[55]
neural networks,
[56]
control
systems,[57]
reconfigurable
computing,[58]
brain-computer
interfaces[59] and
RFID,[60] pattern
recognition[61]
Research and
Development
Nanoelectromechanical Research and
systems
Development
Molecular electronics

Spintronics

Working prototypes[62]

Thermal copper pillar

bump

Working prototypes in
discrete devices

Mechanical
Data storage,
magnetic hard computing
MRAM
disk drives
devices
Electric circuit Ultra high
Conventional
cooling; micro- definition
thermal
fluidic actuators; holographic
systems, heat
small-device
disc, Metal
sinks, bulk
thermoelectric insulator
thermoelectrics
power generation transition

Energy
Emerging
technology

Status

Airborne wind
Research[63][64][65]
turbine

Potentially
marginalized
technologies

Potential
applications

Producing
electricity
Improve natural
photosynthesis,
so roads
buildings and
Research, experiments[66]
Fossil fuel or vehicles convert
Artificial
growing interest in a
'archived'
sunlight and
photosynthesis macroscience global project
photosynthesis
water into
[67]
hydrogen and
carbon dioxide
into
carbohydrates
Fossil fuels

Related articles
KiteGen

Sustainocene,
Renewable
energy,
Nanotechnology

Emerging
technology

Status
[68]

Potentially
marginalized
technologies

Biofuels

Diffusion

Fossil fuels

Concentrated
solar power

Growing markets in
Fossil fuels,
California, Spain, Northern
photovoltaics
Africa[69]

Electric
double-layer
capacitor

Diffusion, continued
development[70]

Chemical
batteries

Energy
harvesting

Experiments

Batteries

Potential
applications

Related articles

Energy storage,
more so for
transport

Issues relating to
biofuels

Producing
electricity

DESERTEC,
BrightSource
Energy, Solar
Millennium

Regenerative
braking; energy
storage: generally
faster charging,
longer lasting,
more flexible,
greener
Constant energy
source for
mobile, wearable
and ubiquitous
devices

Flywheel
Some commercial examples
energy storage
Producing
Fossil fuels,
electricity, heat,
renewable
Fusion power Hypothetical, experiments
fusion torch
energy, nuclear
recycling with
fission power
waste heat
Producing
electricity, heat,
Traditional
transmutation of
Generation IV
nuclear power
Research, Experiments
nuclear waste
reactor
reactors, fossil
stockpiles from
fuels
traditional
reactors
Grid energy
Increasing use
storage
Off-the-grid,
Research,
Home fuel cell
Electrical
grid
producing
commercialisation[71][72][73]
electricity
Hydrogen
Diffusion of hydrogen fuel Other energy Energy storage
economy
cells; Hypothetical,
storage
experiments for lower cost methods:
hydrogen production[74]
chemical

ITER, NIF,
Polywell, Dense
plasma focus,
Muon-catalyzed
fusion

Autonomous
building, Bloom
Energy Server

Emerging
technology

Lithium-air
battery

Lithium-ion
batteries
Lithium iron
phosphate
battery
Molten salt
battery
Molten salt
reactor

Status

Research, experiments[75]

Potentially
marginalized
technologies
batteries, fossil
fuels
Other energy
storage
methods:
hydrogen,
chemical
batteries, some
uses of fossil
fuels

Potential
applications

Related articles

Laptops, mobile
phones, longrange electric
cars; storing
energy for
electric grid

Main article: Research in

lithium-ion batteries
Commercialization
Applications and
continuing research
Research, Experiments

Nanowire
battery

Experiments, prototypes[76]

Nantenna

Research[78][79][80]

[77]

Traditional
nuclear power
reactors, fossil
fuels
Other energy
storage
methods:
hydrogen,
chemical
batteries, some
uses of fossil
fuels
Fossil fuels

Producing
electricity, heat
Laptops, mobile
phones, longrange electric
cars; storing
energy for
electric grid
Producing
electricity

Ocean thermal
energy
Prototype
conversion
Siliconair
Experiments
battery
Smart grid

Solar roadway Research[84][85][86]

Space-based
solar power

Smart meter,
SuperSmart Grid

Research, diffusion[81][82][83]

Hypothetical

Fossil fuels

Producing
electricity

Emerging
technology
Thorium fuel
cycle

Status
Research started in the
1960s, still ongoing

Vortex engine

Potentially
marginalized
technologies
Uranium based
nuclear power,
fossil fuels
Chimney,
Cooling tower,
Solar updraft
tower

Potential
applications

Related articles

Producing
electricity, heat
Power
generation.

Wirelessly
powered
Wireless
Prototypes, diffusion, short Power cords, equipment:
energy transfer range consumer products[87] plugs, batteries laptop, cell
phones, electric
cars, etc.
Electrical grid
Zero-energy
Expansion
and power
All homes
building
plants

WiTricity,
resonant
inductive
coupling
Passive house

Entertainment
Emerging
technology

Computergenerated
imagery

Immersive
virtual
reality

Status

Developing

Potentially marginalized
Potential
technologies
applications
Photomodels, all filmrelated jobs (including
public service
announcements, music
videos, viral videos,
Films, photos
commercials and
pornography), except for
directors, screenwriters
and graphic designers[88]

Hypothetical,
limited
Consensus reality
commercialization

IT and communications

An artificial
environment
where the user
feels just as
immersed as they
usually feel in
consensus reality.

Related articles

Virtusphere, 3rd
Space Vest,
haptic suit,
immersive
technology,
simulated reality,
holodeck
(fictional)

Emerging
technology

4G cellular
communication

5G cellular
communications
Ambient
intelligence

Status

First commercial LTE

networks deployed in
Sweden December 2009;
candidate systems LTEBroadband
advanced and IEEE
802.16m (Mobile
WiMAX Release 2) in
development
Research and
development

Potential
applications

Pervasive
computing

Related
articles
Mobile
broadband,
mobile TV,
Interactive TV,
3D-TV,[89]
holographic
cameras[89]

Hypothetical

Artificial brain

Research[90]

Artificial
intelligence

Hypothetical,
experiments; limited
uses in specialized
domains[91][92][93]

Atomtronics
Augmented
Reality
Carbon nanotube
field-effect
transistor

Potentially
marginalized
technologies

Treatment of
Blue Brain
neurological
Project, Human
disease, artificial
Brain Project
intelligence
Creating
intelligent
devices and
robots; AI can
Progress in
counsel (or even artificial
take charge) in intelligence,
Human decision, scientific
technological
analysis, etc.
projects,
singularity,
goverment, army, applications of
corporate
artificial
governance, film intelligence
and books
creation,
inventions etc.

Hypothetical
Diffusion
Research and
development

Counterparty
(technology)

Diffusion

Cryptocurrency

Diffusion

Silicon-based
transistors

Extending
moore's law

Decentralized
Bookmaker,
financial
stock exchange, instruments,[94]
central banking betting, free
market
Central banking Money supply,

Bitcoin,
Cryptocurrency
, Digital
currency
Bitcoin, Digital

Emerging
technology

Status

Potentially
marginalized
technologies

Potential
applications
World reserve
currency

Cybermethodolog
y
Exascale
Projects
computing
Internet of Things Diffusion
Emerging memory
technologies TRAM, Z-RAM,
TTRAM,
CBRAM, SONOS,
In development
RRAM, Racetrack
memory, NRAM,
Phase-change
memory, FJG,
Millipede memory
Research, prototyping[95]
Fourth-generation
optical discs (3D
optical data
storage,
Holographic data
storage)
General-purpose
computing on
graphics
processing units

Exocortex

Machine
translation

Diffusion of non
standardized methods
Diffusion of primitive
amplifications; working
prototypes of more;
Hypothetical,
experiments on more
substantial amplification
Diffusion[96][97]

Related
articles
currency

Current memory
technologies

Some mass
storage
Storing and
methods/devices, archiving data
Blu-ray Disc,
magnetic tape
previously erased
Optical storage
data storage,
for economic
optical data
reasons
storage
Order of
magnitude faster
CPU for a few
processing of
specialized uses
parallelizable
algorithms
Libraries,
schools, training,
pocket
calculators
Human
translation of
natural
languages, in
areas where
misunderstandin
g is non-critical

Easier and
cheaper crosscultural
communication

Emerging
technology

Machine vision

Status

Research, prototyping,
commercialization[90]

Mobile
Development,
collaboration and
commercialization[98]
e-learning

Hypothetical,
experiments; some
Optical computing components of
integrated circuits have
been developed[100]
Quantum
Hypothetical,
computing
experiments,[101]
commercialization[102]

Potentially
marginalized
technologies
and language is
formalized

Potential
applications

Related
articles

Biometrics,
controlling
processes (e.g.,
in driverless car,
automated
Computer
Biotic vision and guided vehicle),
vision, pattern
perception,
detecting events
recognition,
including
(e.g., in visual
digital image
humans
surveillance),
processing
interaction (e.g.,
in humancomputer
interaction),
robot vision
Extends the
capabilities of
video
conferencing for
use on hand-held
Transport of
mobile devices in
humans,
real-time over
traditional video- secure networks.
conferencing
For use in
systems
diverse industries
such as
manufacturing,
energy,
healthcare.[99]
Telework
Many electronics Smaller, faster,
devices,
lower power
integrated
consuming
circuits
computing
Atomtronics,
Electronic
computing,
optical
computing,
quantum clock

Much faster
computing, for
some kinds of
problems,
chemical
modeling, new
materials with

Emerging
technology

Quantum
cryptography

Radio-frequency
identification

Status

Potentially
marginalized
technologies

Commercialization[103]

Diffusion of high cost[104]

[105][106]

Semantic Web or
Research, limited use
answer machine

Barcode

Web 2.0

Potential
applications

Related
articles

programmed
properties,
Hypothetical of
high-temperature
superconductivit
y and
superfluidity
Secure
communications
Smartstores RFID based self
checkout
(keeping track of
all incoming and
outgoing
products), food
packaging, smart
shelves, smart
carts. See:
potential uses
Making the web Corporate
machineSemantic Web,
readable by
Semantic Web
annotating data Services,
on the web based Semantic Web
on its meaning Stack, Web 3.0

Traditional,
frequencyCognitive radio,
specific radio
Software-defined Development,
Mesh networks,
circuits,
radio
commercialization
Software defined
dedicated signal
antenna
processing
hardware
Speech
Research, Development, Mechanical input
recognition
Commercialization
devices
Three-dimensional Development,
Conventional
[107][108]
integrated circuit commercialization
integrated circuit
Entertainment,
Virtual Reality
Diffusion
education
Wearable
Diffusion
computer

GNU Radio,
Universal
Software Radio
Peripheral

Oculus Rift

Medical
Emerging
technology

Status

Artificial uterus Hypothetical, research

Trials, from animal (e.g.,

brain implants) to human
clinical (e.g., insulin
Body implants, pump implant), to
prosthesis
commercial production
(e.g. pacemaker, joint
replacement, cochlear
implant)
Hypothetical, research,
Cryonics
commercialization (e.g.
Cryonics Institute)
Research, development,
De-extinction
trials
Genetic
Research, development,
engineering of commercialization[109][110]
organisms and
viruses

Potentially
marginalized
technologies
Incubator, in vivo
pregnancy,
including host
motherhood

Potential
applications
space travel,
extracorporeal
pregnancy,
Reprogenetics,
same-sex
procreation

Various fields of Brain implant,

medicine, warfare retinal implant

Cemeteries

Related
articles

Prosthetics,
prosthetics in
fiction, cyborg

Life extension

Animal husbandry,
pets, zoos
Other medical
Creating and
Genetically
procedures
modifying species modified food,
(including
(mainly improving superhuman,
aesthetic
their physical and human
medicine and
mental
enhancement,
contraception), capabilities), bio- transhumanism,
traditional
machines,
gene doping,
warfare
eliminating genetic genetic
(genetically
disorders (gene
pollution
modified soldiers, therapy), new
ethnic
materials
[111]
bioweapon),
production,[114]
traditional animal healthier and
husbandry and
cheaper food,
plant and fungus creating drugs and
breeding, tattoo vaccines, research
artism and fitness in natural sciences,
clubs and
bioremediation,[115]
cosmetics and
detecting
nutrition (because arsenic[116]
of new genes

Emerging
technology

Status

Potentially
marginalized
technologies
humans will be
able to change on
demand their
look), gardening
(because of new
genes there will
be no need to
nurture plants),
species-saving
efforts (because
of new genes they
can adapt to new
environments),
traditional fuel
production[112][113]

Hibernation or
Research, development, Surgical
suspended
animal trials[117]
anaesthesia
animation
Life extension,
Strategies for
Engineered
Negligible
Senescence
Male
contraception
and 100%effective birth
control
methods[121][122]

Research, experiments,
animal testing[118][119][120]

Existing
treatments for
age-related
diseases[120]

Research and
Development

Other birth
control methods,
abortion

Potential
applications

Related
articles

Organ
transplantation,
space travel,
prolonged surgery,
emergency care
Increased life
spans[120]

Research, experiments,
limited use[123][124]
Research and
Nanosensors
Development
Human trials
(Talimogene
laherparepvec, reolysin,
Cancer therapy,
Oncolytic Virus
JX-594),
imaging
commercialisation
(H101)
Personalized Research, experiments[125] Non-personalized Personalized

Immortality,
biological
immortality

Nanomedicines

Oncolytic virus

Personal

Emerging
technology

Status

medicine, full
genome
sequencing
Regenerative
medicine

Some laboratory trials[126]

Research, diffusion[127][128]

Robotic surgery [129]

Stem cell
treatments

Potentially
marginalized
technologies
medical
procedures,
including
aesthetic
medicine

Potential
applications

Related
articles

medical
procedures,
genome
genomics
sequencing during
drug trials
Life extension

Surgeons
untrained in
robotic surgery

Research, experiments,
phase I human trial spinal
cord injury treatment
Other therapies
(GERON), cultured
cornea transplants[130][131]

Treatment for a
wide range of
diseases and
injuries

Stem cell, stem

cell treatments,
Skin cell gun,

Creating infinitely
Chemical
scalable production
Synthetic
BioBrick,
Research, development, industry,
processes based on
biology,
iGEM,
first synthetic bacteria
petroleum
programmable
synthetic
synthetic
created May 2010[132][133] industry, process species of bacteria
genomics
genomics
manufacturing
and other life
forms
Organ
Tissue
Research, diffusion[134][135]
printing,Tooth
[136][137]
engineering
regeneration
Research and
Medical
Diagnosing
Medical
Tricorder
Development
examinations
medical conditions tricorder
Gene therapy,
Virotherapy,
Virotherapy
Research, human trials
cancer therapy
Oncolytic Virus
Organ
Vitrification or Hypothetical, some
Ischemic
transplantation,
cryoprotectant experiments[138]
damages
cryonics

Neuroscience
Emerging technology
Ampakine

Status

Potentially
marginalized
technologies

Potential
applications
Enhance attention
span and alertness,
and facilitate
learning and

Related
articles

Emerging technology

Status

Potentially
marginalized
technologies

Potential
applications

Related
articles

memory
Faster
Video games,
communication and
television,
learning and "more
movies and
real" entertainment
Brain-computer
Research and
current
(generation of
Experience
interface
commercialization communication feelings and
machine
devices and
informations in
transport of
brain on demand).
humans.
Control emotions in
the mentally ill[139]
Mind uploading,
Brain-reading,
enabling individuals
Research[140][141][142]
Neuroinformatics
with brain damage
to communicate[143]
Controlling
Research,
Keyboards and
Electroencephalography
electronic devices BrainGate.
diffusion[144][145]
other interfaces
via brain waves
Visual prosthesis,
brain implant,
Neuroprosthetics
exocortex, retinal
implant

Military
Emerging
technology

Status

Antimatter
weapon

Hypothetical

Caseless
ammunition

Field tests and some

niche markets

Cloak of
invisibility
Directed energy
weapon
Electrolaser

Potentially
marginalized
technologies

Potential
applications

Related articles

Nuclear weapons
Lightweight
Small Arms
Technologies

Cartridges

Successful
experiments cloaking
Camouflage[147]
small objects under
some conditions[146][147]
Research,
development, some
Firearms
prototypes[148]
Research and
Taser
development

Cloaking
microscope tips at Metamaterial
optical
cloaking
frequencies[147]
Warfare

Laser Weapon
System

Emerging
technology
Electromagnetic
weapons
Electrothermalchemical
technology

Status

Potentially
marginalized
technologies

Research and
development[149][150]

Firearms

Research and
development

Conventional
ammunition

Force field

Hypothetical,
experiments[151]

Green bullet

Development

Laser weapon

Research and
development, trials

Particle beam
weapon

Research and
development

Plasma weapon
Pure fusion
weapon

Research

Potential
applications
Warfare

Related articles
Coilgun, Railgun

Tank, artillery, and

close-in weapon
systems
Military and law
Armor
enforcement, space Plasma window
travel
EnvironmentCurrent
friendly
ammunition
ammunition
Advanced
Tracking and
Tactical Laser,
Missile defense,
destruction of
High Energy
anti-drone
rockets, bombs,
Liquid Laser
defense
drones etc.[152]
Area Defense
System
Strategic
Firearms
Warfare
Defense
Initiative

Hypothetical

Sonic weapon

Research and
development

Stealth
technology

Research and
development

Camouflage

Electronic
countermeasures

Vortex ring gun

Research and
development

tear gas

Crowd control

Wireless longrange electric

shock weapon

Expansion

Firearms

Law enforcement
guns

Plasma stealth,
Stealth aircraft,
Radar-absorbent
material

Outer space
Emerging
technology
Anti-gravity

Status
Hypothetical and

Potentially
marginalized
technologies

Potential applications

Related
articles

Emerging
technology

Status

Potentially
marginalized
technologies

experiments[153][154]
Artificial
Research,
gravity
development
Hypothetical, NASA
has announced plans
Asteroid mining to capture and
redirect an asteroid.

Potential applications

Related
articles

Space Travel

[155]

Domed city

Galileo

NASA develops a
geodesic dome for a
moon base

In progress

Hypertelescope Hypothetical
Developed,
Inflatable space
prototypes built and
habitat
tested

Miniaturized
satellite

Research,
development, some
prototypes

Weather-controlled city,
colonization of the moon
Localizing things with the
accuracy of few centimeters:
vehicles and ships and planes
(even driverless ones),
objects (like wallet or car
Older satellite
keys) and people (e.g. it will
navigation
navigate people, even blind
systems
ones, in buldings and cities).
Also Gallileo will provide
better charging systems on
toll motorways and air traffic
control[156]
astronomy
Traditional
"aluminium
Bigelow
can" space
Space habitats
Aerospace
habitat
modules
Inexpensive satellites,
constellations for low data
Conventional rate communications, using
satellites
formations to gather data
from multiple points, in-orbit
inspection of larger satellites.

Robotics
Emerging
technology

Status

Android, gynoid Research,

Potentially
marginalized
technologies

Potential
applications
Disabled, infant and

Related articles

Emerging
technology

Status

Potentially
marginalized
technologies

development,
prototypes,
diffusion,
commercializing[157]

Molecular
Hypothetical,
nanotechnology,
experiments[158]
nanorobotics

Products and
parts
production,
retail
distribution

Powered
exoskeleton

Research,
development,
Electric
prototypes,
wheelchairs,
diffusion,
forklifts
commercializing[159]

Selfreconfiguring
modular robot

Hypothetical,
experiments, early
prototypes

Other ways to
form physical
structures and
machines

Hypothetical,
experiments[160]

Distributed
computing,
complexity in
behavior by
simplicity in
architecture

Swarm robotics

Unmanned
vehicle

Research and
development,
diffusion,
commercial

Manned
vehicles,
human spying,
shops,
kitchens,
restaurants
(thanks to

Potential
applications

Related articles

older people care,

housekeeping, sexworker, flightattendent, model,
hostess, waiter,
security guard
Machines (desktop,
industrial) that can
make anything
given the materials,
cheap planetary
terraforming
Heavy lifting,
LOPES
paralysis, muscle (exoskeleton),
related diseases,
ReWalk, Human
warfare,
Universal Load
construction,
Carrier, fictional
firefighting, care for armor Iron Man's
the elderly and
armor, Future Force
disabled.
Warrior
As a universal
physical machine,
Robot, swarm
SRCMR may
robotics,
change the way we
autonomous
make many
research robot
physical structures
and machines
Swarm intelligence,
autonomous
robotics,
Autonomous
nanorobotics,
construction, space particle swarm
construction
optimization, multiagent systems,
behavior-based
robotics
Transport of goods Unmanned aerial
(e.g. food), mass
vehicle,
surveillance,
AeroVironment,
eavesdropping,
AeroVironment
oceanography,
Global Observer,
commercial aerial AeroVironment
livestock
Nano Hummingbird,

Emerging
technology

Status

Potentially
marginalized
technologies

unmanned
transport of
goods)

Potential
applications

Related articles

monitoring, wildfire
mapping, pipeline
security, home
security, road patrol
and anti-piracy,
patrol the nation's
borders, scout
property, and hunt
down fugitives, oil,
gas and mineral
Unmanned combat
exploration and
air vehicle,
production,
Unmanned ground
geophysical
vehicle, Unmanned
surveys,
space vehicle,
geomagnetic
surveys, scientific Unmanned surface
research in areas too vehicle, Unmanned
dangerous for pilots underwater vehicle,
Autonomous
like a hurricane
underwater vehicle
tornado hunter,
firefighting,[161]
military operations
and peacekeeping
operations, search
and rescue,
explosives and
bomb disposal,
gatekeeper and
checkpoint
operations, urban
street presence,
police raids in urban
settings.

Transport
See also: List of proposed future transport
Emerging
technology
Aeroscraft

Status
Prototype

Potentially
marginalized
technologies

Potential
applications
Heavy-lift, high
altitude platform

Related articles

Emerging
technology
Airless tire
Alcubierre
drive

Potentially
Potential
marginalized
applications
technologies
Research, development,
Conventional
Safer tires[164]
[162][163][164]
early prototypes
tire[164]
Conventional Interstellar
Attempting to create a warp
space
exploration and
field in lab tests[165]
propulsion
colonization
Status

Internal
Alternative fuel
Commercialization, diffusion combustion
vehicle
engine

Reducing air
pollution,
decreasing oil
consumption

Beam-powered
Hypothetical
propulsion

Driverless car

Research, development,
prototypes[166][167][168]

Electric car

Commercialization

Related articles
Tweel
Breakthrough
Propulsion
Physics Program
Electric vehicle,
Hydrogen
vehicle,
Compressed air
vehicle
Laser propulsion

Driver's
licenses, rules Reducing traffic
of the road, collision,
traffic lights, increasing road
traffic sign, capacity, reducing
highway
air pollution,
patrols,
reducing traffic
vehicle
congestion
insurances
Internal
combustion
engine
Other flight
control
systems:
ailerons,
elevators,
Controlling
elevons,
aircraft, ships

Flexible wings
(X-53 Active
Aeroelastic
Experiments, prototypes[169]
Wing, Adaptive [170][171][172][173]
Compliant
Wing), fluidic
flaps,
flight controls
flaperons

Flying car

Early commercialization,
prototypes[174][175]

Automobile, More effective

road
transportation

Fusion rocket

Research, development [176]

Chemical
rockets

Fast
Interplanetary

Google
driverless car,
General Motors
EN-V, CityCar,
MIT Car

Aircraft flight
control system,
BAE Systems
Demon, fluidics

Terrafugia
Transition,
Moller M400
Skycar, Urban
Aeronautics XHawk

Emerging
technology

Status

Potentially
marginalized
technologies

Potential
applications

Related articles

Travel, with
limited Interstellar
applications
Hovertrain,
Research, development[177]
Ground effect [178]
train
High Altitude
Platforms
Ion thruster
Jet pack or
backpack
helicopter
Maglev train,
Vactrain
Magnetic
levitation

Experimentation

Arotrain, Duke
Conventional Trains with higher
Hospital PRT,
trains
speed
Hovercraft
Most
satellites, cell Communications
phone towers

In use
Early commercialization,
prototypes[179][180]

Automobile

More effective
transportation

Transrapid,
Conventional
Research, early
Trains with higher Shanghai
trains, the
commercialization[181][182][183]
speed
Maglev Train,
wheel
Linimo
Research, development,
Wheels, tires, High temperature Vactrain, Levicar
Commercialization (Maglev conventional superconductivity,
Train)
transportation cryogenics, low
systems
temperature
refrigerators,
superconducting
magnet design
and construction,
fiber reinforced
plastics for
vehicles and
structural
concretes,
communication
and high power
solid-state
controls, vehicle
design
(aerodynamics
and noise
mitigation),
precision
manufacturing,
construction and
fabrication of
concrete

Emerging
technology

Status

Potentially
marginalized
technologies

Potential
applications

Related articles

structures,[184]
maglev car,
maglev based
spacecraft launch
Mass driver

Prototypes

Float to Orbit

Hypothetical

Personal rapid Early commercialization,

transit
diffusion[185][186]
Physical
Research[187]
Internet
Vactrain

Research, development

Conventional
Space launch
space launch
More effective
Automobile
transportation
Conventional
logistics
High-speed
rail

Nuclear pulse
Hypothetical
propulsion

Chemical
rockets

Propellant
depot

Research, development

Heavy lift
rockets

Pulse
detonation
engine

Testbed demos

Reusable
Research, development
launch system
Scramjet
Solar sail

Research, development[188]
[189][190]

In 2010, IKAROS was the

world's first spacecraft
designed to use solar sailing

Morgantown
PRT, ULTra

ET3 Global
Faster way to get
Alliance,
somewhere
Hyperloop
Fast
Interplanetary
Travel, with some
possible
Interstellar Travel
applications
enabling deepspace missions
with more
massive payloads,
satellite life
extension,
ultimately
lowering the cost
per kg launched to
space

Expendable Surface-to-orbit
launch system transport
Conventional Hypersonic
jet engine
aircraft
Space travel

SpaceX reusable
launch system
development
program
NASA X-43

Emerging
technology

Status

Potentially
marginalized
technologies

Potential
applications

Related articles

propulsion to be successfully
launched
Non-rocket
spacelaunch,
Orbital ring, Sky
hook, Space
fountain

Space elevator Research, development[191]

Spaceplane
Supersonic
transport

Research, development[192]

Conventional
airliners
Commercialization existed, Conventional
diffusion
airliners
[193][194]

Vehicular
Research and development, Automobile
communication
some diffusion
safety
systems

Hypersonic
transport
Airliner with
higher speed
vehicle safety
obstacle inform
others warnings
on entering
intersections,
Traffic
management
Accommodating
ambulances, fire
trucks, and police
cars to a specific
situation such as
hot pursuits and
bad weather,
Driver assistance
systems,
Automated
highways.

A2, Skylon
Concorde,
Tupolev Tu-144

Artificial
Passenger,
Dedicated shortrange
communications,
Intelligent
transportation
system