Learming Hub

Innovation Now: Great Techspectations – what to watch in 2014

2014 holds a lot of promise.   Not just in Ireland, but it seems the entire western world has endured enough austerity and we are now ready to start spending on technology again and to start having a little more fun.googleglass

A number of journals are speculating on what are the big blockbuster gadgets that we’re likely to see in 2014.  Of course, ‘predication is very difficult’, as Niels Bohr memorably wrote, ‘especially when it’s about the future.’

But see below some of the interesting technological innovations to watch for 2014:

Before we get to the good stuff.. First, the death notices: in 2014 the death of the PC is predicted to finally occur. As we all carry computers in our pockets – hence desk-tops and even laptops are on the decline.

Google Glass

With Google Glass set to launch in 2014 users will be able to take pictures, surf the web, make calls, call for maps and directions all without having to stop what they’re doing to squint at a phone.

Coin

Coin aims to load all your credit and debit cards onto a single card which can be managed via your smartphone. (https://onlycoin.com/).  For those of us who never have the right card for business; for personal; for rewards; for parking – this allows us load every card we have and b able to use precisely the right one when and where we need to.

Electric Cars come of age…

tesla

Tesla, the brand now run by Elon Musk is due to launch the Model X this year at around $70,000.  The car combines best in class engineering and design and is set to give a much-needed jolt to the electric cars market.   Joh

n DeLorean would be proud!

SpaceX approaches lift-off!

The race to be first to offer space travel is now in the hands of some heavy-hitting billionaire, tycoons.  It’s becoming like its very own Marvel

virgingalactic

Comic strip.  In the blue corner is Elon Musk, founder of Pay Pal and CEO of Tesla.  His company SpaceX has won a contract to run four missions to re-supply ISS (the International Space Station)and the company’s rocket, Falcon Heavy is expected to be the world’s most powerful rocket.  Richard Branson – naturally, in the red corner!  Sir Richard Branson’s plans to send paying passengers into space moved a small step closer in April 2013, after Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo made its first rocket-powered flight during which it broke the sound barrier.  SpaceShipTwo is on target to beging accepting passengers for voyages into the edge of the atmosphere in 2014.  Tickets are a bargain at $250,000 but already more than 600 people have signed up for the adventure!

Keep watching this space for more news on innovations and trends you’re likely to encounter sooner than you think …

Dr. Peter Robbins  runs the innovation module throughout the IMI Diploma in Strategy and InnovationHis expertise lies in the area of innovation and new product and service development and techniques for innovation, design thinking and innovation teams.  Peter is a founder of the Innovation Foundation at Nova UCD and was previously global head of innovation excellence for GlaxoSmithKline. 

 

Did you enjoy reading this article?