We are going to focus in on a few of the major ways that emerging technology has changed our lifestyle in the last decade. What we are seeing now is just the beginning. It's hard to even imagine what the next decade will look like, but we can get some insights based on what has happened in the last ten years.
Here are the highlights of the evolution of technology over the past decade.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence, or AI, has made massive leaps in the past decade. Research into AI has been growing every year, with lots to show for it. There is quite a bit that AI has become involved with. Everything from trend predictions, to workflow management tools, to health diagnoses.
Business intelligence (BI) has been taking advantage of AI in a big way these past ten years. Algorithms have become the name of the game when it comes to more efficient marketing techniques. Social networks like Facebook, along with search engines like Google, have taken advantage of AI to make their algorithms into highly-accurate functions. The whole interaction paradigm has fundamentally shifted. Use of AI helped in improved awareness of road condition, driving behavior, avoidance of car accidents through improved active safety and enhanced traffic condition
Big Data
Big data is a new term describing massive amounts of structured and unstructured data. This data is so enormous that it is incredibly difficult to process it using older methods. With new advances in technology, including larger storage capacity and faster internet connections, big data has become incredibly useful and lucrative.
The solution to storing and processing massive amounts of data has become the Cloud. This enigmatic term is basically off-site storage, using infrastructure designed to process incredibly large amounts of data. Scaling becomes much easier when you are using the cloud for your big data needs. Amazon is a company that has a large percentage of the big data market share, providing seemingly endless amounts of storage for companies that are generating huge amounts of data every day.
Virtual Reality
Virtual reality, or VR, is incredibly young. Back at the start of the last decade, it was barely more than still living in the realm of sci-fi. Soon thereafter, you had the Emotiv EEG headsets that let you control certain functions on a computer with your mind. Not too far after that, the true revolutionary of VR rolled out: Oculus Rift. This was a true virtual reality headset. It changed the way games were played and apps were used. Later, several other companies started coming out with their own VR headsets, some of which were standalone, needing no external PC connection.
VR technology has also evolved to become used in the healthcare industry, as a way to help people suffering from strokes and brain injuries get back their motor skills and cognitive functions. The military uses VR simulators to train its solders. Also, shopping has changed, by now making it possible to shop virtually as if you were in the store in real life.
Wrapping Up
The evolution of technology in the last decade has been monumental. We've already come so far in terms of our technological accomplishments, which have made life both easier and more enjoyable. Where do we go from here? Our imagination is truly the only limit.