What will the technological reactions to the dominant narratives of 2017 look like? Here are some themes to watch.
- Renewable energy is poised for a comeback despite setbacks from the federal lawmakers.
- Did you know that the first cyborgs already walk among us, and they have proven memory enhancements?
- There’s disagreement surrounding human genome (what else is new?) but this time it’s over who owns your genetic information, and what can they do with it?
- And in the wake of net neutrality, it’s local government sticking up for the little guy.
We’ll look at how all this shapes the tech space in the coming short term.
1. Battery-powered renewable energy
The batteries that power our smartphones and laptops are going macro. Lithium-ion cells are headed for the power grid. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission recently ruled that battery power, or storage energy as its known, is cleared for use. Batteries are great news for renewable energy like solar and wind, as they store net positive production for a more consistent energy delivery to consumers. Lithium-ion battery prices have been in a free-fall since 2010, and now companies and regulators have increased incentive to implement the technology in place of fossil fuels sources.
Such types of distributed energy resources (DERs) are a hot topic in the energy market. Recent reports from the energy and power sector provide the groundwork for development. Not all the engineering is in place, but DER advocates want to see open-source style innovation occur, with information sharing, and collaborative partnerships setting the tone for the start-up scene. We’ll see.
2. Brain implants are real, and they work like wireless routers
A University of Southern California researcher
published findings in November that his ‘brain prosthesis’ is shown to effectively improve human memory. “We are writing neural code to enhance memory function,” writes Dong Song, associate professor at USC’s Viterbi School of Engineering. A simplified take on Song’s research is it models how nerves communicate in a multi-input, multiple-output (MIMO) nonlinear dynamic model. The prosthesis he designed for the hippocampus, the memory center in the brain, operates within a MIMO system which is similar to how wireless access points and routers manage Wi-Fi traffic when there are lots of devices on the network.
This is big news; potentially life-changing for those affected by brain diseases like Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Companies in the Biotech space, including Elon Musk’s Humanai Brain Merge, and projects at MIT and the U.S. Department of Defense, are working to develop computerized layers to the brain as well. Developments are expect to help the paralyzed regain motor function, and give sight to those who suffer from blindness.
3. It’s evolution, baby—and it’s a big time industry
The Human Genome Project turned 17 years old this month. In that time, one thing has become clear—the technology is worth a lot of money. How much? According to analysis by Grand View Research, the DNA/RNA sequencing industry will grow to almost
$16 billion by 2025. It has already worked its way into the consumer space. Personal genome sequencing conducted by companies like 23andMe is popular and compelling because it tells us a lot about ourselves. That’s also the objectionable part of the advancement.
The ethics surrounding private efforts to enter into genomics has evolved into a privacy issue in recent years. Whereas the original scope of the human genome project sought to make mapping open source content free to the public, others in the private sector make their research available only to paying customers. The question becomes, who owns genetic information? Lawmakers have yet to work out all the kinks. Nonetheless, genetic data sets continue to grow in both public and private research labs.
4. Municipal broadband steps up for consumers, catalyzes startup culture
Broadband services begin to feel the aftershocks from the net neutrality ruling. One of the biggest shakers is public broadband services that have started to take shape across the county. Cities like Chattanooga, Tennessee, whose Electric Power Board installed a fiber-optic network in 2010, sparked its burgeoning tech scene with its service. Previously underserved cities like Ft. Collins, Colo. and Louisville, Kentucky are following suit.
With consumers beating the drum for more competition in commercial telecom, it’s city government walking the walk and providing for constituents. Municipal project management demand is not limited to mountain cities. The idea is gaining traction in Seattle and New York; RFIs are out for bid on citywide gigabyte Internet projects.
