The timing of this prediction of 2021 may seem irrelevant, given the uncertainty of the final months of 2020. World-changing events this year are unpredictable, but it is clear that technology has been affected as much as every other aspect of our lives.
On the other hand, today’s most important technology trends will play an important role in helping us cope with and adapt to the many challenges facing the world. From moving to working from home to new rules of how we meet and interact in public spaces, technology trends will be the driving force behind change.
In many ways, COVID-19 will act as a catalyst for a variety of changes in life, people becoming more and more online and forming digital lives. Things will happen faster, with urgency being the driving force. And if that were the case – as some predicted – COVID-19 “magically disappeared” – suddenly the changes caused by COVID-19 would not go away, as we have learned to do many things effectively and safely. fuller.
Here is an overview of the 5 major technology trends, likely to take place in 2021. Some technologies will play a role in helping to restore the “new normal state”, while others will make it easier for us to understand and navigate a changed reality.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI is undoubtedly one of the biggest technology trends right now, and in 2021 it will become an even more valuable tool to help us interpret and understand the world around us. The amount of data being collected on healthcare, rates of infection and the success of measures taken to prevent the spread of infection will continue to increase. This means that machine learning algorithms will be better informed and increasingly sophisticated in AI-powered solutions.
From computer vision systems that monitor the competencies of public areas to analyzing interactions discovered through monitoring, self-learning algorithms detect connections and insights. which human manual analysis does not recognize. They will help predict demand for services from hospitals and other healthcare providers, and allow administrators to make better decisions about when and where to take them. power.
For business, AI will aid in creating customer behavior change models. More human activities will happen online – from shopping and networking to virtual workplaces, meetings and recruiting. Throughout 2021, the tools used to analyze these behavioral changes will become more and more sophisticated, and will increasingly fit into the budgets and infrastructure requirements of more and more organizations.
- Robots, Drones and Vehicle Automation
As the number of passengers using public transport varies from week to week, depending on regional conditions, autonomous vehicle initiatives will increase. Promoting the efficiency of self-driving vehicles on public transport networks will be a priority for service providers as well as regulators, where reducing labor costs will help balance uncertainty. of customer needs.
In recent years, we have seen the emergence of robots in the care and assisted living fields, and they will become increasingly important, especially when interacting with members of society. people who are most susceptible to infection, such as the elderly. Human interaction with people in need of special care can be completely replaced, through the use of robotic devices to provide channels.
New interactions, such as 24/7 home access to help, or simply providing companionship when it might be unsafe to send nursing staff home. In addition, it will open up new business opportunities like moving into robotics providers for services like cleaning and security. This activity has led to a skyrocketing stock price among businesses involved in the robot supply.
Drones will be used to deliver drugs and equipped with computer vision algorithms, used to track travel in public areas to identify places at risk of transmission. virus higher.
- As-A-Service revolution
“As-a-service” – the provision of needed services through on-demand, cloud-based platforms – is the key that has brought various technology trends to the table. with everyone. That’s why it is possible to provide AI and robotics for any business or organization, regardless of their size or budget. Thanks to cloud services from companies like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and groups of startups and spinoffs, innovators advanced technology can be deployed in all areas without the need for upfront investment in tools, equipment or professionals.
With a pandemic raging around the world, companies must rely on the cloud to provide scalable solutions in the form of services. Take Zoom, for example, which has quickly become a household name thanks to the speed at which servers are added and the range and quality of service are expanded; because the solution is cloud-based and partnerships with service providers, to quickly increase capacity to meet demand. By 2021 and beyond, providing a service-type solution will become increasingly important and more likely to be open to all.
- 5G and connectivity enhanced
Faster and more reliable internet doesn’t just mean we can load web pages faster and spend less time waiting for the video to launch on Youtube. Every step forward in mobile connectivity from 3G onwards has unlocked new use cases for the Internet. 3G made web browsing and data-oriented services useful on mobile devices, 4G led to the development of video and music streaming platforms as bandwidth increased and 5G, similarly, opens more doors for useful applications.
5G means services based on cutting-edge technologies like augmented and virtual reality, as well as cloud-based gaming platforms like Google’s Stadia or NVidia’s GeForce Now become a possible proposition. exam, anywhere at any time. These platforms also threaten to render fiber-based and fiber-based networks redundant, as the constraint must be connected at a particular location.
In short, 5G and other advanced, high-speed networks make all other trends available anytime, anywhere. Complex machine learning applications rely on real-time access to Big Data sources that can be conducted in the field through automation. A good example is the Norwegian fish company Salmar, which uses 5G networks to automate the care and feeding of fish. Image recognition algorithms are used to detect which fish are overeating or undernourished and automatically dispense the food and medicine needed to keep them healthy. Such initiatives will become increasingly important in 2021, as businesses seek to increase automation across their entire workforce.
- Augmented Reality (XR) – Virtual and augmented reality (VR / MR)
These terms refer to technology that uses glasses or headphones to project computer-generated images directly in the user’s line of sight. When superimposed on what the user is watching in the real world, it’s AR. And when used to expose users to a completely computer-generated environment, VR.
Over the next year, we can expect these technologies, along with other trends, to help solve the challenges posed by the current world situation. This will allow us to avoid potentially dangerous situations; like facing the risk of virus transmission, more and more medical examination and diagnosis can be done remotely. A solution for ophthalmologists has enabled eye tests to be performed entirely in VR environments, with a high definition camera providing clear images of the patient’s eyes. Then an AR tool allows customers to browse through glasses and see how they look on their faces without having to leave the house.
We will also see an increase in the use of VR and AR tools in the education sector. This will reduce the need to work in crowded classroom conditions – if not completely, at least in areas and during high transmission speeds, contributing to reduced infectiousness. disease in the community.
And as more data becomes available about the conditions and how the virus is transmitted, AR tools will be used to deliver real-time warnings as we move through areas known to be infected. virus. Even simple steps like reminding us to wash our hands when touching doorknobs in public or emitting a warning when the device detects we are touching our face without washing our hands can help save lives and prevent we spread disease around the environment we live in and move through.