List of emerging technologies

Agriculture

Emerging technology	Status	Potentially marginalized technologies	Potential applications	Related articles
Agricultural robot	Research and development, trial projects
Closed ecological systems	Research and development, working demonstrators (e.g. Biosphere 2)	Agricultural science	Agriculture, scientific research, space colonization	Greenhouse, Eden Project, Bioshelter, Seawater greenhouse, Perpetual harvest greenhouse system
Genetically modified food	Research and development, commercialization
In vitro meat	Research and development[2][3][4]	Animal husbandry, fishing[4]	Humane, resource-efficient meat[4]	New Harvest
Precision agriculture	Research and development, diffusion
Vertical farming	Research and experiments[5][6]	Industrial agriculture	Crop and meat production

[edit]Biomedical

Emerging technology	Status	Potentially marginalized technologies and/or industries	Potential applications	Related articles
Artificial uterus	Theory, research	Incubator	extracorporeal pregnancy, Reprogenetics, same-sex procreation
Body implants, prosthesis	Trials, from animal (e.g., brain implants) to human clinical (e.g., insulin pump implant), to commercial production (e.g. pacemaker, joint replacement, cochlear implant)	Various fields of medicine	Brain implant, retinal implant	Prosthetics, prosthetics in fiction
Cryonics	Theory, research
Expressive augmentation	Theory	Plastic surgery, make-up, and some parts of costumes	Reproduction, cosmetics, and genetic diversity
Genetic engineering	Research, development, commercialization[7][8]	Animal husbandry, plant breeding	Creating and modifying species, bio-machines, eliminating genetic disorders (gene therapy)	Genetically modified food, genetic pollution
Head transplant, isolated brain	Theory, research[9][10][11]			Brain transplant
Hibernation or suspended animation	Research, development, animal trials[12]	Surgical anaesthesia	Organ transplantation, space travel, prolonged surgery, emergency care
Life extension, Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence	Research, experiments, animal testing[13][14][15]	Existing treatments for age-related diseases[15]	Increased life spans[15]	Resveratrol, SRT1720
Nanomedicines	Research, experiments, limited use[16][17]
Personalized medicine, full genome sequencing	Research, experiments[18]	Orphan drugs	Cancer management and preventive treatment; genetic disorders
Regenerative medicine	Some laboratory trials[19]		Life extension
Robotic surgery	Research, diffusion[20][21][22]	Surgeons untrained in robotic surgery
Stem cell treatments	Research, experiments, phase I human trial spinal cord injury treatment (GERON), cultured cornea transplants[23][24]	Other therapies	Treatment for a wide range of diseases and injuries	Stem cell, stem cell treatments, Skin cell gun
Tissue engineering	Research, diffusion[25][26][27][28]		Organ printing
Vitrification or cryoprotectant	Theory, some experiments[29]	Ischemic damages	Organ transplantation, cryonics

[edit]Displays

Emerging technology	Status	Potentially marginalized technologies	Potential applications	Related articles
3D displays	Research, commercialization[30][31]	other display technologies, CRT,LCD	Television, computer interfaces, cinemas	Autostereoscopic display, stereoscopic display,volumetric display, holographic display, Light Field display, Nintendo 3DS, HTC Evo 3D
Ferro Liquid Display	Some commercial products
Field emission display	Research
Holography (Holographic display, Computer-generated holography)	Diffusion[32][33][34]	Display technologies
Interferometric modulator display	Development, commercializing[35]	Other display technologies, CRT,LCD, plasma, e-paper	Non-emissive displays with fast response times and potentially the most realistic colors of all display technologies	Interferometric modulator display, comparison of display technology
Laser video displays	first commercial Laser TV in 2008, Mitsubishi LaserVue TV	LCD and plasma displays	Displays with very wide colour gamut	Laser TV, Comparison of display technology
OLED displays	Diffusion[36][37]	LCD and plasma displays	Displays, lighting	OLED TV, Comparison of display technology
Organic light-emitting transistor	Development
Phased-array optics	Theory[38][39]	Conventional display devices (e.g.,television)	Mass production of 3-dimensional imagery
Quantum dot display	Diffusion
Screenless display (Virtual retinal display, Bionic contact lens), EyeTap	Theory, experiments[40]	Traditional displays	Augmented reality, virtual reality, EyeTap could allow the user to reference the blue prints like in a construction yard, in a 3D manner, Delivers the user constant up to date information on the stock market, the user's corporation, and meeting statuses, visual disabilities	Head-mounted display, Head-up display, adaptive optics
Surface-conduction electron-emitter display	Abandoned	Traditional displays	Displays with high contrast ratio, fast response time and high energy efficiency
Telescopic pixel display	In development
Thick-film dielectric electroluminescent technology	Suspended
Time-multiplexed optical shutter	Commercialized
Volumetric display			3-dimensional imagery	Swept-volume display

[edit]Electronics

Emerging technology	Status	Potentially marginalized technologies	Potential applications	Related articles
Electronic nose	Research, commercialization[41][42]	X-ray and MRI scans for detecting cancer	Detecting spoiled food, chemical weapons and cancer
E-textiles	Research, diffusion[43]
Flexible electronics	Research, development, some prototypes[44][45]		Flexible and folding electronic devices (such as smartphones), Flexible solar cells which are lightweight, can be rolled up for launch, and are easily deployable	Nokia Morph, Flexible organic light-emitting diode
Memristor	Working prototype[46][47]	Some current integrated circuits, many other electronics devices	Smaller, faster, lower power consuming storage, analogue electronics, Artificial intelligence
Spintronics	Working prototypes[48]	Mechanical magnetic hard disk drives	Data storage	MRAM
Thermal copper pillar bump	Working prototypes in discrete devices	Conventional thermal systems, heat sinks, bulk thermoelectrics	Electric circuit cooling; micro-fluidic actuators; small-device thermoelectric power generation (seethermoelectric generator)	Ultra high definition holographic disc,Metal–insulator transition

[edit]Energy

Emerging technology	Status	Potentially marginalized technologies	Potential applications	Related articles
Airborne wind turbine	Research[49][50][51]	Fossil fuels	Producing electricity	KiteGen
Artificial photosynthesis	Research, experiments[52]		replicate the natural process of photosynthesis, converting sunlight, water, carbon dioxide into carbohydrates and oxygen	AlgaePARC
Biofuels	Diffusion[53]	Fossil fuels	Energy storage, more so for transport	Issues relating to biofuels
Concentrated solar power	Growing markets in California, Spain, Northern Africa[54]	Fossil fuels, photovoltaics	Producing electricity	DESERTEC, BrightSource Energy,Solar Millennium
Electric double-layer capacitor	Diffusion, continued development[55]	Chemical batteries	Regenerative braking; energy storage: generally faster charging, longer lasting, more flexible, greener
Flywheel energy storage	Some commercial examples
Fusion power	Theory, experiments; for 60+ years[56]	Fossil fuels, renewable energy, nuclear fission power	Producing electricity, heat, fusion torch recycling with waste heat	ITER, NIF, Polywell, Dense plasma focus, Muon-catalyzed fusion
Generation IV reactor	Research, Experiments	Traditional nuclear power reactors, fossil fuels	Producing electricity, heat, transmutation of nuclear waste stockpiles from traditional reactors
Grid energy storage	Increasing use
Home fuel cell	Research, commercialisation[57][58][59]	Electrical grid	Off-the-grid, producing electricity	Autonomous building, Bloom Energy Server
Hydrogen economy	Diffusion of hydrogen fuel cells; theory, experiments for lower cost hydrogen production[60]	Other energy storage methods: chemical batteries,fossil fuels	Energy storage
Lithium-air battery	Research, experiments[61]	Other energy storage methods: hydrogen, chemical batteries, some uses of fossil fuels	Laptops, mobile phones, long-range electric cars; storing energy forelectric grid
Lithium iron phosphate battery	Commercilization
Molten salt battery	Applications and continuing research
Molten salt reactor	Research, Experiments	Traditional nuclear power reactors, fossil fuels	Producing electricity, heat
Nanowire battery	Experiments, prototypes[62][63]	Other energy storage methods: hydrogen, chemical batteries, some uses of fossil fuels	Laptops, mobile phones, long-range electric cars; storing energy forelectric grid
Nantenna	Research[64][65][66]	Fossil fuels	Producing electricity
Silicon–air battery	Experiments
Smart grid	Research, diffusion[67][68][69]			Smart meter, SuperSmart Grid
Solar roadway	Research[70][71][72]	Fossil fuels	Producing electricity
Space-based solar power	Theory
Thorium fuel cycle	Research started in the 1960's, still ongoing	Uranium based nuclear power, fossil fuels	Producing electricity, heat
Wireless energy transfer	Prototypes, diffusion, short range consumer products[73]	Power cords, plugs, batteries	Wirelessly powered equipment: laptop, cell phones, electric cars, etc.	WiTricity, resonant inductive coupling

[edit]IT and communications

Emerging technology	Status	Potentially marginalized technologies	Potential applications	Related articles
4G cellular communication	First commercial LTE networks deployed in Sweden December 2009; candidate systemsLTE-advanced and IEEE 802.16m (Mobile WiMAX Release 2) in development	broadband	Pervasive computing	Mobile broadband, mobile TV, Interactive TV, 3D-TV,[74] holographic cameras[74]
Ambient intelligence	Theory
Artificial brain	Research[75]		Neurological disease's treatments, artificial intelligence	Blue Brain Project
Artificial intelligence	Theory, experiments; limited uses in specialized domains[76][77][78]	Human decision, analysis, etc.	Creating intelligent devices	Progress in artificial intelligence, technological singularity, applications of artificial intelligence
Atomtronics	Theory
Augmented Reality	diffusion
Cybermethodology
Emerging memory technologies T-RAM, Z-RAM, TTRAM, CBRAM,SONOS, RRAM, Racetrack memory,NRAM, Millipede memory	In development	Current memory technologies
Fourth-generation optical discs (3D optical data storage, Holographic data storage)	Research, prototyping[79]	All other mass storagemethods/devices, magnetic tape data storage, optical data storage	Storing and archiving data previously erased for economic reasons	Holographic Disc stores Ultra HD big Electronic IT companies are interested in this technology it has bigger capacity than Blu-ray Disc 10x times more than optical storage
General-purpose computing on graphics processing units	Diffusion of non standardized methods	CPU for a few specialized uses	Order of magnitude faster processing of parallelizablealgorithms
Machine augmented cognition,exocortices	Diffusion of primitive amplifications; working prototypes of more; theory, experiments on more substantial amplification	Libraries, schools, training, pocket calculators
Machine translation	Diffusion[80][81]	Human translation of natural languages, in areas where misunderstanding is non-critical and language is formalized	Easier and cheaper cross-cultural communication
Machine vision	Research, prototyping, commercialization[82]	Biotic vision and perception, including humans	Biometrics, controlling processes (e.g., in driverless car,automated guided vehicle), detecting events (e.g., in visual surveillance), interaction (e.g., in human-computer interaction), robot vision	Computer vision, pattern recognition, digital image processing
Mobile collaboration	Development, commercialization[83]	Traditional video-conferencing systems	Extends the capabilities of video conferencing for use on hand-held mobile devices in real-time over secure networks. For use in diverse industries such as manufacturing, energy, healthcare.[84]
Optical computing	Theory, experiments; some components of integrated circuits have been developed[85]	Many electronics devices, integrated circuits	Smaller, faster, lower power consuming computing
Quantum computing	Theory, experiments,[86] commercialization[87]	Atomtronics, Electronic computing, optical computing, quantum clock	Much faster computing, for some kinds of problems, chemical modeling, new materials with programmed properties, theory of high-temperature superconductivityand superfluidity
Quantum cryptography	Commercialization[88]		Secure communications
Radio-frequency identification	Diffusion of high cost[89][90][91]	Barcode	Smartstores - RFID based self checkout (keeping track of all incoming and outgoing products), food packaging, smart shelves, smart carts. See: potential uses
Semantic Web or answer machine	Theory, research	Search engines	Making the web machine-readable by annotating data on the web based on its meaning
Speech recognition		Mechanical input devices
Three-dimensional integrated circuit	Development, commercialization[92][93]	Conventional integrated circuit
Virtual Reality	diffusion	Television	Entertainment, education

[edit]Manufacturing

Emerging technology	Status	Potentially marginalized technologies	Potential applications	Related articles
3D printing	Commercial production[94][95]	Manual prototype production, some methods of mass production that lack customizability	Rapidly prototyping and producing plastic objects and multi-material items, with potential to significantly customize products for individual consumers	RepRap Project, Contour Crafting, D-Shape
Claytronics	Theory, experiment	3D printing, traditional manufacturing methods and tools
Molecular assembler	Theory, experiment	3D printing, traditional manufacturing methods and tools		Replicator (Star Trek)
Utility fog	Theory, experiment

[edit]Materials science

Emerging technology	Status	Potentially marginalized technologies	Potential applications	Related articles
Aerogel	Theory, experiments, diffusion, early uses[96]	Traditional Insulation, Glass	Improved insulation, insulative glass if it can be made clear, sleeves for oil pipelines, aerospace, high-heat & extreme cold applications
Conductive Polymers	Research, experiments, prototypes	Conductors	Lighter and cheaper wires, antistatic materials, organic solar cells
Femtotechnology, picotechnology	Theory	Present nuclear	New materials; nuclear weapons, power	'Femtotechnology' at www.wikipedia.com
Graphene	Theory, experiments, diffusion, early uses[97][98]	silicon-basedintegrated circuit	Components with higher strength to weight ratios, transistors that operate at higher frequency, lower cost of display screens in mobile devices, storing hydrogen for fuel cell powered cars, sensors to diagnose diseases[99]
High-temperature superconductivity	Cryogenic receiver front-end (CRFE) RF and microwave filter systems for mobile phone base stations; prototypes in dry ice; theory and experiments for higher temperatures[100]	Copper wire, semiconductor integral circuits	No loss conductors, frictionless bearings, magnetic levitation, lossless high-capacity accumulators, electric cars, heat-free integral circuits and processors
High-temperature superfluidity	Superfluid gyroscopes already exist but work at very low temperatures	Mechanicalgyroscope	High-precision measure of gravity, navigation and maneuver devices, possible devices to emitgravitomagnetic field, frictionless mechanical devices
Metamaterials	Theory, experiments, diffusion[101]	Classical optics	Microscopes, cameras, metamaterial cloaking, cloaking devices
Multi-function structures[102]	Theory, experiments, some prototypes, few commercial	Composite materials mostly	Wide range, e.g., self health monitoring, self healing, morphing...
Nanomaterials:carbon nanotubes	Theory, experiments, diffusion, early uses[103][104]	Structural steeland aluminium	Stronger, lighter materials, space elevator	Potential applications of carbon nanotubes,carbon fiber
Programmable matter	Theory, experiments[105][106]	Coatings,catalysts	Wide range, e.g., claytronics, synthetic biology
Quantum dots	Research, experiments, prototypes[107]	LCD, LED	Quantum dot laser, future use as programmable matter in display technologies (TV, projection), optical data communications (high-speed data transmission), medicine (laser scalpel)
Silicene	Theory, research	Field-effect transistors

[edit]Military

Emerging technology	Status	Potentially marginalized technologies	Potential applications	Related articles
Airborne laser	Research and development, trials	Missile defense	Tracking and destruction of tactical ballistic missiles	Advanced Tactical Laser, High Energy Liquid Laser Area Defense System
Antimatter weapon	Theory	Nuclear weapons
Caseless ammunition	Field tests and some niche markets	Cartridges
Directed energy weapon	Research, development, some prototypes[108]	Firearms	Warfare
Electrolaser	Research and development	Taser
Electromagnetic weapons	Research and development[109][110]	Firearms	Warfare	Coilgun, Railgun
Electrothermal-chemical technology	Research and development	Conventional ammunition	Tank, artillery, and close-in weapon systems
Particle beam weapon	Research and development	Firearms	Warfare
Plasma weapon	Research
Pure fusion weapon	Theory
Sonic weapon	Research and development
Stealth technology	Research and development	Camouflage	Electronic countermeasures	Plasma stealth, Stealth aircraft, Radar-absorbent material
Vortex ring gun	Research and development	tear gas	Crowd control

[edit]Neuroscience

Emerging technology	Status	Potentially marginalized technologies	Potential applications	Related articles
Ampakine			Enhance attention span and alertness, and facilitate learning and memory
Artificial brain	IBM Blue Brain project
Brain-computer interface	Research and commercialization	Video games, television, and movies	A revolution in entertainment, etc.
Brain-reading, Neuroinformatics	Research[111][112][113]		Mind uploading, enabling individuals with brain damage to communicate[114]
Electroencephalography	Research, diffusion[115][116]	Keyboards and other interfaces	Controlling electronic devices via brain waves
Neuroprosthetics			Visual prosthesis, brain implant, exocortex, retinal implant

[edit]Robotics

Emerging technology	Status	Potentially marginalized technologies	Potential applications	Related articles
Molecular nanotechnology,nanorobotics	Theory, experiments[117]	Products and parts production, retail distribution	Machines (desktop, industrial) that can make anything given the materials, cheap planetary terraforming
Powered exoskeleton	Research, development, prototypes, diffusion, commercializing[118]	Electric wheelchairs, forklifts	Heavy lifting, paralysis, muscle related diseases, warfare, construction, care for the elderly and disabled.	LOPES (exoskeleton), ReWalk, Human Universal Load Carrier, fictional armor Iron Man's armor,Future Force Warrior
Self-reconfiguring modular robot	Theory, experiments, early prototypes	Other ways to form physical structures and machines	As a universal physical machine, SRCMR may change the way we make many physical structures and machines	Robot, swarm robotics, autonomous research robot
Swarm robotics	Theory, experiments[119]	Distributed computing, complexity in behavior by simplicity in architecture	Autonomous construction, space construction	Swarm intelligence, autonomous robotics,nanorobotics, particle swarm optimization, multi-agent systems, behavior-based robotics
Unmanned vehicle	Research and development, some diffusion	Manned vehicles, human spying	Mass surveillance, eavesdropping, Oceanography, Commercial aerial surveillance of livestock monitoring, wildfire mapping, pipeline security, home security, road patrol and anti-piracy. Domestic aerial surveillance, patrol the nation's borders, scout property, and hunt down fugitives, Oil gas and mineral exploration and production, geophysical surveys, geomagnetic surveys, transport of goods, Scientific research in areas to dangerous for pilots like a droid hurricane tornado hunter, Armed attack, Search and rescue, explosives and Bomb disposal, peacekeeping operations, ground surveillance, gatekeeper/checkpoint operations, urban street presence, enhance police and military raids in urban settings.	Unmanned aerial vehicle, AeroVironment,AeroVironment Global Observer, AeroVironment Nano Hummingbird, Unmanned combat air vehicle,Unmanned ground vehicle, Unmanned space vehicle, Unmanned surface vehicle, Unmanned underwater vehicle, Autonomous underwater vehicle

[edit]Transport

Emerging technology	Status	Potentially marginalized technologies	Potential applications	Related articles
Airless tire	Research, development, early prototypes[120][121][122]	Conventional tire[122]	Safer tires[122]	Tweel
Alcubierre drive	Attempting to create a warp field in lab tests[123][124]		Interstellar exploration and colonization	Breakthrough Propulsion Physics Program
Alternative fuel vehicle	Commercialization, diffusion	Internal combustion engine	Reducing air pollution, decreasing oil consumption	Electric vehicle, Hydrogen vehicle
Beam-powered propulsion	Theory			Laser propulsion
Driverless car	Research, development, prototypes[125][126][127]	Driver's licenses, rules of the road, traffic lights, traffic sign, highway patrols, vehicle insurances	Reducing traffic collision, increasing road capacity, reducing air pollution, reducing traffic congestion	Google driverless car, General Motors EN-V, CityCar, MIT Car
Flexible wings (X-53 Active Aeroelastic Wing, Adaptive Compliant Wing), fluidic flight controls	Experiments, prototypes[128][129][130][131][132]	Other flight control systems: ailerons,elevators, elevons, flaps, flaperons	Controlling aircraft, ships	Aircraft flight control system,BAE Systems Demon, fluidics
Flying car	Early commercialization, prototypes[133][134]	Automobile, road	More effective transportation	Terrafugia Transition, Moller M400 Skycar, Urban Aeronautics X-Hawk
Hovertrain, Ground effect train	Research, development[135][136]	Conventional trains	Trains with higher speed	Aérotrain, Duke Hospital PRT,Hovercraft
Ion thruster	In use
Jet pack or backpack helicopter	Early commercialization, prototypes[137][138]	Automobile	More effective transportation
Maglev train, Vactrain	Research, early commercialization[139][140][141]	Conventional trains	Trains with higher speed	Shanghai Maglev Train, Linimo
Mass driver	Prototypes
Personal rapid transit	Early commercialization, diffusion[142][143]	Automobile	More effective transportation	Morgantown PRT, ULTra
Physical Internet	Research[144][145]	conventional logistics
Propellant depot	Research, development	Heavy lift rockets	enabling deep-space missions with more massive payloads, satellite life extension, ultimately lowering the cost per kg launched to space
Pulse detonation engine	Testbed demos
Reusable launch system	Research, development	Expendable launch system	Surface-to-orbit transport	SpaceX Grasshopper
Scramjet	Research, development[146][147][148]	Conventional jet engine	Hypersonic aircraft	NASA X-43
Solar sail	In 2010, IKAROS was the world's first spacecraft designed to use solar sailing propulsion to be successfully launched		Space travel
Space elevator	Research, development[149]			Non-rocket spacelaunch,Orbital ring, Sky hook, Space fountain
Spaceplane	Research, development[150][151][152]	Conventional airliners	Hypersonic transport	A2, Skylon
Supersonic transport	Commercialization existed, diffusion	Conventional airliners	Airliner with higher speed	Concorde, Tupolev Tu-144

[edit]