Technology has traditionally evolved at a rapid rate and that has certainly been the case throughout the 21st century.
Many tech developments from just a few years ago are now nothing more than a distant memory and that trend looks set to continue for the foreseeable future.
Predicting which tech will make its mark is no easy task, particularly in an industry where knowledge shifts so quickly.
With that in mind, we’ve taken a closer look at the tech sector to find five major innovations that we believe could be commonplace in the next five years.
Brand Building Making a Return
Whether you use a digital marketing agency or an in-house team, it is imperative that they are fully au-fait with the latest advertising trends.
While the internet has made it much easier for companies to engage with their audience, it has also created a much more competitive environment for firms to operate within.
On that basis, many businesses will once again focus their energies on brand building over the next few years in order to help themselves stand out from the crowd.
Building a brand requires plenty of time and effort, but the firms that undertake it properly will be the ones who shine over the next few years.
Cryptocurrencies Ready to Breakthrough
Cryptocurrencies have been on the cusp of crossing into the mainstream for a while now, but they could finally be set to fully make a breakthrough.
The progression from cash to card took some time to take hold and it was a similar story when e-Wallets arrived on the scene as an alternative to cards.
Many businesses already facilitate cryptocurrency transactions and their enhanced levels of security are expected to make them appeal to many more over the coming years.
Consumers have become increasingly switched on to the need to keep their personal data safe and this element means that increased cryptocurrency usage is a banker bet.
3D Printing in Healthcare
3D printing has become increasingly prevalent in healthcare in recent times and this trend is fully expected to continue over the next few years, with modern 3D printers becoming more affordable every year.
According to a recent report produced by GlobalData Thematic Research, the process is already used to create living human cells or tissue for use in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering.
It is predicted that 3D printing will become more common in the development and preparation of personalised medicines at both the pharmacy and industrial scale.
The tech is also expected to establish more streamlined and efficient R&D processes, while animal testing could become an obsolete practice.
Virtual Reality for Sports
Virtual reality (VR) tech has been on the fringes of making a huge impact in numerous industries and the next five years should finally see it breakthrough.
Sport is one sector where VR is likely to have a major impact, having already been utilised to great effect by clubs and athletes around the world.
For instance, Premier League clubs such as Manchester City and West Ham United have used VR to help support their traditional training techniques.
The NFL, NHL, MLB and NBA are other major organisations who have embraced VR tech and many others are expected to follow suit.
Robotics for the Visually Impaired
A Loughborough University student has designed a robotic guide dog that will help to support visually impaired people who don’t have a real animal.
The product provides safe routes to destinations using real-time data, effectively mimicking the actions of a guide dog.
Named ‘Theia’ after the titan goddess of sight, the device guides users through their chosen environments via a special control moment gyroscope (CMG).
With a shortage of instructors and high training costs for the guide dogs, Theia could prove to be a life-changing innovation for a plethora of people.
