IBM takes a close look at current technology market trends and releases Next 5 in 5 2011-- a yearly forecast collection from the company. Science fiction or science fact? Guess we'll be able to tell when the year 2016 comes along...
On top of this year's forecast is Energy: People power will come to life-- according to IBM, the year 2016 will have us harnessing kinetic energy (the energy generated from motion) to power "anything from your house to your city." How does one collect kinetic energy? IBM is testing means to collect ocean wave energy (using special bouys).
Security: You will never need a password again-- we will no longer need to remember multiple multi-character strings again, as multifactor biometrics (including retinal scans and voice checks) will will become the "only password."
Mind reading: touch and voice will be passé by 2016, as our minds will let us control all our devices.
Mobile: IBM says the digital devide will cease to exist, and noone will be an "information have-not," thanks to cheaper access to the internet via mobile devices.
Analytics: Junk mail will become priority mail-- IBM forecasts beefed up personal assistant software, "combining your preferences and your calendar...the technology will proactively reserve tickets to your favorite band's concert when your calendar shows you're free, or research alternate travel plans when it detects bad weather along your route, and then tell you where to go."
Far fetched? We decided to check the accuracy of past IBM forecasts... and according to The Next 5 in 5 2006, this year we were supposed to have mind-reading mobile phones, a 3D internet (like the one in William Gibson's Neuromancer), wide-scale nanotechnology use, remotely accessable healthcare, and even real time speech translation... Personally? I'm still waiting for my flying car. Somebody should get working on that, right?
Watch IBM Next 5 in 5 2011
