Four for 2015

It is that time of the year when everybody lists trends. I should not miss this opportunity to write about the future either. Out of all of the lists that I read, I think the most accurate is Gartner’s. They have listed top 10 technologies for 2015, but I believe these four are the real game changers.

Computing everywhere

As mobile devices continue to proliferate, Gartner predicts an increased emphasis on serving the needs of the mobile user in diverse contexts and environments, as opposed to focusing on devices alone.

The Internet of Things

The combination of data streams and services created by digitizing everything creates four basic usage models — Manage, Monetize, Operate and Extend. These four basic models can be applied to any of the four “Internets.” Enterprises should not limit themselves to thinking that only the Internet of Things (IoT) (assets and machines) has the potential to leverage these four models.

3D printing

Worldwide shipments of 3D printers are expected to grow 98 percent in 2015, followed by a doubling of unit shipments in 2016. As such, 3D printing will reach a tipping point over the next three years as the market for relatively low-cost 3D printing devices continues to grow rapidly and industrial use expands significantly.

Smart machines

Deep analytics applied to an understanding of context provide the preconditions for a world of smart machines. This foundation combines advanced algorithms that allow systems to understand their environment, learn for themselves and act autonomously

These four technologies are important because they will, in combination, design our societies.

Computers will gather data about everything, they will learn, they will evolve, they will print what we build and they will soon learn to design systems. Whether everyone has noticed it, I don’t know, but our societies are speeding into a machine-run future. In the very near future not only the factories will be full of robots, but they will be managed by them as well. Then our streets and then in 10 to 15 years, machines will be able to run a city much more efficiently than we do. The corrupt politicians and unsuccessful middle men are making this transition much faster. You cannot bribe a machine to let you have a license to build more than you should. I believe that human greed will make us accept a future where we let machines decide for us much easier. Let’s see if 2015 will change or hasten this phenomenon.