Top 10 emerging technologies of 2015
Learn about the potential of new technological trends and their impact on society. This year’s 10 emerging technologies offer a glimpse into the power of innovation to improve lives, transform industries and safeguard our planet.
This report by the World Economic Forum was compiled by a panel of experts and draws on collective expertise to identify the most important recent technological trends.
The top emerging technologies identified for 2015 are:
- fuel cell vehicles — zero-emission cars that run on hydrogen
- next-generation robotics — rolling away from the production line
- recyclable thermoset plastics — a new kind of plastic to cut landfill waste
- precise genetic-engineering techniques — a breakthrough offers better crops with less controversy
- additive manufacturing — the future of making things, from printable organs to intelligent clothes
- emergent artificial intelligence — what happens when a computer can learn on the job
- distributed manufacturing — the factory of the future is online…and at your doorstep
- “sense and avoid” drones — flying robots to check power lines or deliver emergency aid
- neuromorphic technology — computer chips that mimic the human brain
- digital genome — healthcare for an age when your genetic code is on a USB stick