IBM today unveiled the sixth annual "IBM 5 in 5", a list of innovations that have the potential to change the way people work, live and interact during the next five years.
This year's five in five are:
People power will come to life
You will never need a password again
Mind reading is no longer science fiction
The digital divide will cease to exist and
Junk mail will become priority mail.
The IBM 5 in 5 is based on market and societal trends as well as emerging technologies from IBM's research labs around the world.
People power will come to life
Anything that moves or produces heat has the potential to create energy that can be captured. Walking. Jogging. Cycling. The heat from your computer. Even the water flowing through your pipes.
Advances in renewable energy technology will allow individuals to collect this kinetic energy, which now goes to waste, and use it to help power our homes, offices and cities.
You will never need a password again
Your biological makeup is the key to your individual identity, and soon, it will become the key to safeguarding it.
You will no longer need to remember multiple passwords for various log-ins. Each person has a unique biological identity and behind all that is data. Biometric data – facial definitions, retina scans and voice files – will be composited through software to build your unique online password.
Referred to as multi-factor biometrics, smarter systems will be able to use this information in real-time to match your unique biometric profile.
Mind reading is no longer science fiction
IBM scientists are among those researching how to link your brain to your devices, so you can make something happen just by thinking about it.
Scientists in the field of bioinformatics have designed headsets with advanced sensors to read electrical brain activity that can recognize facial expressions, excitement and concentration levels, and the thoughts of a person without them physically taking any actions.
Within 5 years, we will begin to see early applications of this technology in the gaming and entertainment industry. Furthermore, doctors could use the technology to test brain patterns, possibly even assist in rehabilitation from strokes and to help in understanding brain disorders, such as autism.
The digital divide will cease to exist
In five years, the gap between information haves and have-nots will narrow considerably due to advances in mobile technology.
There are 7 billion people inhabiting the world today. In five years there will be 5.6 billion mobile devices sold – which means 80 percent of the current global population would each have a mobile device.
As it becomes cheaper to own a mobile phone, people without a lot of spending power will be able to do much more than they can today.
Junk mail will become priority mail
Today we are flooded with advertisements we consider to be irrelevant or unwanted. It may not be that way for long.
In five years, unsolicited advertisements may feel so personalized and relevant it may seem spam is dead. At the same time, spam filters will be so precise you'll never be bothered by unwanted sales pitches again.
Through alerts direct to you, you'll be able to purchase tickets instantly from your mobile device, or be notified that a snow storm is about to affect your travel plans.
IBM is developing technology that uses real-time analytics to integrate data from across all the facets of your life such as your social networks and online preferences to present and recommend information that is only useful to you.
It’s all fascinating stuff, but readers can decide for themselves how much it will enhance their lives. It sounds like a nightmare to me!
