We’ve seen a lot of new technologies being introduced these past few years. Google Glass was predicted to be the next big thing when it was first unveiled, offering immense computing power and a lot of immersive user experience in a tiny form factor. After a few iterations, however, it didn’t catch on and was soon dropped by Google.
Google Watch was another interesting one. A lot of mainstream brands have since releasing their own version of Android Wear-based wearables, from the sleek Moto 360 to the highly efficient Samsung Gear S2. Again, despite being seen as the next big thing, the technology just didn’t catch on. So, what is the real future for technology?
Augmented Reality
One of the most exciting developments we’ve seen recently is the use of augmented reality. Instead of looking at your screen, you can see information being displayed right in front of your eyes in an interactive way. You can also interact with the augmented reality elements directly. The one company that successfully showed us the future of AR is Microsoft.
When Microsoft first demoed the HoloLens, everyone was in awe. The device itself looked amazing with a matte-black finish and a tinted glass covering the front side of it. It is still a bit bulky, especially when you compare it to Google Glass and its very sleek form factor, but it looks awesome nonetheless.
The Microsoft HoloLens has one other party trick up its sleeve: a true augmented reality experience. You just have to watch the demo video to understand how much this device will change the way we use AR; it will even change the way we use computers in the future.
You can place your Calendar app on the wall in your room. It will be there every time you look at the wall through the HoloLens. You can interact with it too. For example, adding a new appointment is so much fun since now you can tap on the particular date – directly on the augmented reality interface – and use voice command to add the appointment.
The possibilities are endless with this device. Microsoft HoloLens is still in its development stage at the moment, but a consumer version is scheduled for release really soon.
Virtual Reality
Unlike augmented reality, which adds digital elements to your world, virtual reality takes you to a whole new world entirely. Oculus and the Oculus Rift was the first to take VR to the next level, offering games and interactive VR contents that are more accessible than ever. You can literally walk through a jungle in the Amazon without leaving the comfort of your room.
It was Sony PlayStation VR that really took virtual reality gaming to mainstream market though. With the company’s PS4 doing so well, PlayStation VR is the next logical step. Instead of looking at a flat screen, players can now be an actual part of the game. Take a first-person shooter game, for example. You can look to your sides, hide behind a wall and tilt your head to take a peek and interact with other elements in the game directly.
It doesn’t stop there either. A lot of the more traditional games are now more immersive with the presence of VR gaming. You can play online bingo and actually see other players sitting next to you when you look around. You can also be Mario in the Mario Bros game, taking on the stages in first-person mode.
True Electric and Hydrogen Cars
The automobile industry has always been at the edge of technology. Thanks to sports like Formula 1 and Formula E, a lot of the latest advancements in technology quickly make their ways to cars and motorcycles. The latest of a long series of developments is electric- and hydrogen fuel-based cars. It is worth mentioning that we’re really close to abandoning fossil fuel entirely too.
Electric cars have come a long way. The latest Tesla P100D is the fastest accelerating production car in the world, beating the almighty Bugatti Veyron and Ferrari’s La Ferrari to 60 miles per hour by 0.3 seconds. It also has a much longer range and better Super Charging, which allows you to get to 60% in just minutes, not hours.
While electric cars are quickly catching on, hydrogen fuelled cars are even more interesting. Hydrogen fuel cells are capable of producing immense amount of energy. On top of that, the only thing you need to produce that energy is hydrogen, the most abundant material in the world.
All of these developments are really interesting. They are more than just ideas or concepts too. These technologies, parts of our future, are actually being used and implemented in various fields today. It won’t be long before you can all sit at home and have a poker night with friends through virtual reality.