The internet is flooded with anticipations of the innovations that will be commercialized by 2020. Well, if not in 2020, surely in the coming decade.
Of all that I read, from commercial space flights to abolishing the school education systems, there are a few that I really want to happen within the next decade.
By 2020 I will be so ready for
- the Google car – I would love to just sit, command the car to its destination and look around the window, probably taking pictures. Best of all, I don’t have to hunt for a parking space!
- laptop battery that lasts for 5 days – I think I have paid more for replacement batteries and replacement chargers more than I paid for my personal laptops. How sad is that? And just when something comes to my mind when I need my laptop – guess what? it’s dead.
The Duracell induction chargers did not work for me either. I am really hoping that Apple makes their laptop batteries that lasts at least a week for me - a single unified gadget that works as my phone, computer, mobile office, address book, wallet, watch, pens, note books everything. And that should come in a small device that can fit into my pocket.
Pranav Mistry has been designing these machines for MIT Labs for a while now and have perfected many. His intentions are very noble – bring these to the under-privileged and I applaud his efforts. But I would love to lay my hands on some of them too - a drug for common cold, mind you not pain killers. Surely our doctors can do something about it, cant they?
- alternate fuels whether they are bio fuels, recyclable fuel or just plain old electricity with solar panels, I’d like to see a lot of commercial & mass availability of such things
- medicines or technology that can increase the life span of dogs and other pets
- maid-bots – just a couple, you know, I can keep in my home to get me that coffee or make me an omelet or wash the dishes, from time to time
- an affordable digital version of Hasselblad XPan. If they hadn’t stopped making that film camera I would have bought one and used it. I really hope that they bring out a digital version of this awesome masterpiece of a camera soon
- 3D printing in my lab – 3D printing is revolutionary, in healthcare, in bio technology, in manufacturing, you name it, 3D printing is going to change the way we innovate. Can’t wait to have one in my own lab
I really hope this comes by 2030
- robot operated surgery – I’ve been reading of all the amazing advancements in robotic surgery technology and how robots can now operate complex brain surgeries. I’d hate to be along with just a robot – I hope a surgeon would be standing and commanding the robot so that it does not do anything stupid
- a simplified school system where students who need more attention and time need not have to rush through with the super minds. Everyone has their own pace of learning and the current education system seems to deny that paradigm.
Remote teachers can help solve a lot of that problem. Teaching via Skype for example, should be legalized just like home schooling is - the food pills – I read somewhere that NASA is developing pills that can substitute your diet for months. Not that I don’t love to eat or try out new dishes, I would still prefer to take 2 pills and not worry about eating again for a month or so
What I don’t want to change so fast
Given that it is already the digital age and Gen Y and Gen Z are completely mentally digitized, there are a few things I really do not want to change so fast. I need more time to adopt.
- paper books – I don’t mind ebooks, PDFs and all that stuff, but personally I still prefer to buy, hold, read, markup real paper books. But I guess this is going to go away faster than I can imagine!
- bills & coins – I can calculate my grocery expense faster than the guy at the Stop & Shop counter using her machine! I don’t want that to change. Bit coins and e-currency is probably the thing of the future. At least the governments would fight it as long as they can, so I am not alone in this, I hope
- human integrated chips – there is a lot of research and innovation around chips that will be buried in your body and can be used for a log of things – good and bad. I don’t want to be chipped, yet. Hell, I havent even chipped Atom & Tipsy even after so much of persuasion from the vets!
- flying cars are in the making and I hope it remains that way for a long long time
- Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts – can’t do without those guys, I know!
Later Updates:
- Not the 2020 I Envisioned – written in May 2020
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