News & Analysis
10 technologies to watch in 2011
12/15/2010 1:01 AM EST
Seeking fully biodegradable electronics
Progress has been made in efforts to promote recycling of electronic and electrical goods, but the ultimate goal is fully biodegradable electronics.
Early biodegradable circuits being designed at Stanford University and elsewhere could find use as control circuits for drug delivery via implanted medical systems, for which the slower speed of organic electronics is not a hindrance. Nanopumps for insulin, for instance, are already being designed by a team from STMicroelectronics and Debiotech S.A. (Lausanne, Switzerland); a biodegradable version would function for an expected lifetime of a few months and then simply dissolve away.
Success with biodegradable implants, and improved speeds for organic circuitry in general, could one day allow environmentally compostable electronics to become ubiquitous.
— Peter Clarke
Progress has been made in efforts to promote recycling of electronic and electrical goods, but the ultimate goal is fully biodegradable electronics.
Early biodegradable circuits being designed at Stanford University and elsewhere could find use as control circuits for drug delivery via implanted medical systems, for which the slower speed of organic electronics is not a hindrance. Nanopumps for insulin, for instance, are already being designed by a team from STMicroelectronics and Debiotech S.A. (Lausanne, Switzerland); a biodegradable version would function for an expected lifetime of a few months and then simply dissolve away.
Success with biodegradable implants, and improved speeds for organic circuitry in general, could one day allow environmentally compostable electronics to become ubiquitous.
Stricter legislation in the western hemisphere has helped clean up local practices, but unfortunately has also produced an export market in end-of-life goods to the developing world where environmental laws are not as strict.
— Peter Clarke
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kinnar
12/15/2010 8:55 AM EST
This is indeed a great collection worked out as a compilation for comming year, gesture recognition will be very getting very much acceptance and 3D as well will be getting more accetance.
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pixies
12/15/2010 11:37 AM EST
These are more like the technologies to watch in the next 10 years. Most of them surely will not be commercialized or mass marketed in 2011.
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R_Colin_Johnson
12/15/2010 1:19 PM EST
You are right that these are technologies to watch in the coming years too, however there will be commercial examples of every one of these categories in 2011 (except perhaps fully biodegradable electronics, where progress is being made--for instance in implants that dissolve--but the main progress in 2011 will be in better recycling on the way to "compostable" electronics).
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PRKU
12/15/2010 12:38 PM EST
It is true that the Human machine interfacing is advancing a lot and the machines are getting a lot more intelligent to understand humans better.There will be a new language originating to communicate with machines, like the sign language or gestures.
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yalanand
12/15/2010 1:10 PM EST
Thanks EEtimes for the compilation. Great job.
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DrQuine
12/15/2010 1:55 PM EST
"Personal power management may put you in charge", but it only matters when time of day power rates hit the residential market. At that time it will become worthwhile for users to shift loads from peak time to low demand times. Alternatively, the power company could install a remote controlled device that allowed them to briefly shutdown heavy power use appliances during peak demand periods in exchange for lower utility rates (no user intervention required). We had that in 1998 in Winter Park, Florida and were pleased by the lower power rates we received in exchange.
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R_Colin_Johnson
12/15/2010 2:17 PM EST
"Personal" power management is motivated primarily by reducing the individual's energy consumption, whereas the "infrastructure" solution using smart-meters and embedded processors in appliances (which the smart meter controls) is motivated by the utilities desire to smooth out energy consumption more evenly during the day. Your Winter Park example is revealing in that it was infrastructure oriented and yet also reduced your personal power bill. Thus whichever direction coming from--personal or infrastructure--eventually they will converge. In other words, if everybody reduced their personal energy consumption that would also smooth out the grid infrastructure (and visa versa). Consequently, in my view the personal and infrastructure approaches will meet in the middle where everybody benefits, circa 2020.
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iree
12/15/2010 3:55 PM EST
This technology could be great for deaf people who communicate with American Sign Language (ASL). An ASL to text or voice interpreter would allow the deaf community to interact much more with the hearing community.
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iree
12/15/2010 3:59 PM EST
This comment was directed towards the Gesture recognition for hands-free convenience technology item.
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Roy H
12/15/2010 4:29 PM EST
Battery tech to watch in near term.
http://www.planarenergy.com/
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GREAT-Terry
12/15/2010 5:41 PM EST
Interesting article. I have more interest to see how the mobile 3D technology evolves. The news about A123 to build systems for SAIC is also interesting but I still have some concerns on EV acceptance.
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goafrit
12/15/2010 8:55 PM EST
Who could predict technology. If we can can, there would be no Facebook by the young Time Person of the Year. These are all guess works.
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t.alex
12/15/2010 9:26 PM EST
Microsoft's Xbox Kinect really kickstart a new race of gaming concept in the living room.
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hm
12/15/2010 11:45 PM EST
Majority of these technologies listed to watch are in the field of electrical engineering. How about other braches of engineering? Also, in electrical/electroincs engineering there are many other fields left out. Can we have wider look at technology?
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prabhakar_deosthali
12/16/2010 6:02 AM EST
The Automatic Radar for cheaper cars technology in my opinion will be very important and can help in saving millions of lives all over the world if it can virtually take control out of those reckless drivers zooming at fastest possible speeds and flouting all traffic rules .
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Frank Eory
12/21/2010 12:11 PM EST
Agreed. Automatic Radar needs to become more ubiquitous, to compensate for the increase in reckless driving due to more and more drivers using other new technologies -- mobile handsets, GPS, etc. -- when instead they should be paying attention to the road!
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PGrayDS
12/16/2010 6:10 AM EST
As a DisplaySearch analyst, we absolutely did NOT forecast the uptake of 3D in 2014 to be glasses-free sets. The oncost of 3D processing is low for 120 or 240Hz sets. These are what is forecast. TV set makers will add 3D as a check-box feature, but the glasses and transmitter may not be in the box with the set. Auto-stereoscopic 3D is a long way off still in TV.
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R_Colin_Johnson
12/16/2010 12:54 PM EST
The idea is that mobile 3D, which will be glasses-free, will drive acceptance of 3D-TVs of every type.
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aktor
12/16/2010 8:38 AM EST
Just one word...nanotechnologies
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iniewski
12/16/2010 11:05 AM EST
To @aktor: the predictions are for 2011...there is no way in my opinion that nanotechnology can commercialize anything on such a short time scale...Kris
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MajesTEK
12/16/2010 12:16 PM EST
@iniewski: Nanotechnology for your information is already widely used in commercialization. Why is it that everyone assumes that anything nano has to do with microscopic robots or something like that. nanocarbon tubes are already used in several products. stop thinking that future is in future...its now and here start using it!
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cbonilla
12/16/2010 12:28 PM EST
This is EE times as an Electrical Engineering Times. Why are some people asking or mentioning technologies that are outside the field? Though other engineering disciplines are important, they are not to be deeply discussed in this newspaper and the focused should always be EE.
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Sanjib.Acharya
12/16/2010 1:53 PM EST
Good to see that there are a couple of technological developments on energy management and energy storage, which might take place in 2011. Apart from those two, I am very much interested in watching out for the "fully bio-degradable electronics". Is there already any progress made so far on this technology - “fully bio-degradable electronics"?
Also I am curious to know, based on what information, these top ten technology was highlighted in this article?
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R_Colin_Johnson
12/16/2010 2:05 PM EST
Our editors pooled their knowledge to come up with the Top 10 Emerging Technologies for 2011 list. Regarding bio-degrad, most of the progress today is toward better recycling, but with the advent of organic substrates and printable electronics the future will hold the possibility of full biodegradability.
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Sanjib.Acharya
12/18/2010 7:32 AM EST
Hi Colin, thanks for providing the background of how the technology topics were selected. So it looks like the readers are going see most of the articles and news around these topics in 2011?
Also thanks for providing information on the bio-degradable organic substrates and printable electronics stuff. Looking forward to learn more about the advancement in that area.
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iniewski
12/16/2010 2:31 PM EST
To MajestTEK: appreciate your comment, perhaps I am not informed...could you kindly point out any meaningful commercial applications of nanotechnology today? Kris
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wilber_xbox
12/16/2010 6:35 PM EST
We are already in the nanoscale range in terms of size but i think most people confuse between quantum effect which are actual and true nanotechnology and the extension of the microtechnology to nano-world.
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wilber_xbox
12/16/2010 6:39 PM EST
Most of the technologies seems like directly coming out from the sci-fi world. Its good to know that what seems unimaginable for today is reality for tomorrow! Will surely be interested in reading/following/commenting more about new and interesting technologies of the future which will keep us young engineers motivated.
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iniewski
12/16/2010 6:58 PM EST
To: Himanshu_Gupta: Agree, there is a big difference between nano device that has some unique properties due its nanoscale size and some other scaled down device like MOSFET which even in deep submicron regime still pretty much behaves the same as it was in the micro regime...Kris
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agk
12/17/2010 6:46 AM EST
Many comforts to us and maintaining,improving green of the earth are possible by technology. Most of the above features if it is embedded into the numerous types of appliances used by the society at a minimum added cost to the owners of the appliances then the technology is enjoyable. In my calculations to increse the business in Year 2011 most of the manufacturere are ready to introduce these innovating features into their products with minimum added cost
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rajveer57
12/18/2010 2:27 AM EST
It is a good list. But I a more useful view could be derived from feedback of a wider audience/readers.
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CameliaTex
12/18/2010 11:40 AM EST
I find Geotagging real world a very useful social app. People would be able not to just tag for fun, but also, tag if they see an unsafe location, crime escene, city violatins, Amber alert, if they see a suspect, etc.
Personal safety could be increased if one could tag the place were one just was robed, or even tag the person real life!
Looks promising.
C
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iniewski
12/18/2010 12:08 PM EST
To @rajveer57: I am not sure that feedback from an audience would provide a better list, presumably EE Times expert body has more visibility than a regular reader although there is always some power im masses...but I think you could combine the two: EE Times could allow everyone to click on the trend that she/he thinks is the most important and we will see which of the ten would be the most popular...Kris
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goafrit
12/18/2010 3:53 PM EST
Next time, let us vote for this list. Shortlist 30 and let us vote. That way we can bring insights. There are many technologies out there that we can propose. We need democracy on EETIMES please.
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UdaraW
12/19/2010 11:43 PM EST
Yes, I agree with goafrit over there. While, the concept of ‘editors-pick’ is one popular way to go in these magazines, when it comes to engineering it has got to be different. There are many EE technologies out there and the published list does not do justice to many. When we have such a vibrant engineering community sharing our views, why not let the engineers chose what is it that will excel in 2011? Certainly, a voted result would be a better option when we go forward.
True, it should be some work to organize a poll and distill out the ten best technologies from the point of view of EE Times editors. As it has been demonstrated over the years through the peer-review system of engineering publications, democracy is burdensome and a lot of trouble. But, it is worth the effort for the simple reason that we do not have a better system than consensus of the majority.
Does anyone know of a better option than democracy?
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Charles.Desassure
12/19/2010 3:25 PM EST
Thanks for this article. I think the Touchscreen tabs advance 'consume only' model will become a big hit as we move forward. Some of it is currently being implemented, but I think it is still in its early stages. The others items on your list are good too. Some will not be implemented in 2011, but it will indeed receive attention. Good list.
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p_g
12/20/2010 5:15 AM EST
Much more interesting thing will be the applications derived out of these technologies. Who knows 3-D mobile display may open new war for gaming companies, or a total new domain of apps with gesture recognition. I always found, no matter how bright is technology, the application of technologies derive its popularity.
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phoenixdave
12/20/2010 10:16 AM EST
Nicely written article. I agree with most of the items mentioned, and look forward to watching them further evolve over the next year. I have had some personal experience with the wireless medical devices and can assure you they are not "ready for prime time". The large number of "communications" technologies and products should be a good indicator of what the next industry driver will be. I myself have been upgrading my communications technologies over the last year, and welcome the change. Lets all hope these set the stage for bringing all of us back to prosperity soon...
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phoenixdave
12/20/2010 10:23 AM EST
The Microsoft Kinect Add-on system and associated technologies should open up a whole world of new 3D interactive applications in the future. After struggling to be the standout in the game field Microsoft seem to have done their homework this time. I would expect to see an increase in patent cross-licensing agreements and litigation between the industry players in the next few years. I can't wait to see an application of the Kinect system on a 3D television. A "virtual environment 3D gaming" will be be the future.
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Frank Eory
12/21/2010 12:17 PM EST
I'm surprised that Near Field Communications didn't make the list. NFC-capable smartphones might account for a significant percentage of debit & credit transactions in the near future.
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R_Colin_Johnson
12/23/2010 11:59 AM EST
NFC was originally on the list, but since it is already a solved problem, even though it is rolling out in the U.S. in 2011, we decided that other less familiar technologies would be better fits in our forward looking list.
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Duane Benson
12/21/2010 12:44 PM EST
I suspect that we'll see a lot from electronic paper in 2011. It's been in a couple of e-readers for a few years now and I'd guess it's about time for it to take the next step with increased response speeds and reduced costs. I'm not sure color will be available in 2011 though. Maybe 2012.
With those improvements, a new set of applications will open up in the coming year. We may not see many of the commercial products, but we'll see the raw displays come out ready to be put into commercial products.
And, just what are those new applications? Too many to list, but I can speculate on a few.
Modal safety and regulatory labeling. Labeling has become less and less effective as there are more and more things to warn about. However, quite often, the warnings needed are different depending on the state of the device (off, standby, full-on, etc.) By putting labels for each possible condition, all of them can become lost in the noise. With e-paper, the warnings can be modal and thus very prominent and customized for each needed condition.
Instructional and operational check-lists. This application isn't that different than e-readers, but it could benefit from specialization for the task. With costs down, that specialized product could be commercially viable.
Advertising. We're already seeing a few early-adopter forays into e-paper advertising, but again, with a reduction in costs, it will proliferate into all sorts of annoying and intrusive places.
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BalaLak
12/28/2010 1:11 AM EST
I agree that color e-ink will be a technology to watch out for, especially if it can start supporting video display. I foresee a not-so-distant future where color e-ink can compete directly with LCD.
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Silicon_Smith
12/22/2010 11:26 AM EST
Gesture recognition is the one I would bet my money on. Also, I would like to see innovations is displays. Maybe the projection technologies spreading their wings and the DLP showing more application!
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Hillol
12/28/2010 1:03 PM EST
This is a very good list. Medical Electronics will progress much faster rate such as CRT Optimization for Heart Failure. PH and FRET for DNA is an interesting subject also. We will see Personal Genome Machine and many related electronics.
If you search these key words, you can get information.
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Patk0317
12/31/2010 2:49 PM EST
About 1/2 the technologies listed are already in limited use in 2010. Wireless medical, automotive radar, 3-D. I am somewhat concerned about personal power management. I see it as a double-edged sword. If you are using too much power your utility has the capability to shut you off.
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kaptain jack
2/28/2012 7:15 AM EST
Is smart dust have power to come in this list?
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