Envisioning the future of technology — by Michell Zappa. The top 10 emerging technologies for 2012. Emerging technologies are critical to building a sustainable and resilient future. But without new understanding, tools and capabilities, their safe and successful development is far from guaranteed.
At the Summit on the Global Agenda 2011 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Emerging Technologies asked some of the world’s leading minds within the entire GAC Network which technology trends would have the greatest impact on the state of the world in the near future. Below, the Global Agenda Council on Emerging Technologies presents the technological trends expected to have major social, economic and environmental impacts worldwide in 2012. They are listed in order of greatest potential to provide solutions to global challenges: 1. Informatics for adding value to information 2. The natural world is a testament to the vast potential inherent in the genetic code at the core of all living organisms. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
World Economic Forum lists top 10 emerging technologies for 2012. The World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council on Emerging Technologies has drawn up a list of the top 10 emerging technologies for 2012 (Image: Shutterstock) Our goal here at Gizmag is to cover innovation and emerging technologies in all fields of human endeavor, and while almost all of the ideas that grace our pages have the potential to enhance some of our lives in one way or another, at the core are those technologies that will have profound implications for everyone on the planet. For those looking to shape political, business, and academic agendas, predicting how and when these types of technologies will effect us all is critical. Recognizing this, the World Economic Forum's (WEF's) Global Agenda Council on Emerging Technologies has compiled a list of the top 10 emerging technologies it believes will have the greatest impact on the state of the world in 2012. 1.
Source: World Economic Forum Blog About the Author Post a CommentRelated Articles. One Per Cent: Magnetic soap could clean up oil spills. Jacob Aron, technology reporter (Image: KeystoneUSA-ZUMA/Rex Features) A soap that responds to magnetic fields could be used to clean up oil spills without leaving behind detergents that can harm surrounding wildlife. Researchers at the University of Bristol, UK dissolved iron particles in water that contained chlorine and bromine ions, materials which are commonly found in household products such as mouthwash or fabric cleaner.
This created a metallic centre within the soap particles that could be influenced by a nearby magnetic field. The team tried out their new soap by placing it in a test tube beneath layers of water and an oil-like substance. Using a magnet, they were able to overcome both gravity and surface tension to lift the soap through the layers and out of the tube. Magnetic soaps could also have a range of industrial applications thanks to their ability to change properties such as electrical conductivity or melting point at will with a magnetic on/off switch.
The magnetic soap that could clean up oil spills. Environment posted on January 26, 2012, at 7:30 AM A magnet pulls metallic soap out of water. Is this the key to quicker cleanup after oil spills? Photo: Institute Laue-Langevin British researchers have found a way to imbue soap with magnetic properties, which could have huge implications in the way we fight ecosystem-damaging oil spills. Here's why making the slippery stuff magnetic could be a game changer: It does. It's simple: A detergent that you can move with magnets would be much easier to gather up and remove from the water. Scientists from the University of Bristol added iron-rich salts to create "metallic centers within the soap particles," says Ted Thornhill at Britain's . Yep. Technische Universität Wien : 3D-Printer with Nano-Precision.
A 285 µm racecar, printed at the Vienna University of Technology Detail of the racecar A model of St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna (credit: Klaus Cicha) A larger version of St. The London Tower Bridge (credit: Klaus Cicha) Distance between the towers: 90 µm (credit: Klaus Cicha) Jan Torgersen (l) and Peter Gruber (r) im 3D-Drucker-Labor Printing three dimensional objects with incredibly fine details is now possible using “two-photon lithography”.
Setting a New World RecordThe 3D printer uses a liquid resin, which is hardened at precisely the correct spots by a focused laser beam. This amazing progress was made possible by combining several new ideas. Photoactive Molecules Harden the Resin3D-printing is not all about mechanics – chemists had a crucial role to play in this project too. Researchers all over the world are working on 3D printers today – at universities as well as in industry. Picture download: