Technology of the Near Future

What technological innovations are most likely to impact* our lives in coming years? It’s always difficult to predict exactly what the future will hold, but here are a few intriguing* and brilliant new ideas that could be just around the corner.

Dairy Products Made in the Lab

You’ve probably heard of lab-grown meat –meat grown in labs using animal cells – but what about other animal-derived* foods? A growing number of biotech companies are developing lab-grown dairy products such as milk, ice cream, cheese and even eggs. More than one of these high-tech start-ups* believes they’ve found the perfect formula. We clearly have a problem with the realworld dairy industry. It’s not environmentally friendly. In fact, dairy is responsible for almost 4% of global carbon emissions – that’s twice as much as from air travel. Unlike cultured meat, lab-grown milk is not produced from stem cells*, but via a relatively simple process of fermentation which recreates milk proteins (casein) and whey. The exact flavour and nutritional benefits of dairy milk are more difficult to reproduce, but it looks like the solutions to those problems are not far off either.

Robots That Can Read Our Minds

This isn’t science fiction. Technology that can see what we’re thinking has come a long way in recent years. One of the most interesting mind-reading experiments was carried out by researchers at the Polytechnic University of Lausanne. Thanks to a machine-learning* algorithm, a robotic arm and a computer–brain interface*, the Lausanne-based scientists succeeded in creating a way for quadriplegic patients (people whose arms and legs are paralysed) to interact with the world. In the experiment, a mindcontrolled robotic arm performed simple tasks, such as going round an obstacle. The algorithm interpreted signals from the brain, and determined when the arm was making a move that the brain considered wrong, such as getting too close to the obstacle or moving too quickly. Over time, the algorithm adjusts to an individual’s preferences and brain signals. Technology is moving very fast in this area. We may see brain-controlled wheelchairs and other assistance* machines for quadriplegic patients in the near future, and transforming lives.

Sand Batteries

Not all technology that aims to improve our lives is complicated. Some of the best innovations are simple but still incredibly effective. One of these comes from Finnish engineers who found a way to turn sand into a giant energy battery. Sand, like other non-superconductors*, is good at retaining heat. The sand battery takes advantage of this. In this experiment, 100 tonnes of sand are stored in huge, well-insulated steel containers. Hot air from renewable sources is then pumped through heat-exchange* pipes inside the container that is then absorbed by the sand. The sand stores that heat, which is later used to provide heating and hot water, and distributed by local energy companies to nearby houses. The team demonstrated that heat could be stored in their sand battery over a long period of time, and in an environmentally friendly way.

Sweat-Powered Smart Watches

Engineers at the University of Glasgow have developed a new type of flexible super capacitor* that can replace batteries. How does it do that? By storing energy generated by natural human sweat! The device is coated* with a polyester cellulose cloth which absorbs the wearer’s perspiration and reacts with natural ions* in the sweat. This causes an electrochemical reaction which generates energy. “Conventional batteries are cheaper and more abundant* than ever, but are often made using unsustainable and environmentally harmful materials,” says Professor Ravinder Dahiya, head of the team overseeing the experiment. “We have demonstrated for the first time that human sweat could eliminate the need for batteries made from toxic materials, with excellent charging and discharging performance.”

Researchers are working on energy-storing bricks that could power the lighting in a home. In the future, even simple building materials could be turned into renewable energy sources.

Currently, only half the world’s population has access to the internet, which puts them at a big disadvantage compared to the rest of us. To solve this problem, researchers are currently developing balloons and microsatellites that could one day connect even the most rural and remote areas to the internet.

Super-Fast EV Charging

One of the biggest problems facing anyone buying an electric vehicle today is the length of time it takes to re-charge the car’s batteries. It is already possible to charge your car in the time it takes to have

Match

The

technology with

The Correct

aim but, be careful, two have the same aim. Can you find them?

a. to reduce carbon emissions b. to encourage the purchase of electric vehicles c. to give quadriplegics the opportunity to interact with the world d. to replace everyday batteries made with toxic materials

Find synonyms for the following nouns from the article.

a coffee or use the service-station bathroom, but this kind of rapid charging can degrade* lithium batteries, making them less efficient and potentially unsafe. However, a recent study showed that if the batteries are heated evenly to 60°C for 10 minutes then rapidly cooled to room temperature, lithium plating (where lithium inside the battery distributes unevenly) does not occur, and heat damage can be avoided. Using these findings, a selfheating battery has been developed, with a circuit* that heats up in under 30 seconds and uses the car’s own cooling system to rapidly reduce the temperature afterwards. The study, published in the journal Joule, demonstrated that it was possible to charge an electric vehicle safely and efficiently in just 10 minutes.

Glossary

impact: influence, affect intriguing: interesting (because it is unusual or new) animal-derived: that come from animals start-ups: newly created businesses stem cells: special cells that can develop into any cell in the body machine-learning: computer system able to learn and adapt without specific instructions interface: (here) where the body and machine/computer meet assistance: help that allows someone to do something super-conductor: material through which electricity/ electrons flow freely heat exchange: system that transfers heat from one gas/ liquid/solid etc. to another super capacitor: electronic device that can store large amounts of energy coated: covered with ions: atom/molecule with positive or negative electrical charge abundant: in large quantities degrade: (here) not work as well, break down circuit: complete circle, (here) e.g. that heat can travel round