What are the technology trends to be expected in 2018?

Authored By Eric Wei, Senior Sales Director, ViewSonic Asia-Pacific

The technology landscape is dynamic, with each passing year; we witness numerous innovations and product breakthroughs. In recent times we have seen constant innovation in this field with the emergence of products that have changed technology for the better.

New gadgets and gizmos help shape our lives and make it simpler and productive. The roadmap ahead of technology is full of transformation and efficiency. We can now imagine a world where artificial intelligence, self-driving cars can become a reality.

With the beginning of 2018, people from all walks of life are eagerly anticipating the new innovations that possibly can change our lives. Here are below some predictions on the new technology trends to be expected in 2018.

1. Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence is one of the most important innovations people are eagerly waiting for. AI has shown a positive presence in the tech world as it consists of learning capacities that help to enable personal adjusting depending on the user's need.

We have seen in previous years, the potential that AI has to offer, as it was utilized to transcribe conversations, writing scripts and creating music albums. Moreover, companies are now more than ever interested in funding AI applications. We are still light years away from when AI technology will fully replace human labour.

However, we are much closer to times where AI will assist in people’s lives and work. In 2018, we shall expect to see significant innovations on how A.I. is used to solve major problems in areas such as knowledge discovery and medical diagnosis.

2. Augmented Reality

Augmented reality is the integration of digital information with a user’s environment. The industry is worth an estimated $30 to $162 billion.This technology has garnered immense popularity due to apps such as Pokémon Go etc.

Unlike virtual reality, which creates a totally artificial environment, augmented reality uses the existing environment and overlays new information on top of it. Augmented reality is easier to access and utilize in comparison to virtual reality. Now AR applications can be integrated into one’s own smartphone.

3. Evolution of Natural User Interface

Experts are now in the process of initiating easier interaction between the human and computer interface. It is expected that developers will smooth the communication process with the integration of natural language process.

Users are excited about a feature where voice search on their smartphone, laptops will be able to fully understand the human natural language. This will lead to human-computer interaction to be a seamless experience, without the hindrance of glitches.

The technology of voice search was developed a few years prior, however, it was not completely user-friendly. The use of natural language processing will make conversational experiences richer, more natural and effective. Moreover, effective voice recognition is expected to be perfect.

4. The Rise or Fall of Blockchain

One of the most famous technology development ushered in recent times has been the rage of securing Bitcoins. As we are well aware Bitcoin is a part of “cryptocurrency” a digital currency. It was launched to get rid of government controls and third-party intermediaries. The blockchain is the underlying technology that helps secure Bitcoin transactions. Blockchain provides an effective, well-distributed, unique system of records that protect one’s digital currency.

Bitcoins have now become a household name due to its characteristics of being safe, secure, open, anonymous that industry verticals across various fields such as banking, finance, manufacturing, hospitality etch are utilizing its features.Blockchain technology is suitable for a variety of secure transaction requirements.

It creates a digital record across hundreds or thousands of computers, vastly reducing the risk of hacking. However, the scalability of Blockchain technology is a current concern. In recent weeks there seems to be a sense of uncertainty surrounding the digital currency, with prices falling more than $10,000.But, users are is still trading Bitcoin frequently at levels 10 times higher than last year. It will be interesting to see the future of Bitcoin and its subsequent Blockchain technology.