What will be the next big technology that changes our world

[MNDude]

It seems that we have a few new technologies that becomes commonplace everywhere, and completely changes the world.

Here is roughly what I understand they have been call:

Late 50s to late 60s: television, rocketry

Late 60s to late 70s: (not sure, handheld calculators and digital watches? Cassette players?)

80s: the use of electronics everywhere, home PCS

90s: internet, pagers, cell phones appear

2000s fast internet, flip phones, digital photography, digital music

2010's: smartphones, social media, digital movies

I know those dates are not exact, but pretty close.

So what do you think the big technology trends that will change the world we live in the 2020s will be?

[NorthMountain]

John Spartan you are fined one credit for violation of the verbal morality statutes!

[NorthMountain]

And just as an aside, Sandra Bullock is hawt. Too bad she has such horrible taste in men.

[SamAdams76]

Fast food restaurants with virtually zero human employees.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Nuclear Fusion. The holy grail. Forget wind and solar and all that. This would blow them away. It would enable us to produce virtually unlimited amounts of energy and since its fusion rather than fission, there would be hardly any waste.

What about when the amount of fuel you put into a reactor is all used up? When the first element is all fused, what happens next?

If the fuel is heavy hydrogen, you are talking about “burning” water. When you consider how much water is readily available in the oceans, any concern of even using a major fraction of it “up” would be a problem for the next millennium.

I wouldn’t worry about it.

[wastedyears]

What’s the waste product? This is a nuclear reaction we’re talking about here. Since it’s fusion, basically reproducing the sun.

[gogeo]

I know I just triggered some here by saying the self driving cars aren’t going to happen, but the fact remains that they cannot function in the existing road environment and would necessitate a complete ban on human drivers to function properly. Maybe someday, but that day ain’t soon.

Exactly so.

I live in the Seattle area. They've been building a light rail line. The first section went through the 'hood, ML King Way.

Upon starting service they experienced a lot of train/vehicle collisions. As I said, it was the 'hood...and some of the locals didn't accept the fact, I guess, that the train wasn't going to stop when they turned in front of it...even though the signs said not to. Racis, you know.

I'd like to see the software to deal with that mentality.

[Bob434]

[[No one ever tried to make meat taste like vegetables...]]

Lol=- excellent point- or like tofu- eyuck!

[gogeo]

Amen to that...loosely paraphrasing, someone once described technology as a race between the empowerment of creativity and the amplification of idiocy.

[CJ Wolf]

Robots that clean the dishes, toilets and floors. Might also do some light dusting.

[knarf]

I JUST finished listening to the audiobook version of that program

I'm becoming addicted to late night audiobook listening over video

How many people actually sit down and watch talking heads and how many go about business while they listen to the same broadcast ?

I'm a retired truck driver and a born again Christian .... I'm a listener.

[trebb]

A way to prevent technology from intruding into your life w/o your consent....

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

What’s the waste product? This is a nuclear reaction we’re talking about here. Since it’s fusion, basically reproducing the sun.

Helios is the Greek Sun god, whom the Romans called Sol. Most often, people viewed or portrayed Helios as a mighty charioteer, driving his flaming chariot (or gleaming horses) from east to west across the sky each day. - http://www.greekmyths-greekmythology.com/helios-sun-god/

. . . and the physical product of the fusion of heavy hydrogen is - helium

I wouldn’t trouble myself too much about the environmental impact of a few tons of helium - it’s inert and, if released, promptly sequesters itself by ascending to the top of the atmosphere, well out of the way of any living creature.

[Drango]

Self driving cars

By 2025 they will be taking hold...by 2030 self driving trucks will transport most goods, from local trips to long haul trucking. Individual car ownership will decrease, and you will share a car with perhaps 5-10 people. Uber type cars will be used for work or trip to store and grandma's house.

Vehicle death per mile will plummet.

[wastedyears]

Won’t that helium be incredibly hot after having been created by fusion?