NEW DELHI: The World Economic Forum (
WEF
) has identified 10 emerging
technologies
including privacy-enhancing tools, carbon-capturing microbes, alternative livestock feeds, genomics for transplants and AI for scientific discovery as breakthroughs in 2024 which, it said, can make a positive impact in the world by addressing global challenges in the next three to five years.
Carbon-capturing microbes are engineered organisms that convert emissions into valuable products like biofuels, providing a promising approach to mitigate climate change whereas alternative livestock feeds are protein feeds sourced from single-cell proteins, algae and food waste that could offer a
sustainable
solution for the agricultural industry.
Genomics for transplants, on the other hand, marks a significant advancement in healthcare, offering hope to millions awaiting transplants. It will be done through successful implantation of genetically engineered organs into a human. Details of the 10 technologies, focusing on applications in health, communication, infrastructure and sustainability, were published by WEF and Frontiers, Switzerland-based research publisher, in a report on Tuesday.
“Organisations make better choices when they understand the factors shaping the future. The report identifies technologies poised to significantly influence societies and economies,” said Jeremy Jurgens, managing director, WEF and head of the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
“It also spotlights technologies with immense potential for revolutionising connectivity, addressing the urgent challenges of climate change and driving innovation across various fields,” he said.
AI for scientific discovery will enable researchers to make unprecedented connections and advancements in understanding diseases, proposing new materials, and enhancing knowledge of the human body and mind whereas the privacy-enhancing technologies will protect personal privacy while providing new opportunities for global data sharing and collaboration.
Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces; high-altitude platform stations; integrated sensing and communication; immersive technology for the built world; and elastocalorics are the other five breakthrough technologies in the list of top 10.
Elastocalorics will provide
cooling
solutions to the world at a time when global temperatures are rising due to climate change. The reconfigurable intelligent surfaces will turn ordinary walls and surfaces into intelligent components for wireless communication while the high-altitude platform stations can extend mobile network access to remote regions, helping bridge the digital divide worldwide.
Integrated sensing and communication will enable environmental monitoring systems that help in smart agriculture, environmental conservation and urban planning whereas immersive technology for the built world will allow designers and construction professionals to check for correspondence between physical and digital models, ensuring accuracy and safety and advancing sustainability.
