The Factors that are Limiting Technology
Business Technology | May 4, 2012
Doesn’t it feel as if we should currently have jetpacks? Teleporters? Or meals in capsule form? We already have some amazing technology, like tablets, which are small computers that we can carry around. We can use the GPS in our cars to find the way around town. We can post an update to our social media sites and reach thousands of people at once.
So, with all of this technology, why don’t we have jet packs yet? What variables are keeping us from making these technological leaps?
Building a Better Battery
Batteries power the vast majority of our technology, particularly as we move into a more mobile world. Therefore, the more limited our batteries are, the greater limitations we have technologically. They are a fundamental part of our technology, so we need to concentrate on enhancing them before we can really make leaps in technology. Luckily, researchers at Chicago’s Northwestern University are designing a more efficient lithium-ion battery, which we discussed in a blog post last week. This may solve this constraint in the next few years.
Improving Internet Access
It may seem like most people are connected to the Internet, but this is a fallacy. Most of the world doesn’t have access to the Internet. Although this may not seem like it could hold back technological advancements, it does. The reasoning is that by limiting the amount of people who can contribute to the interconnectedness the Internet provides, we are reducing the amount of individuals who can collaborate. Until the vast majority of people are connected, technological developments will not happen as fast as they could.
The Business of New Tech
This may not come as a surprise, but business matters slow down technological advancements as well. For example, patent laws, and government regulations. If these things aren’t clear, pioneer technology can sit in red tape limbo for a long time. To prevent this last step bottleneck of the creation process, laws ought to be clear and easy to comprehend.
The good news is that none of these limitations can truly stop technology from advancing. Just think ahead to the holiday season of 2020. Who knows what innovations will be waiting for us.
Doesn’t it feel as if we should currently have jetpacks? Teleporters? Or meals in capsule form? We already have some amazing technology, like tablets, which are small computers that we can carry around. We can use the GPS in our cars to find the way around town. We can post an update to our social media sites and reach thousands of people at once.
So, with all of this technology, why don’t we have jet packs yet? What variables are keeping us from making these technological leaps?
Building a Better Battery
Batteries power the vast majority of our technology, particularly as we move into a more mobile world. Therefore, the more limited our batteries are, the greater limitations we have technologically. They are a fundamental part of our technology, so we need to concentrate on enhancing them before we can really make leaps in technology. Luckily, researchers at Chicago’s Northwestern University are designing a more efficient lithium-ion battery, which we discussed in a blog post last week. This may solve this constraint in the next few years.
Improving Internet Access
It may seem like most people are connected to the Internet, but this is a fallacy. Most of the world doesn’t have access to the Internet. Although this may not seem like it could hold back technological advancements, it does. The reasoning is that by limiting the amount of people who can contribute to the interconnectedness the Internet provides, we are reducing the amount of individuals who can collaborate. Until the vast majority of people are connected, technological developments will not happen as fast as they could.
The Business of New Tech
This may not come as a surprise, but business matters slow down technological advancements as well. For example, patent laws, and government regulations. If these things aren’t clear, pioneer technology can sit in red tape limbo for a long time. To prevent this last step bottleneck of the creation process, laws ought to be clear and easy to comprehend.
The good news is that none of these limitations can truly stop technology from advancing. Just think ahead to the holiday season of 2020. Who knows what innovations will be waiting for us.