There has been a lot of interesting developments over the past few years that are still making a substantial effect on the wider world. Take a look at our favourite tech advancements of 2022.
Smart tech
Smart technology has greatly taken over homes in the past year. Driven partially by the idea that it saves energy, which really hits home in a time when the planet is dying and there is a cost-of-living crisis, smart tech aims to make our lives easier using the internet of things. Items that are all connected through the internet and controlled remotely, usually through your phone, you can do everything from opening the blinds to turn on the heating on the way home to improve your home life with smart tech.
One underrated use for it, however, is how much easier it makes the lives of differently abled people trying to live independently. All these little things could take the struggle out of living independently, like lights that use motion detection to turn on and remotely turning on everything from the TV to the kettle.
DNA sequencing
DNA sequencing is the latest in healthcare advancements making waves. By analysing the nucleotides that make up a strand of DNA, doctors like those at Source Bioscience can find information on what makes you you. Furthermore, that information can be used to identify mutations and create treatments for some of the world’s most prominent conditions.
Virtual reality
Whether you want it or not, Mark Zuckerberg is going to give you the Metaverse. Does it look like a Wii game? Sure. Is it rampant with virtual harassment? Of course. Does it seem like a high-tech way to hold a business meeting? Yes. But the Metaverse is just one part of the virtual world. Virtual reality is already being used for lots of different purposes. The most mainstream is obviously gaming. You can have a fun night out at a high-tech arcade that can offer you a virtual reality experience, which means you could be chased by zombies, take part in an alien war, or enter the Fortnite world for “real”.
But virtual reality also has uses in tourism, allowing people to see places they’re not likely to be able to experience for themselves, but it’s also used in training in high stress situations, like surgery, piloting, and deep-sea diving.
Cryptocurrency
The NFT bubble might have burst, depending on who you ask, but cryptocurrency is still very much alive. And it’s being improved. Ethereum, one of the biggest coins in the market, has merged, changing its approach from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake, which offers a better playing field for “miners”, and most importantly, cuts down the carbon footprint of the coin by reportedly over 90%.
Elsewhere, the mainstream appeal of cryptocurrency has resulted in governments taking notice. A lot of governments are, if not implementing, putting together regulations for digital assets in an attempt to curb down on the wild west nature of the market and create a safe space to trade.
