Since 2001, each year MIT Technology Review has chosen what they call the 10 Technology Breakthroughs. People often ask, what exactly is meant by "breakthrough"? This question is not really explicitly answered. Some of MIT's choices have not yet reached widespread use, while others may be at the peak, until they become commercially available.
What MIT is really looking for is applicable technology, or maybe even a collection of technologies, which will have a big impact on our lives. They have certain criteria to choose the best technological breakthrough. For 2018, here are ten technological breakthroughs from the choice of MIT Technology Review!
1. Zero-Carbon Natural Gas or natural gas without carbon emissions
Breakthrough: Efficient and inexpensive power plants capture carbon released by burning natural gas, avoiding greenhouse gas emissions.
Why it's important: About 32 percent of US electricity is produced with natural gas, accounting for around 30 percent of the energy sector's carbon emissions.
Key Players: 8 Rivers Capital; Exelon Generation; and CB & I.
Availability: next 3-5 years.
2. Artificial embryos, aka artificial embryos
Here are the 10 most cutting-edge technology breakthroughs in 2018 that you must know! Technologyreview.com
Breakthrough: Without using eggs or sperm cells, researchers have made embryo-like structures from stem cells, providing a new route for creating life.
Why it's important: Artificial embryos will make it easier for researchers to learn about the mysterious beginnings of human life, but they have the potential to trigger debate in new bioethics.
Key Players: Cambridge University, University of Michigan and Rockefeller University
Availability: It's available now.
3. Sensing City or city that can feel
Here are the 10 most cutting-edge technology breakthroughs in 2018 that you must know! Technologyreview.com
Breakthrough: Environment Toronto aims to be the first place to successfully integrate cutting-edge urban design with cutting-edge digital technology.
Why Important: Smart cities can make urban areas more affordable, livable and environmentally friendly.
Key Players: Sidewalk Labs and Toronto Waterfront
Availability: The project was announced in October 2017, while new construction can begin in 2019.
4. Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Everything
Breakthrough: Cloud-based AI makes technology cheaper and easier to use.
Why It's Important: Now the use of AI is dominated by a small number of companies, but as a cloud-based service, this service can be widely available for many things, providing an economic boost.
Key Players: Amazon; Google and Microsoft.
Availability: It's available now.
5. Dueling Neural Networks
Here are the 10 most cutting-edge technology breakthroughs in 2018 that you must know! Technologyreview.com
Breakthrough: Two AI systems can debate each other to create original images or sounds that are very realistic, something that the previous machine has never been able to do.
Why it's important: This gives machines something similar to imagination, which can help them become less dependent on humans - but also turn them into powerful tools for digital forgery.
Key Players: Google Brain, DeepMind and Nvidia.
Availability: It's available now.
Read too: New Technology Cameras, Gadgets & Drone
6. Babel-Fish Earbuds
Here are the 10 most cutting-edge technology breakthroughs in 2018 that you must know! Technologyreview.com
Breakthrough: Almost real-time translators now work for a large number of languages ??and are easy to use.
Why Important: In a world that is increasingly open globally, language is still a barrier to communication.
Key Players: Google and Baidu.
Availability: It's available now.
7. Perfect Online Privacy, aka perfect online privacy
Here are the 10 most cutting-edge technology breakthroughs in 2018 that you must know! Technologyreview.com
Breakthrough: Computer scientists perfect cryptographic tools to prove something without revealing the information underlying the evidence.
Why it's important: If you need to disclose personal information to get things done online, it's easier to do so without jeopardizing your privacy or exposing yourself to identity theft.
Read too: Amazing, It's The Technology That Will Change The World
Read too: Amazing, It's The Technology That Will Change The World
Main Player: Zcash; JPMorgan Chase; ING
Availability: It's available now.
8. Genetic Fortune-Telling aka reading genetic predictions
Here are the 10 most cutting-edge technology breakthroughs in 2018 that you must know! Technologyreview.com
Breakthrough: Scientists can now use your genome to predict your chances of developing heart disease or breast cancer and even your IQ.
Why Means: DNA-based predictions can be the next major public health progress, but they will increase the risk of genetic discrimination.
Player Key: Helix; 23andMe; Myriad Genetics; UK Biobank; Broad Instituteix; 23andMe; UK Biobank and Broad Institute.
Availability: It's available now.
9. 3-D Metal Printing Machine
Here are the 10 most cutting-edge technology breakthroughs in 2018 that you must know! Technologyreview.com
Breakthrough: Now the Printer can make metal objects faster and cheaper.
Why it's important: The ability to make large and complex metal objects on demand, which can change the manufacturing business operations.
Key Players: Markforger, Metal Desktop and GE
Availability: It's available now.
That's the latest technological breakthrough from the MIT Technology Review in 2018. Which one is the most sophisticated in your opinion? Which one is most beneficial for the majority of people? Share your opinion in the comments column!