Seoul: Wearable computers, 3-D displays
and "multipurpose" vaccines are expected to change everyday
activities in the next 10 years, a survey by a state-run think
tank in SKorea said.
The survey, conducted by the Korea Institute of S&T
Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP), involved 10 key future
technologies that could bring about a revolution in everyday
lives.
It also predicted products such as medical robots, gene
therapy, home healthcare systems and portable solar-cell
batteries will reach the market by 2020.
According to the survey, medium-sized system integrated
modular advanced reactors, cordless electricity system, and
so-called eco-energy zero architecture are expected to be in
widespread use in the coming years.
"The technologies were selected by asking 1,000 experts
who predicted 380 products and technologies to have the
greatest impact down the road," said said Son Seok-ho, an
associate researcher at KISTEP.
He said the technologies picked by the experts were
cross-referenced and trimmed by people and businesses that
would actually use such products so the top 10 list
represented products that could be made by the target year and
would be bought by consumers.
"The survey is similar to MIT's annual Emerging
Technology review and IBM's 'Next 5 in 5' that are used as
reference in the global technology industry," Son said.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, February 18, 2010, 14:06