The dawn of the millennium did not bring the end of the world, as many people feared, but it did crest an age of technological advancement that still seems slightly out of this world. As the second millennium reaches legal age, it is interesting to see how much this burst of technological advancement has grown in the past 18 years.
These are three exciting tech advancements that will be available to the public in 2018.
Augmented Reality (AR)
In the summer of 2016 Pokémon Go introduced the world to the capabilities of augmented reality (AR) and the people welcomed it wholeheartedly.
It seemed that everyone who had any knowledge of how to use a smartphone was entering the game, trying to "Catch 'em all" in real life!
However, in the year and a half since the craze hit its peak, AR has made some substantial advancements and in 2018, they will be showcasing those capabilities to the world.
Augmented Reality is said to be coming in the form of new smartphones with the feature built in and glasses!
No, unfortunately, the idea for Google Glasses was sidelined but the company, Magic Leap has taken up the mantel. The company invested $1.9 billion dollars into the project that is known as the AR Headset. According to a spokesperson for Magic Leap, the AR Headset is a "Lightweight, wearable computer that enriches your experience in the real world with digital content."
AR is expected to revolutionize not only gaming but also teaching, architecture, interior design, GPS, and ultimately the way we as humans interact with the world around us.
Robots roaming the streets
Every kid has wanted a robot that cleans their room for them (and let's face it, every adult wishes they had a robot to clean the house for them), but in 2018 the possibility of humans having to share the places they work, live and even vacation with robots might come to fruition.
Robots have already been tasked in some cities with helping to prevent theft, guarding the halls of hotels and even make food deliveries.
However, in recent tests, while the robots haven't malfunctioned, humanity has not taken kindly to being ordered around by a heartless hunk of metal.
San Francisco even went as far as to quantify the number of robots allowed on the streets in their city.
Nevertheless, the fact that this technology is out there is a huge leap in the right direction for those who are looking forward to the advancement of Robotic Artificial Intelligence (AI).
So far, the minor issues that they have come across are merely easily surmountable hurdles. There is nothing that has happened yet in the testing to truly discourage the permeation of robots into our everyday life.
Self-driving cars
Self-Driving cars seem to be the white rabbit of technology. With everything else we have been able to integrate into the age of Artificial Intelligence, it seems strange that we have yet to be able to simply sit back and enjoy the ride in our very own self-driving car.
Yet, technological advancements put in place by Tesla, make those pro-innovation drivers hopeful that in 2018, we may finally achieve our long sought-after goal.
Since early 2016, Tesla has challenged other car companies to reach their level by integrating standard accident prevention and safety precautions into their cars.
In addition, they have chased the idea of electric cars and in 2018, Tesla hopes to get their newest model, the Model 3, on the road. This car is equipped with heightened safety features, created by technological advances, cameras, sensors, and the foundational computing power to eventually allow it to drive itself.
Once this car is released, it is highly probable that other car companies will follow suit, upping the ante for the first company to produce the first true, self-driving car.
Bonus: Alien alloys
Yes, alien alloys. While this sounds more like a reference to Terrigenesis in Marvel's Agents of Sheild, it is actually a proven and confirmed fact. Discovered as part of the Pentagon's UFO research, these alien alloys were studied and according to acclaimed New York Times Reporter, Ralph Blumenthal, "No one knows what they are, to this day."
While this isn't yet a usable piece of technology, the alloys are a useful and mysterious form of tech that deserves recognition.
After all, when a breakthrough with these alloys is announced, it will likely shake the bedrock of what humanity currently believes is possible through technological advancement.
Or, it could be the equivalent of an alien's paper football but the former is far more probable.
View the interview with Ralph Blumenthal Here: