Solar Paint
The next innovation, you probably haven’t heard of yet, was introduced in 2017 by researchers from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT). The researchers thought about making the generation of renewable energy easier. To replace large and hard-to-install solar panels, they developed a special paint that can absorb solar energy, as well as moisture from the air to collect hydrogen.
This technology can have many perks. First of all, it’s much cheaper to manufacture than solar panels and much easier to use. Secondly, this paint will be efficient even in areas that don’t get enough solar energy to justify the installation of a full-fledged panel.
This concept is still being developed, so it might not commercialise soon. However, once it does, it can let nearly every family generate clean energy in a more efficient and less expensive way.
Bioprinting for Technological Innovations
While everyone has heard about 3D printers and their possible applications in engineering and construction, there is one innovation that’s much cooler and not as widely spread yet. In a nutshell, bioprinting means creating bio structures using the same 3D printers. For example, it allows scientists to take patients’ stem cells and print various elements of the human body, such as bones, skin, and even organs.
As you can guess, bioprinting is thought to become a real game-changer in the transplant sector. It can reduce the wait time for patients who need transplantation. And it can also reduce the rejection of transplanted organs. The main problem yet is the speed of printing.
Although many experts excelled at creating real-like structures, they still can’t print them fast enough before the cell dies. Nevertheless, this technology is still at the research stage and is getting more advanced every year. So it really has the potential to change the world soon.
Smart Clothing
Today, when fitness bands and smartwatches are present in nearly every household, wearable tech no longer seems a utopian fantasy. It’s becoming something we are used to. And this field is also advancing fast. Companies across the globe are investing heavily in the development of new wearable gadgets. And one Technological Innovations that not many know about yet is the concept of smart clothing.
One of the first prototypes of such tech was introduced by Google and Levi Strauss in 2015. The Computer x Jacquard Jacket can connect to your smartphone and help you control music, keep track of phone calls, and even aid navigation.
Newer concepts of smart clothing also can track the user’s health indicators as fitness bands or smartwatches do. At this point, this innovation still needs further research and development. However, there are already good chances that it will become a new big thing in the future.
Smart Food Labels
There is no secret that hunger is a real and pressing issue. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, nearly 25,000 people die from hunger every day. At the same time, according to the same organisation, around one-third of the food produced for human consumption is wasted every year.
One of the main issues occurs at the end of the supply chain. When food gets to the stores, the expiration dates are not too accurate and the state of the product is often not perfectly edible, which leads to waste. On top of that, there are viruses, bacteria, etc. Smart food labels are an innovation that strives to solve the problem. These labels can determine the freshness and readability of the product based on a variety of factors.
So these were some of the most exciting technological innovations that are not widely known yet. Hopefully, we will see all of them advance in the future to make our world a better place!