T - Technology | TEDxSIBMBengaluru 2019

TED is a global community, welcoming people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world that began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment, and Design converged, and today covers almost all topics — from science to business to global issues — in more than 100 languages. Meanwhile, independently run TEDx events help share ideas in communities around the world. The first ever TED, which was co-founded by Richard Saul Wurman and Harry Marks, included a demo of the compact disc, the e-book and cutting-edge 3D graphics from Lucasfilm. Since then, countless new technologies have emerged and changed millions of lives.

Throughout history, whenever new technologies have emerged that change our means of production and ability to communicate, they have tended to transform society. The rapid technological development of the past century – in biotechnology, information technology, nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence – holds the promise to do the same for our current, post-industrial world.

But what is going to be next? Even in the past decade, digital products and services, the internet and mobile technology have changed our lives. This is the result of accumulated advances over the past 50 years; there is much more to come.

So, this year, the theme for TEDxSIBMBengaluru 2019 is Future 2.0, where the speakers will paint their vision and version of a future of how they imagine it to be. In those 18 minutes or less, they will give us a glimpse of their image of the future. Forecasting the future of technology is for dreamers who hope to innovate better tools - and for the mainstream people who hope to benefit from the new and improved.

This is how technology is going to impact our future:

The Future of Agriculture: A technological revolution in farming led by advances in robotics and sensing technologies looks set to disrupt modern practice. Over the centuries, as farmers have adopted more technology in their pursuit of greater yields, the belief that 'bigger is better' has come to dominate farming, rendering small-scale operations impractical. But advances in robotics and sensing technologies are threatening to disrupt today's agribusiness model. “There is the potential for intelligent robots to change the economic model of farming so that it becomes feasible to be a small producer again.”

Smarter Cameras Will Transform Everyday Life: The build-out of networked cameras in cars, homes, gadgets and elsewhere, coupled with significant advances in software and technology such as facial recognition, could allow smart lenses to become universal IDs, leading to more cashless stores and allowing for at-home medical diagnoses.

A 3D printed future: It is the dawn of the era of 3D printing. From artificial prosthetics to very real human kidneys to filigree skull sculptures — the number and variety of applications for this technology are growing, layer by printed layer. NASA is working on the largest rocket ever constructed that is projected to take humans to Mars by 2030. Bypassing traditional processes for building rocket parts, which require welding of seams, creating a single seamless 3D printed piece means less chance for leakage. It also cuts down the cost of manufacturing by almost half. Recently, NASA tested 3D-printed rocket engine injectors in hot-fire tests, exposing them to extreme temperatures and pressures. They passed with flying colors.

Business Travel: Business persons who regularly travel, know that the experience often leaves much to be desired.  From clunky booking tools and lost reservations to tedious expense reporting, the entire experience is rife with potential pitfalls that cost time and cause frustration. The coming years, however, will bring pivotal changes that look to improve business travel.

Recent technological innovations, coupled with an increased focus on traveler satisfaction, means that travel is becoming more personalized, flexible, and seamless. Advancements in AI mean that customizations based on signals such as date, time of day, location, and the user's own purchase history will soon completely permeate the travel industry. Business travelers generate a significant amount of data about their preferences, and various platforms will be able to use this information to individualize booking and offer advice.