世界を変える新興技術
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00:00Technology is progressing faster than ever, with groundbreaking new ideas being explored every day.
00:07From floating farms to edge computing, here are the 15 most incredible emerging technologies.
00:15Number 15. Spin Launch
00:17There's been a lot of focus in recent years on private space companies
00:21and their quest to develop vehicles that can take paying customers into orbit.
00:25But the reality is that especially with the pollution that traditional spaceflight creates,
00:30these advances won't make a difference to people, other than billionaires, for quite some time.
00:35There is, however, a lesser-known company that's making huge strides
00:39at making space technologies far cheaper, greener, and easier to access.
00:43It's just that their focus is on satellites and not on human travel.
00:48Known as Spin Launch, the concept is actually rather simple,
00:52although it is, of course, extremely complicated to put into practice.
00:56Founded in 2014 and funded by large companies such as Airbus and Google,
01:01they are building a kinetic energy launch system to insert satellites into orbit,
01:06instead of relying on chemical rockets.
01:08To do this, they have designed a vacuum-sealed centrifuge
01:11that will spin objects around before releasing them into space at speeds of up to 5,000 miles per hour.
01:17And once they reach a suborbital height, a traditional rocket booster can take over.
01:22This concept significantly reduces the amount of fuel that needs to be burned,
01:26and to make it even better, all of the energy used to power the centrifuge
01:29is derived from green sources, such as solar and wind.
01:33The company has even proved that most traditional satellite components
01:36are able to withstand the 10,000 Gs that they'll be subjected to during a launch,
01:41and even projects that it will cost less than half a million dollars to send one into space,
01:45as opposed to the tens of millions it currently does.
01:48With a test version already built and conducting launches,
01:51they hope the full-size device will be ready within a few years,
01:54and this could permanently revolutionize satellite launches.
02:02Industry is continually looking for new materials to offer stronger and more reliable performance,
02:07but the next game-changing development is expected to be graphene.
02:11It's a substance that's long been theorized to exist,
02:14but has proven to be so complicated to manufacture that it's taken until now to become feasible.
02:19As the name would suggest, it is derived from graphite,
02:22which is the material you'll be familiar with that's used in pencils.
02:25Made entirely from carbon atoms, graphite is a three-dimensional structure,
02:30but the exciting thing about graphene is that it's two-dimensional.
02:33What this means is that the carbon is arranged perfectly in a hexagonal honeycomb formation
02:38that's only 0.3 nanometers thick, and there's just 0.1 nanometers between each of the atoms.
02:44In practice, this new arrangement offers huge benefits that are only just starting to be fully understood.
02:50Graphene can conduct electricity far more efficiently than copper, for example.
02:54It's also 200 times stronger than steel, but 6 times lighter.
02:58It's almost completely transparent because it only absorbs 2% of light,
03:02and it's impermeable to gases, even the lightest ones.
03:06And it can also have chemical components added to the surface to alter its properties.
03:10Researchers see graphene more as a platform that developers will be able to arrange in a way that plays to their needs.
03:17It could, for example, revolutionize touchscreen technologies,
03:20be incorporated to make lighter composite materials, and has a number of uses in electronics, too.
03:26The possibilities are truly endless,
03:28and it's expected to be possible to produce it in commercial quantities within the next decade.
03:37First beginning in 1973 and completed in 1993,
03:42the American GPS satellite network was the first global navigation system
03:46and revolutionized the way that everyone determines where they are on Earth.
03:50At first, the benefits were envisaged for militaries,
03:53but the technology has now had an impact on all of our lives,
03:56from the way certain electronics works to sat-nav systems and location-based tracking.
04:01The problem with GPS, though, is that the original 24 satellites,
04:04along with further ones that were subsequently added,
04:07don't provide a perfect resolution and are only accurate to within a few feet.
04:11They also don't provide full coverage around the world,
04:14as anyone who has tried to use location tracking in mountainous areas or dense urban environments will know,
04:19and the signals are actually relatively simple to block,
04:22which is a constant threat for military use.
04:25There is therefore huge demand for improving the system,
04:28and the technology has already been developed to do this.
04:32Known as GPS 3 and built by Lockheed Martin,
04:35the satellites are already being launched
04:37and are expected to have fully upgraded the network within a few years.
04:41When the project is complete, the signals will be far more precise than now
04:45and eight times stronger, so they can't be blocked,
04:48resulting in improved safety, signal integrity, and far greater accuracy.
04:57As the world's population continues to grow,
05:00one of the biggest problems we face right now is how to produce enough food to satisfy everyone's needs.
05:05Amazingly, an estimated 30% of the global land surface is dedicated to agriculture,
05:10and a third of that is used for crops,
05:13and the remaining two-thirds is used for grazing livestock.
05:16And this not only restricts the potential areas for inhabitation,
05:19but also encourages large-scale deforestation and habitat change to create more farmland.
05:25Some companies are looking for alternatives to this,
05:28and while you may have heard of vertical farms that look to improve the yield for the same size plot of land,
05:33others are looking at far more radical solutions.
05:36One is the idea of floating farms,
05:39which can involve building huge complexes that sit on the surface of the ocean,
05:43can be moved to where they're needed, and crucially, are temporary.
05:46They make use of areas that wouldn't be used for anything else,
05:50and turn it into a profitable commodity.
05:52Incredibly, one of these has already been in operation for several years
05:56in the port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands,
05:58where a company called Belladon has built a floating platform
06:01designed to farm 40 muserine issel cows that are all milked by robots.
06:06By producing the product as close to the end consumers as possible,
06:10they're reducing transport costs too,
06:12and they also plan to be able to install floating farms in regions that have suffered from disasters
06:17to get food production up and running far quicker than would otherwise be possible.
06:23Number 11. Edge Computing
06:26The way we use computers has changed significantly in the past few decades,
06:30and so has the way technology is designed to give us the best service.
06:34At first, everything was done on a singular device in our homes,
06:37and now we mainly use cloud computing,
06:40whereby most activities from our emails to documents and virtually everything else is held online,
06:45and our devices are essentially windows that grant us access to this.
06:50The problem with cloud computing, however,
06:52is that most companies rely on the infrastructure of just a few cloud providers,
06:56Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and IBM,
06:59with Amazon alone accounting for 47% of the market.
07:03Quite simply, everything that can be moved onto the cloud has pretty much been done so already,
07:08and there's very little room to grow in that space,
07:10so others have been looking at the so-called edge of the cloud.
07:14What this really means is that they're exploring ways to bring the processing and storage of the cloud
07:19geographically closer to where the user is in order to improve the experience.
07:24Rather than just relying on a few data centers, it will see more work done locally,
07:29and the idea is that this will significantly reduce latency,
07:32will also improve privacy and security,
07:34and will help reduce the bandwidth being used
07:36so the infrastructure doesn't buckle under the pressure of increased usage.
07:40In many ways, it may seem as if it's going back on the idea of cloud computing,
07:45but it's really harnessing it to fuller effect.
07:48If fingerprint or facial authorization is dealt with directly by your smartphone
07:52rather than waiting for a server to reply,
07:54you'll be able to access your online content much easier.
07:57Similarly, self-driving cars are currently the best example of edge computing.
08:01Rather than waiting for a server's response, it can function independently,
08:05but at the same time needs to be centrally controlled so it's automatically updated,
08:09and so the algorithms can be improved.
08:13Number 10. Self-Healing Concrete
08:16Concrete is one of the most important construction materials that's used around the world,
08:21and is second to water in terms of the most consumed material.
08:25Amazingly, twice as much concrete is used in construction than everything else combined.
08:30This works out to be the equivalent of more than three tons per person in the world each year.
08:36The problem is that even though it's a tough and durable material,
08:39it's susceptible to wear and tear and can develop cracks and holes that affect its stability.
08:44In the long term, this means that it either needs to be maintained or replaced to avoid disaster,
08:49which can be a costly endeavor.
08:51But researchers have come up with a new solution, self-healing concrete.
08:55By adding bacterial spores to the concrete mix along with a food source like yeast extract,
09:01an amazing thing happens.
09:03In the concrete cracks, the bacteria are exposed to oxygen and water
09:07and begin to consume the food and multiply,
09:09and then produce calcium carbonate or limestone as a byproduct.
09:13This in turn seals the crack again,
09:16and if done right, means that you won't even be able to see where the crack had formed in the first place.
09:21For small openings, the process can be completed with around 14 days,
09:25and it'll prevent them from widening and becoming a greater problem.
09:29Soon, it's expected that virtually all concrete will incorporate technology like this,
09:33and the days of potentially dangerous faults will be over.
09:42The automotive industry is going through its biggest change in living memory,
09:46with virtually every manufacturer trying to develop their own technologies
09:49to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels.
09:52And while electric and battery concepts seem to be the way forwards,
09:55they certainly aren't a magic bullet.
09:58There's concern surrounding the provision of green electricity to all that need it,
10:03and the fact that our electrical grids simply aren't designed to handle the loads that will be required.
10:08Even if this was sorted, there's also the fact that batteries are relatively very heavy
10:12for the amount of charge that they can hold.
10:15And while they may be suitable for cars,
10:17they're not yet at a place where they're viable for larger trucks, ships, or planes.
10:22That's why another solution is needed, and the most likely candidate is hydrogen fuel.
10:28Hydrogen itself can be produced by a range of methods,
10:31such as natural gas, nuclear power, biomass, and even other renewable energies.
10:36And when it's used, the only byproduct is water.
10:39In the UK, a concept train has already been fitted with hydrogen cells, and it's undergoing tests.
10:45While aircraft manufacturers, such as Airbus,
10:48see this as a far more viable target in the near future than full electrification,
10:52and car companies too are looking at how it can be used,
10:55the technology is approaching a stage where it's possible across a range of applications,
11:00and it's only a matter of time until it's commonplace.
11:07As the cost of launching satellites into orbit reduces,
11:10and with the improvement in component design and the potential uses of space technology,
11:15a number of big tech companies are now exploring the feasibility of creating their own satellite constellations.
11:21The idea of a network of satellites to perform a role isn't exactly new.
11:25After all, there are already six different navigational satellite constellations, like GPS,
11:30and a number of one-way and two-way communication satellite constellations.
11:34But these have traditionally only used a few dozen nodes to operate.
11:38Recently, SpaceX has been creating a constellation of its own, called Starlink,
11:43which will, when it's completed, provide internet access across most of the planet.
11:48Amazingly, this involves positioning as many as 12,000 in orbit to give optimal coverage,
11:53and while the company may be paving the way, it's not the only organization looking at doing this.
11:58Boeing, OneWeb, and Amazon are also looking to develop their own constellations to provide internet access,
12:05and this is just scratching the surface of what they can be used for.
12:08If you look up when it's dark, you might just be able to see some of these satellites already,
12:13and if progress continues at the current rate, the night sky may soon be full of them.
12:197. GPT-3
12:22Tech companies around the world are in a race to develop the first full artificial intelligence,
12:27but there are steps along the way that arguably are going to be far more impactful
12:31on the technology around us and how we live our lives.
12:35One of these concepts is the idea of deep learning,
12:38whereby computer algorithms can analyze past behavior and automatically find solutions to improve performance.
12:44One of the most interesting forms of this is called GPT-3.
12:48Developed by OpenAI, it's the third generation of a language prediction model,
12:54and the idea is that based on learning by itself, it's able to write text in the same way as a human does.
13:00It's one of the most difficult types of human imitation, and this latest attempt is almost unbelievable.
13:06Based on initial studies, it's virtually impossible to differentiate between something written by GPT-3
13:12or by an actual person, and companies like Microsoft have already begun to incorporate it into their products.
13:18Described recently as being one of the most interesting and important AI systems ever produced,
13:23GPT-3 will further blur the lines of reality,
13:26and you may well find yourself reading news articles or even novels that haven't had any human involvement whatsoever.
13:346. Connected Homes
13:37Throughout history, inventions have helped us save time on basic tasks,
13:41so we can dedicate ourselves to more complicated ones,
13:44and this progression is continuing into the 21st century.
13:48While the concept of connected homes isn't in itself a new one,
13:52the increasing presence of the Internet of Things and technological advancements
13:56means that it's going to become far more commonplace, reliable, and functional in the coming years.
14:01In 2013, the market in the U.S. alone was worth almost $6 billion,
14:07and right now it's estimated that 37% of households in the U.S. have a smart device in their home.
14:12Right now, these are usually in the form of doorbells, heating, light bulbs, speakers, and voice-activated assistants,
14:18but there are so many different ways technology can be incorporated that things will look very different in a few years.
14:24From connected fridges to power sockets, bathroom appliances, and even furniture,
14:29virtually everything that's electrically operated could potentially have a chip installed
14:34that'll make it operate from a smart device or simply by your voice.
14:38Furthermore, with so much of it being automated, our homes will take care of themselves
14:42and allow us to focus more on our interests and our families.
14:51There's a focus right now on moving away from energy that produces emissions,
14:55and one of the best ways to do this is converting everything we use to run on electricity.
15:00As long as the electricity comes from green sources.
15:03Major strides have been made in the past couple decades,
15:06but one of the biggest limiting factors is the capability of batteries.
15:10Currently, the most reliable and cost-effective design that's used is a lithium-ion battery,
15:16but these have limits with how much they can charge and how quickly this can be done,
15:20as well as some concerns about their safety if they're damaged.
15:23A company called Quantumscape is, however, developing an alternative,
15:28which instead of having liquid parts like a lithium-ion battery, is solid.
15:32Known as a lithium metal battery, the results from the company's early tests have suggested
15:37these could eventually increase the range of an electric vehicle by as much as 80%,
15:42and can be recharged in just a fraction of the time, too.
15:45Right now, the prototypes are too large to be fitted to cars,
15:48but they're expected to become much smaller in the coming years,
15:51so much so that Quantumscape has already signed an agreement with VW
15:55to start selling electric vehicles with the new batteries from 2025.
16:033D printing has had a varied history since it first started being used in the 1980s,
16:08and even until recently, it's only been useful for very specific tasks,
16:12essentially feeding liquefied material into a chamber,
16:15and by applying layer upon layer, being able to create a 3D object.
16:19It's a technique that's mostly been known for creating small plastic objects
16:22or replacement components for certain devices.
16:25As our understanding of materials has improved, though,
16:283D printers are increasingly being able to make objects out of different substances,
16:33and are becoming seen as potentially the future of manufacturing.
16:36From clothing and food to medical devices and the ability to rapidly prototype new designs,
16:42the possibilities are endless, but perhaps the most exciting area is how it'll change large projects.
16:48There's already a number of buildings around the world that have been built from 3D printed parts,
16:53and this is going to become even more common.
16:55Instead of needing to ship all of the different types of bricks and other parts needed to build a house,
17:00all that's needed is a supply of the basic material and a printer,
17:04and everything can be manufactured on site.
17:06It'll reduce transport needs, wastage, and increase efficiency,
17:10and could mean new homes can be built in a fraction of the time they currently take.
17:18There are two main reactions when people hear of blockchain.
17:22Either they start telling you about the best new cryptocurrencies to invest in,
17:26or they switch off from boredom.
17:28The fact is, though, that while blockchain technology does underpin the operation of these new decentralized currencies,
17:34this is just the beginning of how useful and integrated to our lives that it will become.
17:40Put simply, a blockchain is a list of information that's linked together by a cryptographic technique,
17:46and once a block has been added, it can't be changed, and acts as a permanent record.
17:51To begin with, this was used to prove who owns a particular coin of currency,
17:56or more recently, pieces of digital art.
17:59But there are a number of companies exploring how much wider the uses are.
18:03There are already examples of how blockchain is being used to enable energy trading and various other transactions,
18:09but perhaps the most important use is that it can track the history of individual products.
18:14The food industry can benefit hugely from this,
18:17by being able to prove exactly where and when ingredients were harvested or cooked,
18:22and brands will also be able to use blockchain to prove whether an item is an original or a forgery.
18:33With our changing climate, wildfires are becoming more common across the planet,
18:38and they're becoming even more difficult to control.
18:41As an example, in California alone, five times the area is burning each year now,
18:46compared to what happened in the 1970s, and this is only expected to increase.
18:51Traditionally, the way to extinguish, or at least limit the spread of fire,
18:55would be to use huge quantities of water or foam.
18:58But with water shortages happening too, and the reluctance to drop chemicals onto the land,
19:02an alternative can't come soon enough.
19:05Luckily, a solution was first revealed in 2015,
19:08and has continued in development to the point where it will soon be deployed on a large scale.
19:13First designed to put out small fires in kitchens,
19:16the acoustic extinguisher uses sound waves to push oxygen away from the source of a fire,
19:21and spread it over a wider area.
19:23This cuts off the fuel of the fire, and if maintained for long enough, will simply cause it to fizzle out.
19:29There have been attempts to do this before,
19:31but now that the optimal frequencies and techniques have been figured out,
19:34it's very likely that this will become one of the main methods of fire control in the coming decades.
19:44We all rely on classical computers for everyday tasks,
19:48but there's a point at which no matter how many powerful chips you connect together,
19:52they become impractical to perform highly complicated roles.
19:56Computer scientists from around the world have, since the 1980s,
20:00been pursuing the next big development, the creation of a quantum computer,
20:04and they're now closer than ever.
20:06Essentially, a quantum computer is different to a classical one in the way that it stores and handles information.
20:13In a classical computer, you'll be familiar with bits that can either be a 1 or a 0,
20:18but in a quantum computer, they use qubits,
20:21which can be in a 1 or a 0 quantum state, or a superposition of both.
20:26What this means is that a quantum computer is able to solve any problem a classical one can, and vice versa,
20:32and in some situations, will be far more efficient in doing so.
20:36One of the more interesting things about quantum computers is that they won't actually always be the better choice,
20:42and researchers are still exploring the situations when they will offer an advantage,
20:46but the biggest hurdle right now is building one that's large and stable enough to see how well it can perform.
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