Breakthrough technology brands should watch
Breakthrough technology brands should watch include a range of innovations from flexible solar cells to chiplets. Today we’ll share what we’re paying attention to and why your business should take note as well.
Printable solar cells
What are the applications when any surface could be a power source? Just think of the untapped resource of every windowsill, roof, banner, trailer, coat, umbrella, sail, tarp, or tent that could be used to supplement energy from the grid or power its own illumination. What could your business do with those cost savings or interesting applications? While the technology is still new right now and costs a fortune, as with any new technology, it won’t stay stratospheric for long. MIT explains, “When they tested the device, the [their] researchers found it could generate 730 watts of power per kilogram when freestanding and about 370 watts-per-kilogram if deployed on the high-strength Dyneema fabric, which is about 18 times more power-per-kilogram than conventional solar cells.”
Generative robotics
We know that generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Copilot and Gemini are great for improving efficiencies by making content & ideation faster. But this Forbes contributor talks about what will happen when generative AI hits robotics: “So far, generative AI enables us to automate certain cognitive and creative tasks, including some of the work done by designers, teachers, musicians, marketers, and more. Physical jobs such as construction, assembly line work, cleaning, and so on are (by and large) unaffected by the wave of generative AI transformation – at least for now. But combine generative AI with robots and that may change. We could see AI-equipped robots working in all sorts of sectors, such as factory floors, retail stores, hotels, and construction sites.”
Exascale computers
Mckinsey explains, “Exascale computing could allow scientists to solve problems that have until now been impossible. With exascale, exponential increases in memory, storage, and compute power may drive breakthroughs in several industries: energy production, storage, transmission, materials science, heavy industry, chemical design, AI and machine learning, cancer research and treatment, earthquake risk assessment, and many more.” That’s because it’s 1 million times faster than the peak supercomputer was in 1996. It’s the quickest computing to date based on existing hardware (unlike quantum computers).
Chiplets
To make computing power smaller, we turn to chiplets. They break the sub-processes into their constituent parts. IBM explains, “Sub-elements of a complex-function chip could be made as chiplets, where these sub-elements might include separate computational processor or graphics unit, an AI accelerator, an I/O function, or a host of other chip functions. A system comprised of chiplets is kind of like an SoC on a module, and, in the future, could be made using interoperable mix-and-match chiplet components sourced from multiple providers. This approach could lead to chiplets powering entirely new computing paradigms, creating more energy-efficient systems, shortening system development cycle time, or building purpose-built computers for less than it would cost today.” And that’s a boon for every type of business that needs more affordable and more powerful computers.
Thermal batteries
Thermal batteries turn electricity into heat, store it for days and can output it at 95% efficiency. Forbes reports, “These batteries can provide reliable heat at $35 to $62 per megawatt-hour (MWh) of thermal output, bringing the costs of producing heat from electricity down to a level that is competitive with continuing to operate existing natural gas equipment. Industrial heat pumps have a similar impact on cost-effectiveness, but thermal batteries operate over a much broader temperature range than heat pumps, dramatically expanding the types of heating processes that can be cost-effectively electrified.” This can cut the cost of using the grid by up to half.
Looking to make some future-proof improvements to your business? Why not get in touch today? We can help you create a winning tech strategy.
