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The technology trends of 2018 point to a brave new world in automation and productivity

The technology trends of 2018 point to a brave new world in automation and productivity

A brave new world
Wednesday, October 31, 2018 By

Imagine waking up to a new day. A smart alarm clock nudges you awake at the optimal time, as you check your smartwatch to see how the quality of your sleep was. As you ready yourself for work, the virtual assistant on your smart speaker reads you the news, and weather and traffic conditions as you brush your teeth.

Freshly brewed coffee from the automated coffee machine awaits you as you grab a cup before work. Just as you are about to head out of the door, a drone from the logistics company drops off a package just in time. You are scheduled to reach the office at 9am and you get some work done on the commute, thanks to your self-driving car.

All this sounds like science fiction, but the foundation for this scenario to happen is here today. Here are some tech trends from 2018 that are making the above a reality.

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BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY

There is a lot of hype surrounding blockchain technology. Its advent shows that it is possible to build decentralised ledger networks that offer complete transparency to its users, allowing them to verify data and information. While it is a powerful breakaway technology that has largely been associated with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, blockchain also has the potential to affect areas like smart bonds and contracts that simplify processes, reduce error and eliminate the need for intermediaries, which can be applied to areas like transaction of high-value assets such as property, cars or company shares houses.

At the same time, it can be used in areas of government like securing voting systems during elections or in education, where an individual’s certification and qualifications can be verified. Blockchain can also be used to combat the spread of fake news over Facebook and other social media by creating a network where every individual can be identified and information that is crowdsourced and verified.

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TEXT CHONG JINN XIUNG

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