Augmented Reality has already gotten
into our life in the forms of simulated
experiment and education app, but
Google is taking it several steps higher
with Google Glass. Theoretically, with
Google Glass, you are able to view social
media feeds, text, Google Maps, as well
as navigate with GPS and take photos.
You will also get the latest updates while
you are on the ground.
(Image Source: YouTube)
It’s truly what we called vision, and it’s
absolutely possible given the fact that the
Google’s co-founder, Sergey Brin has
demo’ed the glass with skydivers and
creatives. Currently the device is only
available to some developers with the
price tag of $1500, but expect other tech
companies trying it out and building an
affordable consumer version.
2. Form 1
Just as the term suggests, 3D printing is
the technology that could forge your
digital design into a solid real-life
product. It’s nothing new for the
advanced mechanical industry, but a
personal 3D printer is definitely a
revolutionary idea.
Everybody can create their own physical
product based on their custom design,
and no approval needed from any giant
manufacturer! Even the James Bond’s
Aston Martin which was crashed in the
movie was a 3D printed product!
(Image Source: Kickstarter )
Form 1 is one such personal 3D printer
which can be yours at just $2799. It may
sound like a high price but to have the
luxury of getting producing your own
prototypes, that’s a reaonable price.
Imagine a future where every individual
professional has the capability to mass
produce their own creative physical
products without limitation. This is the
future where personal productivity and
creativity are maximized.
3. Oculus Rift
Virtual Reality gaming is here in the form
of Oculus Rift . This history-defining 3D
headset lets you mentally feel that you are
actually inside a video game. In the Rift’s
virtual world, you could turn your head
around with ultra-low latency to view the
world in high resolution display.
There are premium products in the market
that can do the same, but Rift wants you
to enjoy the experience at only $300, and
the package even comes as a
development kit. This is the beginning of
the revolution for next-generation
gaming.
(Image Source: Kickstarter )
The timing is perfect as the world is
currently bombarded with the virtual
reality topic that could also be attributed
to Sword Art Online, the anime series
featuring the characters playing games in
an entirely virtual world. While we’re
getting there, it could take a few more
years to reach that level of realism. Oculus
Rift is our first step.
4. Leap Motion
Multi-touch desktop is a (miserably) failed
product due to the fact that hands could
get very tired with prolonged use, but
Leap Motion wants to challenge this dark
area again with a more advanced idea. It
lets you control the desktop with fingers,
but without touching the screen.
(Image Source: Leap Motion)
It’s not your typical motion sensor, as
Leap Motion allows you to scroll the web
page, zoom in the map and photos, sign
documentss and even play a first person
shooter game with only hand and finger
movements. The smooth reaction is the
most crucial key point here. More
importantly, you can own this future with
just $70, a price of a premium PS3 game
title!
If this device could completely work with
Oculus Rift to simulate a real-time
gaming experience, gaming is going to
get a major make-over.
5. Eye Tribe
Eye tracking has been actively discussed
by technology enthusiasts throughout
these years, but it’s really challenging to
implement. But Eye Tribe actually did this.
They successfully created the technology
to allow you to control your tablet, play
flight simulator, and even slice fruits in
Fruit Ninja only with your eye movements.
(Image Source: Eye Tribe )
It’s basically taking the common eye-
tracking technology and combining it with
a front-facing camera plus some serious
computer-vision algorithm, and voila,
fruit slicing done with the eyes! A live
demo was done in LeWeb this year and
we may actually be able to see it in in
action in mobile devices in 2013.
Currently the company is still seeking
partnership to bring this sci-fi tech into
the consumer market but you and I know
that this product is simply too awesome
to fail.
6. SmartThings
The current problem that most devices
have is that they function as a standalone
being, and it require effort for tech
competitors to actually partner with each
other and build products that can truly
connect with each other. SmartThings is
here to make your every device, digital or
non-digital, connect together and benefit
you.
(Image Source: Kickstarter )
With SmartThings you can get your
smoke alarms, humidity, pressure and
vibration sensors to detect changes in
your house and alert you through your
smartphone! Imagine the possibilities with
this.
You could track who’s been inside your
house, turn on the lights while you’re
entering a room, shut windows and doors
when you leave the house, all with the
help of something that only costs $500!
Feel like a tech lord in your castle with
this marvel.
7. Firefox OS
iOS and Android are great, but they each
have their own rules and policies that
certainly inhibit the creative efforts of
developers. Mozilla has since decided to
build a new mobile operating system from
scratch, one that will focus on true
openness, freedom and user choice. It’s
Firefox OS.
Firefox OS is built on Gonk, Gecko and
Gaia software layers – for the rest of us,
it means it is built on open source, and it
carries web technologies such as HTML5
and CSS3 .
(Image Source: Mozilla )
Developers can create and debut web
apps without the blockade of
requirements set by app stores, and users
could even customize the OS based on
their needs. Currently the OS has made its
debut on Android-compatible phones , and
the impression so far, is great.
You can use the OS to do essential tasks
you do on iOS or Android: calling friends,
browsing web, taking photos, playing
games, they are all possible on Firefox
OS, set to rock the smartphone market.
8. Project Fiona
Meet the first generation of the gaming
tablet. Razer’s Project Fiona is a serious
gaming tablet built for hardcore gaming.
Once it’s out, it will be the frontier for the
future tablets, as tech companies might
want to build their own tablets, dedicated
towards gaming, but for now Fiona is the
only possible one that will debut in 2013.
(Image Source: Razer™ )
This beast features next generation Intel®
Core i7 processor geared to render all
your favorite PC games, all at the palm of
your hands. Crowned as the best gaming
accessories manufacturer, Razer clearly
knows how to build user experience
straight into the tablet, and that means 3-
axis gyro, magnetometer, accelerometer
and full-screen user interface supporting
multi-touch. My body and soul are ready.
9. Parallella
Parallella is going to change the way that
computers are made, and Adapteva offers
you chance to join in on this revolution.
Simply put, it’s a supercomputer for
everyone. Basically, an energy-efficient
computer built for processing complex
software simultaneously and effectively.
Real-time object tracking, holographic
heads-up display, speech recognition will
become even stronger and smarter with
Parallella.
(Image Source: YouTube)
The project has been successfully funded
so far, with an estimated delivery date of
February 2013. For a mini
supercomputer, the price seems really
promising since it’s magically $99! It’s
not recommended for the non-
programmer and non-Linux user, but the
kit is loaded with development software to
create your personal projects.
I never thought the future of computing
could be kick-started with just $99, which
is made possible using crowdfunding
platforms .
10. Google Driverless
Car
I could still remember the day I watch the
iRobot as a teen, and being skeptical
about my brother’s statement that one
day, the driverless car will become reality.
And it’s now a reality, made possible by…
a search engine company, Google.
While the data source is still a secret
recipe, the Google driverless car is
powered by artificial intelligence that
utilizes the input from the video cameras
inside the car, a sensor on the vehicle’s
top, and some radar and position sensors
attached to different positions of the car.
Sounds like a lot of effort to mimic the
human intelligence in a car, but so far the
system has successfully driven 1609
kilometres without human commands!
(Image Source: Wikipedia)
“You can count on one hand the number
of years it will take before ordinary people
can experience this.” Google co-founder,
Sergey Brin said. However, innovation is
an achievement, consumerization is the
headache, as Google currently face the
challenge to forge the system into an
affordable gem that every worker with an
average salary could benefit from.
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