Technologies Driving Change in Australia

Humans have been inventing technology since the Stone Age. Our innate ability to invent technology is our defining characteristic. Technologies have been evolving over the years. Technologies are driving change  in education, health, banking, agriculture and almost all industry. There is hardly anything that is not changed by technology. Digital technologies have transformed the media, entertainment and the way people do business. It drives innovation and increases the competitiveness of every industry. But the current technological revolution allows us to manufacture electronic goods, software and services that are reliant on information and communication technology. Going digital is the revolutionary way to think about Australia’s future economic  prosperity. Here’s a list of technologies driving change in Australia today:

Mobile internet
Mobile internet technology is widely used today. Around six billion people in the world have mobile phones. Most of them are accessing the internet through their mobile devices. This technology provides easy access to information and mobility. A study shows that 53% of Australians see their doctor through a smartphones or smart devices.

Big data and computing power
Big data refers to massive datasets that is beyond the capacity of traditional databases. It includes simple data and the tools that capture, store and analyse this data. Supercomputers and algorithms give sense or process the “big data” we generate into information in real time. Computers are making decisions based on the information we feed. The amount of data we generate daily is growing at a tremendous rate. Properly used data can change lives, eradicate diseases and prolong life. It is projected that in less than ten years processing units are expected to reach the processing power of the human brain.

Cloud technology
Cloud technology is the safe repository of potentially sensitive or confidential data hosted in the internet. Cloud technology combines applications and devices to become an unmanaged repository of data. Through this technology apps can enable internet-based service models with no local software or processing power.

Internet of Things
Physical objects are embedded with connected sensors creating an invisible network capable of collecting and exchanging data. Smart devices, appliances, cars, accessories or anything can be connected to the internet through sensors. Internet of things will transform the way we live and how we do business.

Wearable technology
Computers are getting smaller and smaller from desktop, to laptop, to cellphone and now it’s been integrated into our accessories and clothing. Wearable devices such as wristwatch, smart glasses and sports shirts can provide real-time workout data by measuring heart rate, sweat output and breathing intensity. These devices can provide immediate health information and enable people with disability to communicate easily.

Immersive technology
Immersive technology includes augmented and virtual reality. These two technologies are going mainstream with the popularity of the game PokeMon Go. Immersive technology in business includes immersive conference room and virtual personal assistants. VPA’s like Siri, Cortana and Google Now will be widely utilised for basic tasks and data retrieval.

Enabling technologies and social collaboration tools
Social collaboration tools like SharePoint and Office 365 enable workers anywhere in the world to collaborate on projects in real-time. Sharepoint Melbourne is a provider of this enabling technology. They help people to collaborate asynchronously and synchronously ubiquitously at a lesser cost.

Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is replicating the human thought process. Machines with human intellectual abilities will play big parts in our lives in the coming decades. Advance robotics can be more practical and cheaper than human labour in manufacturing industry and other service jobs such as cleaning and maintenance.  AI is now being used in the in the transportation industry. Cars, boats and aircrafts are autonomously manufactured using artificial intelligence.

Biotechnology is any technology based on biology. Biotechnology helps us understand biomolecular and cellular processes helping us create products to improve life. Digitisation enables people to look after their own health. Applications can track how much you eat, sleep and exercise by simply tapping your smart phone. Biotechnology also helps us combat rare diseases and decrease carbon footprint.

3D Printing
Three-dimensional printing is the process of creating three dimensional objects from digital file using a special printer. The printer uses different materials it can be paper, plastic, metal even human cells. 3D printing can now print clothing, furniture, circuit boards and it’s now even used in the health care industry. 3D printing can now be used in manufacturing, designing, materials engineering and synthetic biology.

Nanomaterials are produced by nanotechnology,  it is special because of their quantum effects and their structure. Nanotechnology involves the ability to control atoms and molecules. Current applications in healthcare include targeted drug delivery, diagnostics and regenerative medicine. Nanotechnology is also used in information technology, electronics, environmental protection, textiles and cosmetics.