Why Technology Is Not as Advanced as it Should Be
Doesn’t it feel as if we should already have jetpacks? Teleporters? Or meals in pill form? We already have some amazing technology, like tablets, which are small computers that we can carry around. We can utilize the GPS in our cars to navigate around town. We can post an update to our social media sites and reach countless people at once.
So, why don’t we have teleporters and hovercrafts? What is preventing us from taking these leaps in technology?
Building a Better Battery
Batteries power nearly all of our technology, particularly as we move into a more mobile world. For that reason, the more limited our batteries are, the greater limitations we have technologically. They are a fundamental part of our technology, so we need to focus on improving them before we can really make jumps in technology. Thankfully, researchers at Chicago's Northwestern University are creating a more powerful lithium-ion battery, which we discussed in a blog post last week. This may solve this issue in the coming years.
Improving Internet Access
Another obstacle to overcome is that not enough people have access to the Internet. The truth is, most of the globe doesn’t have access to it. This is naturally restricting breakthroughs in technology. It goes back to the basic idea of the more minds we have working on a problem, the faster we'll solve it.
The Business of New Tech
Last but not least there is the bureaucracy. Business matters, like patent laws, can hamper technological progress. Individuals and businesses that develop revolutionary things have to first navigate these waters. But if government regulations are clear and easy to understand, it could reduce some of this.
The great news is that none of these restrictions can truly stop technology from advancing. Just think ahead to the holiday season of 2020. Who knows what innovations will be waiting for us.