Technology Were Still Waiting To See

DATA TRANSFER VIA LIGHT
Visible Light Communications is the WLAN of the future. It works by having LED lights sending data to the light sensors in notebooks and smartphones. Today, however, the receiver is still cumbersome and the transfer is possible only in a restricted manner. Hence, we can only expect a proper, marketable product by 2015.

THOUGHT CONTROL 
Computer-in-the-brain interfaces will help paralysed victims in day- to-day activities. Sensors in the head can send thought-waves to the PC or prostheses. Although simple grip actions can be carried out, delicate movements such as sewing still cannot be properly done through this.

AUTOMATIC VEHICLES
Google receives the first license for driverless cars in May. The test vehicles are accident-free for 480,000 kilometers. However, due to legal hurdles, the independent cars can be expected to be introduced in the market only by 2020.

INTERCONNECTED  HOUSEHOLD
Although smart household appliances are already here, there is still no standard operating system that manufacturers have to follow. A future where every household object is interconnected may require a lot of cooperation between companies.

HOLODECK
With the Holodeck project, the University of Southern California hopes to simulate world exploration through a virtual world without leaving the room. However, the hardware needed are not easy to come by. We're talking virtual reality glasses, movement sensor and a large enough room to move in.

SOLAR ENGINE
Vehicles fully operated by photovoltaic systems have always been in demand. In the World Solar Race by Australia, researchers compare their results every year. A car or passenger fully reliant on solar is not present in sight at all. Moreover, this technology is at the full mercy of the weather.

BEAMING
Not just a Trekkie's dream; teleportation is a big deal for everyone. However, scientists have succeeded in teleporting photons over a distance of 144 kilometers. To beam an object or a person is still the dream of the future.

PAPERLESS OFFICE
As about 25 years ago the triumphant procession of emails began, the end of paper was announced jubilantly. This still won't happen. According to a Lexmark study, 400 pages per person are still printed in certain countries every day.

AUGMENTED REALITY
Glasses such as Google's Project Glass is AR capable. However, the additional information is only displayed at the edge instead of integrating it directly in view. A new trend using AR-capable contact lenses have surfaced, but the single-pixel display is completely impractical.

QUANTUM COMPUTER
Quantum computers are vastly superior to current high- performance computers. The principle behind them is, however, flitting between researches like a ghost. However, the promise might not be so lost. According to IBM, the time to construct it has come.

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