New Technologies to Watch for in 2017

The last year had some big advances in the tech field that the majority of consumers haven’t really begun to experience themselves. In the next year, the following technological advancements are expected to make the leap from the labs into our everyday lives. Here’s what you should be watching for.

Smart Homes

“Smart” is an adjective that we’re applying to a lot of devices these days, but what does it mean in terms of your home? Essentially, it refers to the process of hooking up your entire home to your phone or other mobile device. With smart-phone technology, your appliances, your utilities and your electronic devices will be able to be monitored and activated from a single phone application. This means you could turn up your furnace on as you leave work so that your home will be warm when you get in. You could turn your coffee maker on from the comfort of your bed. You could even check your security systems while on vacation.

This technology has been around for a while now, but only available to the most tech-savvy and wealthy of consumers. This is expected to change in 2017 as more and more of us bring our homes up to speed with the rest of the technology that surrounds us.

Virtual Reality

2016 saw the release of virtual reality entertainment products like the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive. A few early adopters already have their hands on these expensive gaming devices, but the coming year will see a price-drop, as well as continued refinements of the technology. This is good news for gamers, but the rest of us should keep an eye on these simulation devices as well. Engineers and artists are already playing around with the technology to produce mock-ups of virtual reality movies, training simulations and educational programs. Whether you’re interested in video games or not, 2017 will see virtual reality begin to touch on more aspects of our lives.

Machine Learning

These days, artificial intelligence is less science fiction than it is science fact. Companies like Google have been busy creating computer programs that can analyze new and unfamiliar information and use it to teach themselves new skills. The technology is still in its infancy, so don’t start planning for the robot uprising just yet, but you can watch the technology progress and even teach it a few things yourself through programs like Quick, Draw!  or the Infinite Drum Machine.

Self-Driving Cars

Self-driving cars have been on everyone’s minds for a few years now, but in late November of 2016, the very first autonomous driving tests took place on Canadian roads. The legal status of these cars hasn’t been decided yet, and the cost of these vehicles will keep them a rarity for a few more years to come, but 2017 will be a big year in Canada in deciding what the future of autonomous vehicles looks like.