2013 breakthroughs
http://www.technologyreview.com/lists/breakthrough-technologies/2013/
Deep Learning
With massive amounts of computational power,machines can now recognize objects and translate speech in real time. Artificial intelligence is finally getting smart.
Temporary Social Media
Messages that quickly self-destruct could enhance the privacy of online communications and make people freer to be spontaneous.
Prenatal DNA Sequencing
Reading the DNA of fetuses will be the next frontier of the genomic revolution. But do you really want to know about the genetic problems or musical aptitude of your unborn child?
Additive Manufacturing
Skeptical about 3-D printing? GE, the world’s largest manufacturer, is on the verge of using the technology to make jet parts.
Baxter: The Blue-Collar Robot
Rodney Brooks’s newest creation is easy to interact with, but the complex innovations behind the robot show just how hard it is to get along with people.
Memory Implants
A maverick neuroscientist believes he has deciphered the code by which the brain forms long-term memories. Next: testing a prosthetic implant for people suffering from long-term memory loss.
Smart Watches
The designers of the Pebble watch realized that a mobile phone is more useful if you don’t have to take it out of your pocket.
Ultra-Efficient Solar Power
Doubling the efficiency of a solar cell would completely change the economics of renewable energy. Nanotechnology just might make it possible.
Big Data from Cheap Phones
Collecting and analyzing information from simple cell phones can provide surprising insights into how people move about and behave – and even help us understand the spread of diseases.
Supergrids
A new high-power circuit breaker could finally make highly efficient DC power grids practical.