Bugs to bionics: designs shaping the future

In the 90s, it was difficult to imagine the Internet’s life-changing potential - what it promised seemed almost impossible, but it revolutionised society. But despite unprecedented technology growth since, few developments have offered the same kind of shift. That is, until Ethereum arrived.

Developed by programmer Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum is set to be the new global platform for the peer-to-peer exchange of money, content, property, or anything of value. Only these transactions will be safer, more efficient, and without the need for central entities or middlemen.

Using blockchain technology, the Ethereum platform allows developers to build decentralised applications that will put you back in control of, essentially, everything. For example, you could buy a house directly from the seller – without agents or banks. And of course, without the large fees.

Whether you think eating bugs is primitive or just plain gross, creepy crawlies could soon be a part of our daily diets. They’re already are a staple food for over two billion people worldwide, and have even found their way onto the menus of some of the world’s best restaurants.

After spending the first 16 years of his life in Togo, where food scarcity was a daily struggle, designer Mansour Ourasanah set his sights on finding a healthy and plentiful food source. Not only to address hunger, but to curb the damaging global effects of conventional meat production.

He eventually settled on grasshoppers – a healthy, protein-rich food, which would be a perfect alternative. They reach maturity in about 1.5 months, lay plenty of eggs, and don’t need much room or resources. But, how would Ourasanah sell the idea to vastly different cultures?

After moving to New York, Ourasanah teamed up with KitchenAid to design the Lepsis – a futuristic appliance for breeding and humanely harvesting grasshoppers. Launched in 2012, the Lepsis was one of the first DIY bug farms, and has since stimulated a big boost in the insect industry.

Today, bugs have rightfully earned the 'superfood' stamp, and are popping up in everything from juices to chocolate bars. They’re not only an incredibly sustainable protein alternative, but could be the key to establishing true global food security.

Automation and robotics are often depicted as a threat to jobs. And let’s face it; in the past they have put millions of people out of work. Combined with the rapid growth of artificial intelligence, these bionic creations are painting an even more uncertain future for global employment.

But, what if the future didn’t look so bleak?

YuMi® is the world’s first truly collaborative robot, able to work side-by-side with humans on the same projects. Capable of handling delicate tasks with needle-threading accuracy, YuMi® is set to radically change the production industry.

Just like a human, YuMi® can be taught a process by being physically guided through it, eliminating the need for code-based instruction. It can also rapidly detect changes in its environment, such as a collision, and can pause motion within milliseconds.

In recent years, virtual and augmented reality have developed in leaps and bounds, offering an entirely new way to experience the world. The technologies are changing the way we learn, work, play, and have even proven to be incredibly useful for real-world challenges.

Experience of working in a laboratory is essential for scientific education. But, a fully equipped lab is a luxury that few can afford. Labster is a VR lab providing high-quality immersive lessons, giving the full experience of a professional lab lesson, without actually being there.

Labster is currently used at Stanford University (USA) and The University of Copenhagen (Denmark). The simulations have also been endorsed by over 150 institutions globally, including Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Every hour, our planet is hit with enough sunlight to sustain the entire world economy for a whole year. But, not all of this energy makes it to the surface, and of course, we all experience hours of darkness every night.

To secure solar energy around the clock, the conventional approach would be to improve ground-based infrastructure. But a company that emerged from California thinktank Singularity University has proposed an ambitious space-based solution.

ReBeam is a moonshot concept to wirelessly transport large amounts of energy across the globe. Using mirrors mounted on satellites, solar waves are reflected from one spot to another. This means you could beam energy from a desert in Australia to a research station in Antarctica.

In recent years, millions of apps have been able to instantly tell us almost anything we need to know. Yet it is often still a mystery what exactly is entering our bodies through the ingredients in foods, drinks and medicines.

The lighter-sized SCiO device can tell you the chemical makeup of almost anything you come into contact with. The device works by using a tiny optical sensor called a spectrometer – a high-tech matter analysis tool previously limited to labs due to its size and hefty price tag.

Just point and scan with the SCiO and the data is analysed and sent to an app on your phone. Want to know if your food is really pesticide-free? Or how many calories really are in that dish? SCiO has the answer.

Initially limited to the field of sportswear, wearable tech has vastly matured to improve the lives of millions. Using innovative ways to track, store, and analyse valuable data about our bodies, these technologies have shown great potential to help us manage and boost our health.

There are 425 million people in the world with diabetes, according to Diabetes Atlas. And unfortunately, that number is rising. Currently, those with diabetes must prick their skin throughout the day to check their blood glucose levels – a task that can be painful and time-consuming.

With Smart Contact Lenses, however, glucose levels are easily monitored through the fluid in your eyes. The lens is equipped with a glitter-sized chip to send information to the user’s phone via an antenna thinner than a human hair.

The lenses are one of the most high-tech wearables ever designed to aid diabetics.

Though they’re yet to be manufactured, the contact lenses represent the next generation of wearables: tiny, yet incredibly beneficial devices that fit almost seamlessly with the human body.