IBM unveiled its IBM 5 in 5, a list of innovations that have the potential to change the way we live, work and interact in the next five years. They are:
1) People power will come to life —Anything that moves or produces heat has the potential to create energy that can be captured. Walking. Jogging. Bicycling. The heat from your computer. Advances in renewable energy technology will allow individuals to collect this kinetic energy, which now goes to waste, and use it to help power our homes, offices and cities.
2) You will never need a password again —Your biological makeup is the key to your individual identity, and soon, it will become the key to safeguarding it. Biometric data—facial definitions, retinal scans, voice files—will be used to build your DNA-unique password.
3) Mind reading is no longer science fiction —IBM scientists are among those researching how to link your brain to your devices, such as a computer or a smartphone. If you just need to think about calling someone, it happens. Or you can control the cursor on a computer screen just by thinking about where you want to move it.
4) The digital divide will cease to exist —In our global society, growth and wealth of economies are increasingly decided by the level of access to information. There are 7 billion people inhabiting the world today. In five years there will be 5.6 billion mobile devices sold, which means 80 percent of the current global population would have a mobile device. As it becomes cheaper to own a mobile phone, people without a lot of spending power will be able to do much more than they can today.
5) Junk mail will become priority mail —In five years, unsolicited advertisements may feel so personalized and relevant it may seem spam is dead. At the same time, spam filters will be so precise you'll never be bothered by unwanted sales pitches again. Imagine if tickets to your favorite band are put on hold for you the moment they became available, and for the one night of the week that is free on your calendar. Through alerts direct to you, you'll be able to purchase tickets instantly.
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