Well, we must prepare ourselves to say goodbye to these objects!
THE CHARGER. Despite being used every day, Energous, a leading wireless company, says that by the end of 2017 it plans to release a wireless charger capable of charging devices at a distance of 3 meters. By perfecting this technology it will allow electronic devices to be charged at all times, using radio waves and even light. The same is stated by another company, Wi-Charge, an Istrian company that develops technology and products for the transfer of wireless energy using focused infrared rays, which states that to recharge electronic gadgets will use infrared light converted into electricity through photovoltaic cells placed on the devices.
PHYSICAL MEDIA. We are already aware that CDs and DVDs are obsolete. With streaming platforms we can enjoy watching movies, music and video games all the time. So CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray will be things we buy simply because we want a physical copy to collect.
THE WALLET. Are you thinking…where do we put the money, cards and documents? Actually all this will not be there because the money will become virtual. We already have Bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum, Ripple, Litecoin, managed by a database able to track all transactions and to manage the relationship between the value of virtual currency and that of currencies.
KEYS. And how do we get into the house or office? Simple, the keys will transform, they will be electronic and digital, able to open the doors using the bluetooth connection or Wi-Fi.
THE WASHER. This might be a bit strange, but two distinct groups of researchers, one in China in 2012 and another in Australia in 2016, have developed a nanoparticle coating that reacts like bleach when exposed to the sun.
The Australian researchers have shown that in 30 minutes of exposure to the sun you can get a good wash. How does it work? Light excites the metal nanoparticles that are present on the surface and this energy is able to degrade the organic matter on the fabrics, getting rid of stains. A problem could arise in countries where there is little sun.
PASSWORDS. Although they are fundamental for the security of our data, we often forget them. That’s why in less than 10 years a technology under development uses several biometric data difficult to copy: iris scanning, voice recognition, fingerprint scanning and facial recognition (already present on some smartphones).
For example, the company BioCatch, founded by experts in neural science and artificial intelligence, has developed a technology based on behavioral profiles that analyze more than 500 parameters, how we hold our device and which sites we visit. So if someone else tries to use our PC or smartphone, they become inaccessible.
MIRRORS. More and more cars are using cameras, for example reverse cameras offer a wider view, even on blind spots, making mirrors obsolete. In addition, we are getting closer and closer to cars that drive by themselves, mirrors will no longer be needed.