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BT reveals insight
into the future
BT reveals insight into the future
(16/08/05)
Imagine your next holiday destination – somewhere above
the earth’s surface. As beaches get more crowded and quiet corners become
harder to find, by 2017 you could be taking off for a stay at a hotel in orbit,
with the peace of mind that robots were tending the garden in your absence,
making sure the kaleidoscopic flowers were well looked after.
BT’s
futurology department has launched its latest Technology Timeline, which
predicts the technological advances that will impact our future. The timeline
encompasses all areas of life influenced by technology developments, including
Artificial Intelligence; Health and Medical; Business and Education;
Demographics; Energy; Robotics; Space; Telecommunications; Transport &
Travel.
By 2012, your children could be entertained by video tiles in
the bathroom, before sitting in a playroom with wallpaper that changes
appearance to promote energy, happiness, or calm, for example, while
interacting with a toy that responds to their voice with matching
emotions.
Looking back twenty years hardly anyone even had a mobile
phone. In twenty or thirty years’ time we can look forward to holographic
TVs projecting 3D images into our living rooms to entertain our custom designed
pets, and a space elevator to take us up and away to a moon village, which will
have grown up by 2040.
“The timeline enables organisations to
design technology and products with future customers in mind, with a vision of
the kind of environment they will be living in,” said Ian Neild,
researcher at BT, and editor of the timeline. “Looking at the future of
education or lifestyles, for example, will impact the way BT enhances and
develops its broadband network.”
Cynics might question its merits.
But, looking back at the first BT Technology Timeline published in the early
‘90s many of its predictions ring true today and it reports an accuracy
rate of between 80-90%. BT’s predictions touched on things that are now
regarded as part of every day life. Things such as text messages, email spam
and the use of web search engines to name a few.
The BT futurology team
also spotted the wealth of opportunities presented by the internet - years
before its mass market advance. The original timeline identified some of the
online businesses models that prevail today - such as travel and
retailers.
Matt Bross, Group Chief Technology Officer at BT commented,
“We have looked at a wide range of technologies and how these may impact
on our lives in the future. Our futurology team has looked at both personal and
professional scenarios when compiling the timeline. It will be interesting to
see what format this press release takes in 2055 and how it is delivered to the
media.”
BT Broadband
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