2020 may not be the best year. But our collective experience this year has emphasised the power of technology to keep people connected and help businesses stay afloat amid a global health crisis. And tech leaders never stop—they continue to innovate to help the entire world thrive in the new normal.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur or a consumer, here are some emerging tech trends you should look out for as they can change the way you do your business or improve the way you live every day:
Digitisation of healthcare
Developments on healthcare technologies are on a fast-track due to the coronavirus pandemic. Consumers should expect some of those technologies to break into the mainstream market soon. These include teleconsultations using chatbots, preventive care using artificial intelligence, and augmented reality for analysing CT scans. With these innovations, the healthcare industry can help people stay away from hospitals full of COVID-19 patients without compromising quality patient care for other illnesses.
Touchless tech
Touchless taps, motion-activated doors, and voice-activated virtual assistants are likely to be part of our new normal. These tech products have long been available in the market, but they will likely dominate the market in the next few months or years. From home design to office renovations, the touchless tech will be part of the conversation as it helps promote health and safety in a post-pandemic era.
Enhanced data privacy
From call answering services to online order forms, most brand’s customer interactions won’t be face-to-face. More industries will adopt solutions that improve the handling of data and preserving customer privacy. If you’re an entrepreneur starting to shift to e-commerce, make sure to study the relevant guidelines and acts on protecting the data privacy of customers. From there, pick the right apps and solutions for your brand.
Remote condition monitoring and product sensors
For manufacturers, suppliers, and logistics companies, remote condition monitoring is a big tech trend. Using temperature and vibration sensors linked to an app, the staff can quickly spot if there’s a problem and even solve it remotely. Product sensors can be used within long-haul trucks or warehouses, making it easy for the company to track the movement of a critical item and set alerts for any issues.
Virtual learning
Like healthcare technologies and touchless tech, virtual learning technologies have long been available in the market. But the pandemic has cemented the need for apps, video conference software, and other programs related to online learning. Watch out for the fast and continuous development of these apps and platforms as education—from primary school to college—will likely go on a full digital shift.
What will the future or post-pandemic era look like? It depends on how the technology responds to the current situation and possible consumer needs in the future. The most significant impact or change won’t come from any single technology but instead through a unique mix of tech trends. Some of these innovations are now available in the market. Others are still in the development phase, but when they do come, you’ll want to be ready for them.