Technology Trends to Follow in 2018

As the year draws to a close, it is a worthwhile time to reflect on where we have been and where we plan to go. With respect to technology, Moore’s Law, coined by Gordon Moore, the co-founder of Intel, continues to hold true: computing abilities will increase at an exponential rate (while decreasing in cost). Technology has impacted healthcare and medical education in many ways, and will undoubtedly continue to do so as Moore’s Law makes it hard to ignore. How can we prepare to effectively embrace the affordances that technology can provide to us?

In the spirit of New Year’s resolutions and lists, here are some of the top trends to follow for the coming year (Marr, 2017):

Trend 1: The increasing datafication of our lives
Trend 2: The Internet of Things (IoT) and how everyday devices are becoming more ‘smart’
Trend 3: Exponential growth in computing power is fueling massive tech advances
Trend 4: The incredible rise of artificial intelligence (AI)
Trend 5: The unstoppable freight train that is automation
Trend 6: 3D printing opens up amazing opportunities for manufacturers (and others)
Trend 7: We’re interacting with technology in very different ways
Trend 8: Blockchains: An invention that could change our world
Trend 9: Platforms are the way forward for businesses

For more information, read “9 Technology Mega Trends That Will Change the World In 2018”.

The iMedEd initiative is actively exploring trend 7, using virtual and augmented reality, and will report more on our progress in 2018. In the meantime, we wish you a safe and happy holiday season!