What will be Silicon Valley’s ‘next big thing’?
Over the last 20 years, Silicon Valley has benefited from a once-in-a-lifetime alignment of advantages. American primacy, the ubiquity of cheap capital, the arrival of the smartphone (among other widely adopted tech innovations), and, perhaps most significantly, a benign regulatory environment has all conspired to create a historic concentration of wealth and power. The titans of the Valley and their heirs have been free to roam far ahead of lawmakers, watchdogs, and tax codes.
But where could Silicon Valley be heading in the years to come? Will it be bringing cleaning and cooking automatons to our homes? There is a world of possibility out there.
As a result, it’s time to consider some of the emerging tech and design innovation likely to be popping up in the years to come. Here is just a taste of what we could see emerging from the Valley very soon.
Mixing AR and VR
One thing that movers and shakers are keen to push for right now is the blending of realities. That is a merger of AR and VR. AR stands for augmented reality, and it is already commonly found across apps, games, and even marketing tools. VR is, of course, virtual reality. It brings people into virtual worlds, while AR brings virtual objects into the real world.
Therefore, plenty of people in and around Silicon Valley are very excited about how they are going to blend AR and VR for the better in the future. This is a concept known as MR or mixed reality. It can seem a little confusing; however, what it may mean is that we are all able to dive into artificial worlds and interactions sooner than we may imagine.
Immunity boosters
If there is anything that the COVID-19 pandemic has taught the world, it is that we need to boost our immune systems more than ever. Tech and innovation in Silicon Valley right now are actively looking at ways to boost immunity against some of the world’s most dangerous diseases. For example, HIV breakthroughs are coming thick and fast.
Much of the Silicon Valley innovation into immunity revolves around gene editing and related therapies. With cancers still undergoing substantial research, and with a certain coronavirus having made things more complicated, it’s likely that the Valley will continue to pursue immunity advancements.
Driverless cars
Yes, we are still at a point where we are talking about driverless or autonomous cars. The fact is this technology is taking a long time to perfect. It is already active and available in some territories. However, for long-term safety and progress, rigorous testing must continue.
Silicon Valley is still hugely excited by driverless car tech, meaning that we will undoubtedly be seeing more of this shortly. There are big brands and shakers in the automotive industry, showing they are seriously interested. Therefore, it’s likely Silicon Valley is going to continue innovating and pushing for results.
So, what’s next?
The key to innovation lies in the unknown. While there are plenty of emerging innovations coming from Silicon Valley right now, the most exciting ones are those we are yet to think of. It’s worth keeping an eye on what Valley innovators have to bring to the global stage in the years to come.
