While we’re always thinking about the future, reflecting on the previous year at the start of a new one makes us realize how far we’ve already gone. At the start of 2019, we can really see, and appreciate, the positive change 2018 brought,  and how much good is happening constantly. Let’s take a look at which innovations that made the blog in 2018 that we think are making or will make a huge difference, and which we just thought were super cool. We are proud to present: the best of The Future is WoW 2018!

IBM’s cybersecurity task force

Companies worried about cybersecurity, rejoice. IBM has created X-Force Command Cyber Tactical Operations Center, which is a long name for a team of white-hat hackers who will jump from a futuristic truck and barge in movie-style to defend against cyber-attacks. All around the news you hear of a company’s security getting breached and thousands of people’s sensitive information stolen. IBM’s team can prevent this from happening. Go check out the coolest truck ever on Futurism, where Jon Christian tells us more.

Collaboration between robots and people on the assembly line

The assembly process in many factories is already highly automated, but the end of the process, where the human eye to detail really matters, is still mainly void of this technology. On the assembly line, robots and humans would have to work together and at this point that doesn’t seem safe. But as Andy Szal describes, there is a company that believes lidar tech is the answer. With this tech, robots could adapt their activities to their environments and so eliminate safety risks. Since people are absolutely necessary for quality control, it would be good if people and robots could work in close proximity. Find out more on Thomasnet.

Self-healing material out of thin air

MIT chemical engineers have designed a material that interacts with carbon dioxide in the air, which allows it to grow and even repair itself. The material has potential applications in many areas, but mostly provides a way in which greenhouse gases can be turned into something useful rather than harmful. Any type of lighting, such as the sun, could make this self-healing and growing reaction happen. This material will first be used as coatings and fillings, but in the long-term, this material could be turned into or used in construction materials. Now that’s what I call organic. Read the full story on MIT News!

Spellcheck for assembly lines

Microsoft Word shows us when we’re wrong with a squiggly red line, something that shows us an error at the source. It signals that something needs to be fixed, and our automatic response is to fix it. In manufacturing, Emergence has a similar system in place, one that helps workers do their jobs better while they’re doing them. Instead of a red line, there is an AI assistant pointing out errors or giving tips during the whole manufacturing process, which helps to catch and fix mistakes early. Prasad Akella on Industryweek sees this type of AI as something that will never replace humans, but help them to enhance productivity without decreasing quality. Proof that autocorrect isn’t making us lazier, but more efficient!

So there we have it, those were our 2018 favorites. Now onto a new year of exciting news, you can follow it right here on the blog. Don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss a thing. Happy New Year!