WELCOME to the smart age. The world is now living in breakneck speed in terms of innovations everyone before believe could only happen in dreams. Indeed, it’s remarkable to see how far we’ve come in terms of technological advancements.

At the start of the decade, smartphones were still in their early stages, artificial intelligence was a niche concept, and self-driving cars were confined to science fiction. Fast forward to the end of 2019, and we can highlight some of the most significant and groundbreaking inventions of the past ten years.

Please read and get to know about the world’s top 10 innovations in the last decade:

  1. Google Assistant

In the realm of artificial intelligence, Google Assistant stands out as a game-changer. Unlike its predecessors, it possesses remarkable versatility, coming closest to achieving general artificial intelligence. Integrated into Google Home smart speakers, Google phones, and various devices, Google Assistant engages with users primarily through voice commands. It can compose messages, set calendar reminders, search the internet for answers to questions, and even provide a touch of humor. Furthermore, it can translate spoken words into 27 different languages with impressive accuracy, leaving Siri and Alexa trailing behind.

  1. Crispr

Crispr, the gene-editing technology, is still in its infancy, but its potential to reshape the world is undeniable. This revolutionary system enables scientists and startups to target and replace undesired strands of DNA, offering hope in the battle against diseases like sickle cell anemia and cancer. While a patent dispute between Berkeley and MIT over Crispr’s licensing rights has arisen, the technology’s application continues unabated. In 2018, a Chinese scientist even created genetically modified human embryos, raising questions about the ethical implications. However, we remain optimistic about its potential for good.

  1. SpaceX’s Reusable Rocket

Elon Musk, often known for his visionary ideas, has executed a groundbreaking concept with SpaceX’s reusable rocket system. In December 2015, the Falcon 9 rocket launched, delivered its payload into orbit, and then returned to land at Cape Canaveral. This achievement marked a new era in space travel, significantly reducing costs. A Falcon 9 launch now costs only about $62 million, a quarter of what it did a decade ago, making space exploration more accessible to startups and potentially even humanity’s ticket to Mars.

  1. Venmo

The simplicity of Venmo’s concept has transformed how people exchange money. Founded by college roommates Andrew Kortina and Iqram Magdon-Ismail in 2010, Venmo allows users to send money instantly with just a few taps on their smartphones. It has revolutionized bill splitting, rent payments, and eliminated the need for traditional IOUs. Acquired by PayPal in 2015, Venmo boasts a user base exceeding 40 million, surpassing that of many major banks, with a 2019 payment volume projected to exceed $100 billion.

  1. Nest Thermostat

Tony Fadell, the creator of the iPod, and former Apple engineer Matt Rogers embarked on an unexpected journey when they founded Nest in 2010. Their smart thermostat, an elegantly designed device, allows users to preprogram temperature schedules. It learns from your habits, using motion sensing and Wi-Fi-connected devices to adjust settings based on occupancy, reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions when you’re away. This innovation prompted Google to acquire Nest for $3.2 billion in 2014.

  1. The iPad’s Evolution

When the iPad made its debut in 2010, it faced widespread ridicule due to its name and its somewhat awkward size, falling somewhere between a large phone and a small computer. However, over time, it has proven its worth by selling a staggering 400 million units and inspiring competitors like Amazon, Microsoft, Samsung, and Google. Today, tablets have evolved into indispensable business tools, revolutionizing industries such as food service by replacing cash registers and streamlining inventory management. The App Store now boasts over one million iPad-native apps, impacting a wide range of sectors from real estate and healthcare to education.

  1. The Era of Self-Driving Cars

In the early part of this decade, Google and Apple conducted covert trials of fully autonomous vehicles. Following their lead, major car manufacturers and ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft entered the self-driving race. Today, passengers can summon driverless taxis for beta testing in cities like Phoenix and Pittsburgh. This technology, driven by machine vision and advanced artificial intelligence, holds the promise of significantly safer roads, with the most optimistic estimates suggesting a 90 percent reduction in fatalities. However, one industry that views this innovation with apprehension is the workforce of nearly four million truck and taxi drivers.

  1. Consumer-Friendly LED Light Bulbs

LED bulbs represent a quantum leap in energy efficiency compared to the decades-old incandescent bulbs, which squandered 90 percent of their energy as heat. Prior to 2010, LED bulbs were unwieldy, expensive, and mainly suitable for large industrial applications. Yet, in response to federal mandates for enhanced efficiency, manufacturers like GE and Philips developed LED bulbs for everyday consumers. These bulbs consume just 20 percent of the energy of their incandescent counterparts and can endure 25,000 hours of use—equivalent to over a decade of average household usage.

  1. The Ring Doorbell Revolution

Jamie Siminoff, the founder of Ring, faced unanimous rejection when he pitched his smart doorbell on Shark Tank in 2013. However, five years later, Amazon acquired his company for an impressive $1 billion. The Wi-Fi-enabled doorbell automatically records video upon detecting motion through its built-in sensors, and a two-way intercom enables homeowners to communicate with visitors through a mobile app. Installation of Ring has led to a 50 percent reduction in break-ins according to the LAPD. Nevertheless, there are ongoing concerns from activists and lawmakers regarding the extent of information that police departments can access through their surveillance partnerships with Amazon.

  1. Tesla Powerwall: The Future of Home Energy Storage

With solar power becoming increasingly affordable and surpassing the cost-effectiveness of gas and coal in many regions, the focus has shifted to efficiently storing excess energy for later use in homes. Tesla’s Powerwall, introduced in 2015, offers an advanced solution, allowing homeowners to program energy collection during off-peak hours and consumption during peak times. As several states begin to implement time-of-use energy pricing—already adopted by California, Arizona, and Massachusetts—Powerwall not only saves money but also reduces strain on local power grids.

(Compiled by Jr Amigo/ai/mnm)

Source: Inc. Magazine-Kevin Ryan