Transforming Defence: Six Science and Tech Trends Set to Change the World

From brain-computer interfaces to programmable materials, these are the trends you need to know about.
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Israel Vargas

In 1999, the branding agency Interbrand came up with the name “Wi-Fi” as a catchier alternative to “IEEE 802.11b Direct Sequence”, the official name for the wireless networking protocol of the time. It was a sign that wireless communications had finally reached the consumer mainstream. In the same year, Apple launched its AirPort router, with a jubilant Steve Jobs demonstrating this new-fangled wireless networking technology by passing an iBook through a hula hoop and exclaiming: “No wires!”

Wi-Fi has come a long way in the two decades since then, allowing ever faster downloads of ever greater volumes of data. It’s not only become an essential part of our personal and professional daily lives, but also enables the Internet of Things. There are currently more than 20 billion connected devices around the world, transforming every area of human existence.

This rapid growth is a perfect example of the Law of Accelerating Returns posited by American inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil. In an essay published in 2001, he argued that the rate of technological change accelerates exponentially. “So we won’t experience 100 years of progress in the 21st century – it will be more like 20,000 years of progress (at today’s rate),” he wrote.

The last 30 years have brought multiple innovations such as smartphones, cryptocurrency, augmented reality, gene editing, social media platforms... the list is long. Many of these are underpinned by groundbreaking foundational technologies such as AI and cloud computing. Huge steps have also been taken in areas such as robotics, nanotechnology and biotechnology.

So what comes next? According to Elon Musk, one of the prime movers in this explosion of new technology, we will see humans on Mars within the next five years. But what about closer to home? Which innovations and trends will come to the fore in the next few years? “In previous decades, we have seen cutting-edge science and technology stem from the defence industry, given the large capital budgets that were previously required,” says Mike Sewart, Group Chief Technology Officer, QinetiQ. “As the pace of change increases and technology becomes more prolific, new products, services and business models are increasingly arising from the wider world of commerce. With that being the case, it is vital that the defence and security organisations learn from the global trends around us and, combined with defence and security domain knowledge, use them to protect our national interests for the future.”

This report focuses on six key areas of advancement, exploring the technology behind them and the uses to which they can be put, while also speculating on the opportunities or challenges they may pose to the defence and security sectors.

  1. Brain-Computer Interfaces
    By controlling machines using nothing but brain waves, we will fundamentally change the way that we interact with technology.
  2. Quantum Technology
    The science of subatomic particles will revolutionise fields such as computing and sensors, transforming many areas of our lives.
  3. Programmable Materials
    A growing suite of new techniques in material development will enable the integration of smart capabilities into the objects around us.
  4. Edge Computing
    As the Internet of Things predominates, the ability to process data as close to its source as possible will become ever more important.
  5. Biomimicry
    Nature-inspired technology, based on insights from millions of years of evolution, will unlock new areas of innovation in a multitude of fields.
  6. Electromagnetic Interference
    Potential new threats will lie in store in a world that is increasingly dependent on sensors and wireless communications technology.

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but all these topics contain considerable food for thought for those in the defence and security sectors and should serve to inspire new ideas for future applications in defence and beyond.

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This article was originally published by WIRED UK