by Peter High, published on Forbes
10-6-15
Gartner’s Symposium/ITxpo is this week in Orlando. Today, David Cearley, Vice President and Gartner Fellow, released the company’s “Top Ten Strategic Technology Trends for 2016.” They emphasize the Internet of Things, and smart devices talking to each other, getting smarter and more useful as they do. Through it all, the evolution of digital business is clearly at the heart of what is covered. Here is a summary of the trends:
1. The Device Mesh
A variety of other trends have led to an increased number of sensors embedded in many technologies and devices that we use personally and professionally. They become smarter as they gather more data on our daily patterns. Gartner predicts that these sensors, which tend to work in silos today will increasingly work in concert, leading to even greater insights about our daily patterns.
2. Ambient User Experience
Gartner refers to these devices and sensors’ ability to gather more contextual data as described above as AMbient UX. The challenge will be with application design, anticipating this level of device synchronicity and collaboration, for lack of better framing. Gartner posits that the devices and sensors will become so smart that they will be able to organize our lives without our even noticing that they are doing so.
3. 3D-printing Materials
Though not a new trend, 3D-printing has caught its stride now that companies like Tesla are using it to build engine parts, and SpaceX is using it to create rocket parts. Better applications of the technology to biological material and food will follow, according to Gartner.
To read the full article, and see the rest of the list of Gartner’s top 10 Strategic Technology Trends for 2016, please visit Forbes
