How Technology Has Evolved In 2016?

Over the last two decade, technology has advanced tremendously in the United States. The tech industry is both a driver and a result of constant shifts in consumer trends.

Today, tech companies are among the leading enterprises and have become major influencers of market behavior. Herein are several ways in which the technology industry is evolving in the United States in 2016.

1. Device Mesh

The device mesh is dynamic and ever expanding endpoints that individuals today are using to gain access to information and interact with other people, institutions and businesses.

Today the device mesh does not just encompass the computers and mobile devices. It involves the full spectrum of endpoints with which all Americans interact.

Smart devices are becoming connected through various networks to back-end systems while functioning in isolation from each other. These changes in the device mesh are leading to improvements in connectivity models. Industry experts are positive that this will expand to create greater interactions between all digital devices. The innovations realized in this sector have led to new digital business opportunities.

The device mesh covers a vast area in technology currently in the United States. These areas include traditional communication and computing devices, wearable devices such as head-mounted augmented and virtual reality (VR), digital endpoints in transportation devices, home electronics, and environmental devices. Changes in the device mesh are bringing about an unprecedented new generation of user experience and opportunities.

2. Internet of Things

The Internet of Things (IoT) tech buzz word has been thrown around a lot this year. IoT refers to the interconnection of everyday devices into the World Wide Web. Although they have been in the market for some time now, this year's main focus has been the IoT architecture and platforms.

The standards and technology in the IoT platform form a foundational set of applications for the control, management, and security of IoT. These standards have to be put in place for IoT to expand safely into more devices. People, particularly in the United States, still have fears of a terminator like an apocalypse brought on by smart devices becoming somewhat sentient.

Although the probability of such a scenario occurring is extremely low, there are still questions to be asked about security before we interconnect all our appliances. The good news is that IoT vendors such as Oracle, Microsoft, IBM and SAP are starting to provide IoT platforms. Since the platforms are not exactly complete, complete integration of IoT into the device mesh is still an ongoing challenge.

3. Ambient User Experience

This is one of the key areas being improved on by technological advances in digital devices. While it is yet to develop fully, ambient user experience currently combines physical, electronic and virtual environments while employing real-time information and feedback as people move from one place to another.

This experience builds on virtual and augmented reality to immerse people into an activity.

It was originally thought to be only applicable in the gaming industry. However, several sectors are already looking to incorporate ambient user experience into their operations.

Facebook already announced the adoption of Oculus Virtual Reality. Founder Mark Zuckerberg hinted at future social media interaction platform where users are immersed into a more entertaining and personal experience.

Top industry technology players in the United States are now focusing on achieving virtual reality supremacy. This follows the Japan's Sony decision to work on improving ambient user experiences on their devices. Google is already working on improving their Cardboard VR and Daydream. It may take a while before we could interact socially on these levels but today it does not seem so far-fetched.

4. Advanced machine learning

This is the ability of machines to use algorithm-based programming to process information and make autonomous and self-directed decisions. The rapid expansion of databases and sources has made manual analysis infeasible and time-consuming.

As such, machine learning seeks to automate some of these tasks thus addressing key challenges to information processing.

Machine learning is being changed by several technologies including neural networks, natural language processing, deep learning and digital reductionism. These are the technologies that are making devices seem "intelligent."

By understanding and learning about concepts in their environments, devices can auto-correct programmed behavior. This sector is rapidly evolving in the United States and is being incorporated in the medical, military, space exploration and business sectors. Take the US elections for example. The odds of Hilary Clinton to win the campaign is predicted to be about 65%, all thanks to the advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning that analyze the trends and strength of her campaign.

5. 3D Printing

Technological advances in 3D printing are enabling 3D printers to employ a varied range of materials such as carbon fiber, glass, nickel alloys, electronics and biological materials.

These changes are driving user demand in the United States as the application for 3D printing diffuses to more sectors including medicine, automotive industry, energy, aerospace and the military.

Current advances are making it possible to incorporate multiple varied materials in one traditional 3D printing process. A while back biological 3D printing was merely a controversial theory. Today the printing of organs and skin seems to be heading towards reality. As expected, this aspect of 3D printing cannot advance as fast as we would like due to ethical and political implications.

There are numerous other areas affected by technological advancement this year. They include cloud computing, big data, mobility and embedded systems.