TECHNOLOGY: Forecasts about future breakthroughs

TechCast (George Washington University) uses yearly international surveys (of scientists and “experts”) and other studies to create a list of future breakthroughs and an estimate of the date it might happen :

Field of Study Event Most likely year How likely that it will happen
E-Commerce Online Finance 2007 82
Information Technology Totally Wireless Internet 2007 83
Information Technology Smart Phones (computer-like) 2008 80
Information Technology Biometric IDs for all 2009 74
E-Commerce Mainstream B2B 2009 74
E-Commerce Entertainment-On-Demand 2009 74
Information Technology Broadband (wireless) DSL, TV,
and satellite communications 		2010 80
Energy & Environment Green Business 2010 75
Information Technology On-Demand Computing 2010 71
E-Commerce E-Government 2011 73
E-Commerce E-Tailing 2011 78
Information Technology Grid Computing 2011 76
Energy & Environment Precision Farming 2011 70
Transportation Hybrid Cars (gasoline & electricity) 2012 77
Information Technology Intelligent Interface (talking with computers) 2012 72
Transportation Fuel Cell Cars 2013 73
E-Commerce Global Access 2013 74
E-Commerce Online Publishing 2013 75
Information Technology Pervasive Networks 2013 69
Energy & Environment Global Warming 2014 69
Transportation Intelligent Cars 2014 73
Manufacturing & Robotics Mass Customization 2014 72
Information Technology Optical Computers 2014 64
Manufacturing & Robotics Designed Materials 2015 68
Energy & Environment Recycling 2015 72
Space Space Tourism 2015 69
E-Commerce Virtual Education 2015 72
Medicine & Biogenetics Telemedicine 2016 72
Energy & Environment Aquaculture 2017 70
Manufacturing & Robotics Nanotechnology 2017 67
Energy & Environment Alternative Energy 2018 68
Energy & Environment Desalinization 2019 62
Energy & Environment Genetically Modified Organisms 2019 66
Manufacturing & Robotics Micro-Machines 2019 65
Information Technology Biocomputing 2020 65
Medicine & Biogenetics Personalized Treatment 2020 62
Manufacturing & Robotics Smart Robots 2020 71
Energy & Environment Distributed Power 2021 67
Energy & Environment Organic Farming 2021 72
Medicine & Biogenetics Artificial Organs 2022 67
Information Technology Quantum Computing 2022 58
Transportation Automated Highways 2025 67
Medicine & Biogenetics Genetic Therapy 2025 60
Transportation Hypersonic Planes 2026 68
Space Moon Base 2026 57
Transportation Small Aircraft 2027 62
Information Technology Virtual Reality 2028 73
Medicine & Biogenetics Grown Organs 2030 58
Transportation Maglev Trains 2030 64
Space Men on Mars 2030 59
Medicine & Biogenetics Child Traits 2033 59
Medicine & Biogenetics Life Extension 2035 67
Energy & Environment Nuclear Fusion 2037 62
Space Star Travel 2068 50
Space ET Contact 2072 41