The Factors that are Limiting Technology

Doesn’t it feel as if we should already have jetpacks? Teleporters? Or meals in tablet form? We already have some impressive technology, like tablets, which are small computers that people can carry around. We can use the GPS in our cars to navigate around town. We can post an update to our social media sites and reach countless people at once.

So, with all of this technology, why don’t we have jet packs yet? What factors are keeping us from making these technological leaps?

Building a Better Battery

As we move into a more mobile world, batteries grow in importance. They are a foundation of our technological world these days. Therefore, if we are restricted by their power, and capacity to hold a charge, the technology that utilizes them is also limited. For example, you wouldn’t want your jet pack to loose its charge in flight. Recently, researchers at Chicago’s Northwestern University found a way to make a much more powerful lithium-ion battery than the ones we have today. We explored this more thoroughly in a blog post last week. When these batteries eventually enter the market, we will likely notice a increase in technological advancements.

Improving Internet Access

It may seem like everybody is linked to the Internet, but this is a fallacy. The majority of the world doesn’t have access to the Internet. While this may not seem like it could hold back technological advancements, it does. The thought is that by limiting the number of people who can contribute to the interconnectedness the Internet provides, we are reducing the amount of individuals who can collaborate. Until the majority of people are connected, technological advancements will not happen as fast as they could.

The Business of New Tech

This may not come as a surprise, but business matters hamper technological advancements as well. For instance, patent laws, and government regulations. If these things aren’t clear, pioneer technology can sit in red tape limbo for some time. To avoid this last step bottleneck of the creation process, laws should be clear and easy to grasp.

The good news is that none of these restrictions can truly stop technology from improving. Just think ahead to the holiday season of 2020. You never know what innovations will be waiting for us.