A Scoville Heat Scale For Emerging Technologies in 2021

A couple of years back I wrote an article in FORBES called a A Scoville Heat Scale For Measuring Cybersecurity. The Scoville Scale is a measurement chart used to rate the heat of peppers or other spicy food. For that article, I devised my own Scoville Scale-like heat characterizations of the cyber threats and rated the heat on the corresponding cyber security impact.

As we enter a new decade of transformation, I am applying that same Scoville scale to the topic of emerging technologies. It could be surmised that all these emerging technologies are already hot on a heat scale as they are already facilitating exponential changes in our society. True but some areas of emerging tech are further along than others in how it will be impacting our lives in the coming year.

Health Technologies:

Medicine doctor and robotics research and analysis, Scientist diagnose checking coronavirus or ... [+] covid-19 testing result with modern virtual screen in laboratory, Medical technology and inhibition of disease outbreaks.

I will start my measurement activities at the hottest emerging tech measured on Scoville heat scale. Health and medical technologies are really a diverse area of tech that has been impacted by Covid19, especially in research, development and prototyping. Healthcare technologies include everything from biotechnology, nano deliveries of therapeutics, drug discovery, telemedicine (Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality), genomics, cybernetics, bionics, wearables, robotics, and the internet of medical things. All of these component technologies are now being fused with new capabilities in machine learning/artificial intelligence algorithms for better diagnosis and treatment of patients.

Heat Scale Rating: Trinidad Scorpion Pepper. Covid19 has pushed us to explore and bring to market new heath related technologies. We are on the way to smarter health and medical care and this technology area is both multidimensional and very promising.

Artificial Intelligence & Machine learning (AI/ML):

Conceptual background of Artificial intelligence , humans and cyber-business on programming ... [+] technology element ,3d illustration

The cognitive technologies AI & ML also have quite a hot measurement on the Scoville pepper scale. AI & ML are not necessarily new innovations, but they are ones that still have yet to reach full potential. In 2020, both AI & ML started to flourish and it will continue to do so throughout 2021. At its core, AI & ML are really about data integration, quality (image definition) and collection and processing of that data that allows for meaningful analytics. Applications for AI are increasing in variety and capability (especially automation)and are now being applied to almost every industry vertical, including finance, healthcare, energy, transportation, and cybersecurity. Most intriguing, but only in the earliest stages is AL/ML neural human augmentation. Neuromorphic technologies, and human/computer interface will extend our human brain capacities, memories and capabilities. Please see my recent FORBES article for a more in-depth analysis on the merging of human and machine:

Heat Scale Rating: Chocolate Haberno. AI & ML are certainly making significant impact to anything and everything tech related. Its very hot but will get hotter as we continue to aim higher for sentient capabilities in our machines. Of course that capability may turn into a double edged sword and we may end up having regrets in the not so distant future.

The Internet of Things (IoT):

Smart city and communication network concept. 5G. LPWA (Low Power Wide Area). Wireless ... [+] communication.

IoT refers to the general idea of things that are readable, recognizable, locatable, addressable, and/or controllable via the Internet. Essentially this connotes physical objects communicating with each other via sensors. The IoT networks include everything from edge computing devices, to home appliances, from wearable technology, to cars. In essence, IoT represents the melding of the physical world and the digital world. According to Gartner, there are nearly 26 billion networked devices currently on the Internet of Things in 2020, That actually may be a conservative estimate as more and more people are getting connected to the internet in a remote work oriented world. IoT is being boosted by edge computing combined with next gen microchips, and lower costs of manufacturing sensors.

Heat Scale Rating: Scotch Bonnet. IoT is still a work in progress, it is growing rapidly in size, and faces a myriad of regulatory and cybersecurity challenges. Eventually it will be the backbone of smart cities. The connectivity and operational expansion of IoT infrastructures and devices will be integral to the conduct of many business and personal activities in the near future.In 2021 the IoT roll out will continue.

5G:

5G (5th generation) communication technology concept. Smart city. Telecommunication.

In 2020 advanced 5G and wireless networks have started to bring benefits, including faster speeds, higher traffic capacities, lower latency, and increased reliability to consumers and businesses. As it grows, 5G will impact commercial verticals such as retail, health, and financial by enabling processing, communications, and analytics in real time. Compared to the last generation of 4G networks, 5G is estimated to have the capability to run 100 times faster, up to 10 gigabits per second making quick downloads of information and streaming of large bandwidth content a breeze. Although 5G is in the initial stages of deployment, connectivity is already exponentially expanding. The industry trade group 5G Americas cited an Omdia report that counted more than 17.7 million 5G connections at the end of last year, including a 329 percent surge during the final three months of 2019. Omdia is also predicting 91 million 5G connections by the end of 2020. In 20121, the 5G roll out will continue on a larger scale.

Heat Scale Rating: Tabasco Pepper. 5G is evolving but still only has limited deployments. Many compliance and security issues are still being worked out. No doubt that in the next few years as 5G is implemented and upgraded, the Scoville pepper rating will become much hotter.

Quantum-computing:

Abstract science, hands holding atomic particle, nuclear energy imagery and network connection on ... [+] dark background.

Quantum Computing like AI & ML, has already arrived. IBM, Google, Intel, Honeywell, D-Wave, and several others are all in various stages of developing quantum computers. It is also a U.S. government priority. Recently, the Department of Energy announced the investment of over $1 billion for five quantum information science centers. Quantum computing works by harnessing the special properties of atoms and subatomic particles. Physicists are designing quantum computers that can calculate at amazing speeds and that would enable a whole new type of cryptography. It is predicted that quantum computers will be capable of solving certain types of problems up to 100 million times faster than conventional systems. As we get closer to a fully operational quantum computer, a new world of smart computing beckons.

Heat Scale Rating: Serrano Pepper. Quantum science is a new frontier and the physics can be complicated. Good progress is being made, especially on quantum encryption, but a fully operational quantum computer is still a few years away from fruition.

Big Data: Real-time Analytics and Predictive Analytics:

young asian woman uses digital tablet on virtual visual screen at night

Big Data: Real-time Analytics and Predictive Analytics flourishes in the world of software algorithms combined with evolving computing firmware and hardware. Data is the new gold but much more plentiful. According to Eric Schmidt , former CEO of Google, we now produce more data every other day than we did from the inception of early civilization until the year 2003 combined. It is estimated that the amount of data stored in the world's computer systems is doubling every two years, Therefore, the challenges of organizing, processing, managing, and analyzing data have become more important than ever. Emerging big data analytics tools are helping collapse information gaps and giving businesses and governments the tools they need to uncover trends, demographics, and preferences, and solutions to a wide variety of problem sets in many industries.

Heat Scale Rating: Thai Pepper. Solid heat but much room for more. Big data analytics ultimately will rely on the fusion of other technologies such as AL/MI and 5G. Fusion of emerging tech will be a growing factor in most future development and use cases. For a deeper dive, please see my FORBES article: The New Techno-Fusion: The Merging Of Technologies Impacting Our Future

Other Tech Trends:

Abstract pixelated digital world map silhouette in cold blue colors, with infographic icons, line ... [+] graph and year labels. Horizontal focused on the year 2021.

There are really too many emerging technologies to match with the heat peppers on the Scoville Heat Scale. I have only touched upon a few of them. Others include materials science (including self-assembling materials), enabling nanotechnologies, 3D Printing (photovoltaics and printed electronics), wearables (flexible electronics). The world of augmented and virtual reality is also exciting and paradigm changing. And, like 5G cloud computing is a vital network backbone for increased productivity and security moving and storing data and applications over the internet from remote servers. I would be remiss if I did not add cybersecurity as the all encompassing blanket for emerging technologies. Cybersecurity is a critical component for most tech, whether it be Health Technologies, IoT, 5G, AL/ML, Quantum, and Big Data that will allow for information assurance, privacy, and resilience. No matter how you view it 2021 will be a hot year for emerging tech and hopefully a safer, happier and more prosperous one for all.

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About the author:

Chuck Brooks, President of Brooks Consulting International, is a globally recognized thought leader and evangelist for Cybersecurity and Emerging Technologies. LinkedIn named Chuck as one of The Top 5 Tech Experts to Follow on LinkedIn. Chuck was named as a 2020 top leader and influencer in Whos Who in Cybersecurity by Onalytica. He was named by Thompson Reuters as a Top 50 Global Influencer in Risk, Compliance, and by IFSEC as the #2 Global Cybersecurity Influencer. He was named by The Potomac Officers Club and Executive Mosaic and GovCon as at One of The Top Five Executives to Watch in GovCon Cybersecurity. Chuck is a two-time Presidential appointee who was an original member of the Department of Homeland Security. Chuck has been a featured speaker at numerous conferences and events including presenting before the G20 country meeting on energy cybersecurity.

Chuck is on the Faculty of Georgetown University where he teaches in the Graduate Applied Intelligence and Cybersecurity Programs. He is a contributor to FORBES, a Cybersecurity Expert for The Network at the Washington Post, Visiting Editor at Homeland Security Today, He has also been featured speaker, author on technology and cybersecurity topics by IBM, AT&T, Microsoft, General Dynamics, Xerox, Checkpoint, Cylance, and many others.

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Chuck Brooks on Twitter: @ChuckDBrooks

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A Scoville Heat Scale For Measuring The Progress Of Emerging Technologies In 2021 - Forbes