TIGER Talk Recap: 2017 Tech Trends You Need to Know

Written by Innovate New Albany@InnovateNA7 years ago

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Tech trends come and go, and sometimes come back again. But if you want to know what’s hot and what’s not in 2017, you’ll need to consult the experts.

That’s exactly what over 30 business owners did on January 13 at Innovate New Albany. Tech wizards Paul Tela of Buckeye Interactive and Brandon Mills of Drive Capital presented “2017 Tech Trends You Need to Know,” part of Innovate New Albany’s TIGER Talk lecture series. TIGER Talks are offered free each month, and educate entrepreneurs on the topics of Technology, Innovation, Growth, Entrepreneurship and Responsibility.

Paul and Brandon began the presentation by discussing current tech trends, then placing a PostIt note with the trend on a hype cycle chart. A hype cycle is a graphic representation developed by Garter that illustrates the maturity and adoption of technologies and applications.

Paul and Brandon debated the initial popularity of Wi-Fi routers, wireless charging, SMART TVs, TV sticks and 4K, and what happened to each once it was launched and used. They felt Wi-Fi routers and TV sticks are at the top of the hype chart, SMART TVs are near the bottom, and wireless charging and 4K have moved through the cycle and are becoming more standard.

Trends for 2017

In this coming year, both Paul and Brandon have predictions and opinions on the following technology trends:

Virtual Reality (VR)

Virtual reality technology can be as inexpensive as cardboard, or as advanced and as expensive as Sony PlayStation’s VR, which costs thousands of dollars and requires high-end computers. The more complex it is, the more incredible the experience. Right now VR is used mostly for entertainment, so Paul and Brandon are placing it on the downward trend.

Augmented Reality (AR)

Augmented reality is a step beyond VR, where the technology is projecting content into the world around you. Pokémon Go is an example of AR. It could eventually be used for factory training, but because the computing power and required technology isn’t there yet, Paul and Brandon place it at the start of the arc.

Drones

Fun drones or “profit” drones were very hyped, but fell due to regulation issues. Now that regulations have been developed for them, Paul and Brandon predict an increase in use, especially for delivery and for inspecting equipment and farmland.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI and ML)

Paul and Brandon emphasized that Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning aren’t magic. The machines have been programmed with fancy algorithms written by developers. Virtual assistants such as Siri and Echo are looking for key words in your commands and respond with pre-written scripts. By the end of 2017, Paul and Brandon predict there will be more commands and an increase in context, but they have probably reached the peak of their lifecycle.

Self-driving cars with driver assist features are becoming more popular, but autonomous cars still have a long way to go. Chatbots such as Facebook Messenger are at the beginning of their life cycles, and are on their way up.

Business Internet of Things (IOT) is the source of big data today, and business big data is on it’s way back up. Consumer IOT – such as Internet connected security systems, garage door openers and baby monitors – are modern conveniences, but Paul and Brandon predict security will be a problem in the coming year.

For more information about technology trends and their predictions for 2017, contact Paul at Paul@BuckeyeInteractive.com or Brandon at Brandon@DriveCapital.com.

Innovate New Albany, the city’s incubator for technology startups, entrepreneurs and small businesses, features 16,000 square feet of space within the New Albany Business Park’s Signature Office Building, 8000 Walton Parkway.