Of all global industries, IT is the one that's moving quicker than the rest. This is a field that has seen substantial changes over the past five years alone, with smartphones and tablets becoming ubiquitous and data more accessible and usable than ever before.
However, technology is set to evolve even further over the next few years – with developments continuing to ramp up as more innovative and capable solutions become available.
Intel's CEO explored the future of technology at the January Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and outlined several interesting developments.
Growth in wearables
During the keynote address, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich explained how several fields were changing computing, including wearables.
These devices are set for massive growth over the next few years, as the underlying technologies continue to develop and new use-cases emerge. With smart glasses, for example, warehouse workers could scan barcodes and search for products without having to hold a tablet or other device.
Of course, the key to growth in the wearables market is advancement of the processors and other underlying technologies – something that Intel is well aware of.
Mr Krzanich detailed the Intel Curie module as one such highly innovative development. This is a tiny, efficient computer chip that could discreetly be placed in wearables like glasses, lowering power requirements.
Further developments like Curie will be critical to ensuring the success of the wearables field.
Changing interaction
The Intel CEO also outlined developments in how people actually interact with technology, and noted a shift away from traditional approaches – as well as how we charge devices.
"Up until now, computing has largely been defined by human interaction with a screen, keyboard and mouse," he said.
Wireless charging, for example, will mean people are able to simply place a phone, tablet or wearable on a charging surface and have the unit receive power. Certainly, this is far easier than the current method of plugging in cables. Intel highlighted several partnerships the company is involved in to utilise wireless charging, including hotel brands and car makers.
Similar interaction developments can be seen in offerings from companies like Microsoft, which recently announced a holographic headset designed to enhance augmented reality. This piece of hardware will allow people to overlay images, objects and video in the real world through a headset.
Solving problems with computing intelligence
While how we interact with computers is undoubtedly an important field, it could be said that developing computer intelligence is more important.
For example, as drones continue to be used for more than just military and government applications, cities will likely see greater numbers of the machines.
Mr Krzanich explained the Intel developments in smarter drone technologies, which enable the flying vehicles to avoid obstacles without human control. Such advancements will prove invaluable in the near future.
Technology will continue to evolve over the next few years, with companies like Intel driving the underlying developments.
Such substantial progress in fields such as wearables and data analytics means companies need to take note in order to start seeing the benefits. By utilising the correct frameworks, it will be a far easier prospect to actually implement these technologies and realise business transformation.
"The rise of new personal computing experiences, intelligent and connected devices, and the wearable revolution are redefining the relationship between consumers and technology," Mr Krzanich said.
"Our goal with Intel technology is to help solve real problems and enable experiences that are truly desired by people and businesses."
As IT continues to advance over the next few years, with developments in a substantial number of fields, Intel will no doubt be at the forefront.