Year in Review: 2022’s Top New and Emerging Technologies

As 2023 comes to an end and there are more global issues to tackle, this year not only reflects many technologies and innovations, but exciting new developments are just around the corner for 2023.

A Year in Review: Top New and Emerging Technologies for 2022

| Article from Night Optical

From energy solutions, 3D printing, augmented reality and genomics, to artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and even smarter devices, 2022 has been a hot year in the tech world.

Visit the news section of our website. The many pages of blogs about new innovations are a testament to the hype going on across industries this year. Catch up on our blog series here.

In addition to global issues such as the ongoing Ukrainian-Russian war, the fight against climate change, and lingering concerns over COVID-19, the recent Group A Streptococcus (Strep A) outbreak and the current global Worst Avian Flu Outbreak Ever – New devices and research and analysis systems are being launched everywhere.

Let’s start with one of the most widely publicized stories of 2022 and how optics and laser technology will play a role.

Seeing the universe through a new lens

This year, astronomers around the world sat waiting for a long-awaited announcement from NASA. On Christmas Day 2021, the $10 billion James He Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will launch after multiple delays. Despite the challenges faced with the launch of JWST, such as “unpacking operations” and “deploying a tennis-court-sized sunshield,”1 the telescope captured its first collection of images in early July 2022.

Captivating the world, JWST released the first of its major full-color ‘deep-field’ images, known as ‘SMACS 0723’, showing the light expansion and distortion of objects behind the cluster of galaxies. The announcement was followed by four more of his images released the next day, including shots of nebulae, galactic constellations, and atmospheric spectra of exoplanets.

Human or Robot?

Designed by robotics firm Engineered Arts, Ameca went viral in 2022 when the humanoid was unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show 2022 earlier in the year. Described as “the world’s most advanced humanoid robot,” Amekha is uncannily capable of human mannerisms, such as smiling, blinking, and frowning.

Built on 3D scans of real people, Ameca not only mimics facial expressions, but also similarities in terms of bone structure, skin texture, and frown/wrinkle lines. Today, Ameca works with pre-programmed life-like movements and does not use artificial intelligence (AI). The British robotics firm hasn’t predicted an official model for the next decade, but Ameca is a great contender for its list of 2022’s biggest technological breakthroughs.

The future of aviation?

With electric vehicle sales peaking in 2021 and continuing to be popular this year, it’s no surprise that the waves this technology has caused are spilling over into the aviation sector.

There are three notable mentions in this category that have made impressive strides towards a greener future for the aviation industry. First, British luxury car maker and leading aero engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce unveiled a record-breaking development of its electric aircraft demonstrator, Axel. An acronym meaning “Accelerating the Electrification of Flight,” his ACCEL aircraft achieved a world record all-electric flight of 345.4 mph. The official flight took place in 2021, but 2022 was the year that was confirmed as a “record” by the World Federation of Air Sports2.

Next up is Eviation’s Alice electric commuter plane, which made its maiden flight at the end of September 2022. Intended to carry nine people, the aircraft aims to “reimagine regional travel.”

Meanwhile, another electric aircraft made impressive progress in May. Beta Technologies’ Alia has traveled up to 1403 miles for cargo logistics applications. As if it were used for deliveries, the Aria stopped and departed along the way, departing New York on May 23 and making a final stop in Arkansas on May 30 after a total of seven stops. Did.

electric boat

In our annual roundup, electric transportation seems to be in the spotlight. From roads and skies to seas, EV-powered vehicles, planes and boats are popping up all over the world.

For example, Swedish company Candela’s P-12 Shuttle (not pictured) is an electric passenger vessel that aims to provide “convenient interconnections in waterside cities.” The brand also claims that this method of transportation is not only more environmentally friendly, but also “a faster alternative to cars on many routes”. The -12 shuttle offers passengers the smoothest experience on the water and claims to be “400% more energy efficient than any other high-speed vessel.” By hydroplaning, Candela’s vessels use less electricity than conventional boats require.

autonomous ship

As ingenious as Candela’s electric ship, the AI-powered autonomous oceanographic research vessel Mayflower is the first of its kind. The Mayflower, powered by IBM technology, was designed to collect oceanographic data on the impacts of climate change and was set to follow her original three-masted Mayflower transatlantic route. rice field. Working with marine research and exploration specialist ProMare to co-design the boat’s software, IBM equipped the autonomous vessel with his three layers of technology. This includes “Sensory Input,” “Real-Time Machine Learning and Analytics,” along with “Decision Engine 4.”

On June 30th of this year, the Mayflower crossed the Atlantic Ocean from Plymouth, England and arrived safely in Plymouth, Massachusetts!

cryogenic chemistry

Of course, in addition to the high-tech breakthroughs we witnessed in 2022, there are also tremendous scientific developments worth noting in the intertwined realm of science and technology we are working on.

Those of us who have a large presence in the field of chemistry often see incredible firsts that are often difficult for scientists to achieve. As noted in Physics World’s “Biggest Breakthroughs of the Year,” this year, a group of experts from Chinese and American educational institutions determined that the previously difficult-to-achieve created the first ultracold polyatomic molecule with As Physics World explains, it “opens the way for new research in both physics and chemistry.”

year to celebrate

Here at Knight Optical, we provide optical components and knowledge to all of the above industries and more, for everything from experimental breakthroughs in state-of-the-art labs to large-scale, game-changing AI and sensor-powered devices. We work on custom and stock optics. In addition to vehicles, ships and planes, we are also researching innovative space-borne systems and advanced robotics.

Why Choose Knight Optical for Your Application?

Discerning customers rely on Knight Optical not only for the highest quality products and the capabilities of our in-house state-of-the-art metrology lab and QA department, but also for our wide range of Stock Optics available for next day shipping. ) – We also offer optics as custom-made components.

With over 30 years of experience and a large number of world-renowned customers over the years, we are proud to have worked on some of the most groundbreaking innovations.

We hope you enjoyed our blog about the top technologies of 2022 and how optics and laser technology will play a big role in these advancements. If you are looking for premium quality bespoke optics, feel free to contact a member of our technical sales team here.

The content and opinions in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of RoboticsTomorrow

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