At the Gartner Symposium/ITxpo 2016, October 16-20 in Orlando, the market research company focused on the top technologies for 2017 as they identified them. These trends will require strategic decisions from many companies in the coming year. Gartner sees the following technologies being on the list.
- AI and Advanced Machine Learning
- Intelligent Apps
- Intelligent Things
- Digital Twin (digital objects that store properties of physical objects)
- Blockchain and Distributed Ledgers
- Conversational Systems
- Mesh App and Service Architecture
- Digital Technology Platforms
- Adaptive Security Architecture
- Virtual and Augmented Reality
Many of these topics seem to describe similar things, even though Gartner may use these terms to describe very discrete development and applications in the world. The most interesting topic, from a display perspective, is of course the virtual and augmented reality space, where head mounted display solutions play a key role in the development and implementation of the whole concept.
The conference is already underway and is sold out.
Analyst Comment
While we here at Display Monitor often focus on the display aspect of AR and VR, we have to understand that from a consumers perspective this is only one component in the complete technology offering. As a matter of fact the most important application of the augmented reality concept by far is Pokemon Go and that is a game that uses AR with a mobile device without even supporting any augmented reality headset. When the consumer understands the value of an AR application, they may be more easily swayed to use a head mounted system for accessing an AR system. At the moment, opening up this possibility is certainly a good thing, but for the future, as AR head mounted displays are not capable of creating the high definition imagery that is available in Pokemon Go. However, it also sets an expectation level that future head mounted AR systems have to meet for a successful market introduction. (NH)
