List of emerging technologies
Updated: 5/20/2026, 7:02:40 PM Wikipedia source
This is a list of emerging technologies, which are in-development technical innovations that have significant potential in their applications. The criteria for this list is that the technology must:
Exist in some way; purely hypothetical technologies cannot be considered emerging and should be covered in the list of hypothetical technologies instead. However, technologies being actively researched and prototyped are acceptable. Have a Wikipedia article or adjacent citation covering them. Not be widely used yet. Mainstream or extensively commercialized technologies can no longer be considered emerging. Listing here is not a prediction that the technology will become widely adopted, only a recognition of significant potential to become widely adopted or highly useful if ongoing work continues, is successful, and the work is not overtaken by other technologies.
Tables
· Agriculture
Agricultural robotics
Agricultural robotics
Emerging technology
Agricultural robotics
Status
Research and development, trial projects
Potential applications
Automation of agriculture
Related articles
Agricultural drone
Closed ecological systems
Closed ecological systems
Emerging technology
Closed ecological systems
Status
Research and development, working demonstrators (e . Biosphere 2)
Potential applications
Agriculture, scientific research, space colonization
Related articles
Greenhouse, Eden Project, Bioshelter, Seawater greenhouse
Cultured meat
Cultured meat
Emerging technology
Cultured meat
Status
Research and development, trials
Potential applications
Humane, resource-efficient, healthier, and cheaper meat
Related articles
New Harvest
Atmospheric water generator
Atmospheric water generator
Emerging technology
Atmospheric water generator
Status
Working prototype
Potential applications
Agriculture in semi-arid land
Related articles
Desorption
Vertical farming
Vertical farming
Emerging technology
Vertical farming
Status
Research, development, experiments, and diffusion
Potential applications
Space-efficient farming and space travel applications
| Emerging technology | Status | Potential applications | Related articles |
| Agricultural robotics | Research and development, trial projects | Automation of agriculture | Agricultural drone |
| Closed ecological systems | Research and development, working demonstrators (e . Biosphere 2) | Agriculture, scientific research, space colonization | Greenhouse, Eden Project, Bioshelter, Seawater greenhouse |
| Cultured meat | Research and development, trials | Humane, resource-efficient, healthier, and cheaper meat | New Harvest |
| Atmospheric water generator | Working prototype | Agriculture in semi-arid land | Desorption |
| Vertical farming | Research, development, experiments, and diffusion | Space-efficient farming and space travel applications |
· Construction
Active structure
Active structure
Emerging technology
Active structure
Status
Research, development, commercialization
Potential applications
Adaptive structures that respond to different conditions, or supermassive buildings and infrastructure (e . space fountains)
Arcology
Arcology
Emerging technology
Arcology
Status
Research, development, commercialization
Domed city
Domed city
Emerging technology
Domed city
Status
Planned feature for Mall of the World
Potential applications
Weather-controlled city, colonization of other celestial bodies
Earthscraper
Earthscraper
Emerging technology
Earthscraper
Status
Demonstration
| Emerging technology | Status | Potential applications | Related articles |
| Active structure | Research, development, commercialization | Adaptive structures that respond to different conditions, or supermassive buildings and infrastructure (e . space fountains) | |
| Arcology | Research, development, commercialization | ||
| Domed city | Planned feature for Mall of the World | Weather-controlled city, colonization of other celestial bodies | |
| Earthscraper | Demonstration |
· Economy
Cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrency
Emerging technology
Cryptocurrency
Status
Diffusion
Potential applications
Payment, Digital currency
Related articles
Bitcoin, Ethereum
Digital wallet
Digital wallet
Emerging technology
Digital wallet
Status
Diffusion
Potential applications
Payment, Digital currency
Related articles
Google pay, Apple Pay
CBDC
CBDC
Emerging technology
CBDC
Status
Diffusion
Potential applications
Payment, Digital currency
Related articles
Digital Rupee, Digital Euro
| Emerging technology | Status | Potential applications | Related articles |
| Cryptocurrency | Diffusion | Payment, Digital currency | Bitcoin, Ethereum |
| Digital wallet | Diffusion | Payment, Digital currency | Google pay, Apple Pay |
| CBDC | Diffusion | Payment, Digital currency | Digital Rupee, Digital Euro |
· Electronics, IT, and communications
6G cellular communications
6G cellular communications
Emerging technology
6G cellular communications
Status
Conceptual
Potential applications
Mobile phones
Artificial general intelligence
Artificial general intelligence
Emerging technology
Artificial general intelligence
Status
Hypothetical, experiments
Potential applications
Creating intelligent devices and robots; AI can counsel (or even take charge) in scientific projects, government, army, corporate governance, film and books creation, inventions etc.
Related articles
Progress in artificial intelligence, technological singularity, applications of artificial intelligence
Biometrics
Biometrics
Emerging technology
Biometrics
Status
Diffusion, commercialization
Blockchain
Blockchain
Emerging technology
Blockchain
Status
Diffusion, commercialization
Potential applications
Finance, digital currency, identity (social science), Web3 , Smart contracts
Related articles
Bitcoin, Ethereum
Carbon nanotube field-effect transistor
Carbon nanotube field-effect transistor
Emerging technology
Carbon nanotube field-effect transistor
Status
Research and development
Potential applications
Future miniaturization of transistors
Cashierless store
Cashierless store
Emerging technology
Cashierless store
Status
Limited commercialization
Civic technology
Civic technology
Emerging technology
Civic technology
Status
Research and development, projects
Potential applications
Smart cities, more responsive government
Related articles
Smart city, e-democracy, open data, intelligent environment
Digital scent technology
Digital scent technology
Emerging technology
Digital scent technology
Status
Diffusion
Related articles
Smell-O-Vision, iSmell
DNA digital data storage
DNA digital data storage
Emerging technology
DNA digital data storage
Status
Experiments
Potential applications
Mass data storage
Electronic nose
Electronic nose
Emerging technology
Electronic nose
Status
Research, limited commercialization
Potential applications
Detecting spoiled food, chemical weapons, and cancer
Emerging memory technologies
(T-RAM, CBRAM, SONOS, RRAM, racetrack memory, NRAM, phase-change memory, FJG RAM, millipede memory, Skyrmion, programmable metallization cell, ferroelectric RAM, magnetoresistive RAM, nvSRAM)
Emerging memory technologies
(T-RAM, CBRAM, SONOS, RRAM, racetrack memory, NRAM, phase-change memory, FJG RAM, millipede memory, Skyrmion, programmable metallization cell, ferroelectric RAM, magnetoresistive RAM, nvSRAM)
Emerging technology
Emerging memory technologies
(T-RAM, CBRAM, SONOS, RRAM, racetrack memory, NRAM, phase-change memory, FJG RAM, millipede memory, Skyrmion, programmable metallization cell, ferroelectric RAM, magnetoresistive RAM, nvSRAM)
Status
In development
Emerging magnetic data storage technologies
(SMR, HAMR, BPM, MAMR, TDMR, CPP/GMR, PMR, hard disk drive)
Emerging magnetic data storage technologies
(SMR, HAMR, BPM, MAMR, TDMR, CPP/GMR, PMR, hard disk drive)
Emerging technology
Emerging magnetic data storage technologies
(SMR, HAMR, BPM, MAMR, TDMR, CPP/GMR, PMR, hard disk drive)
Status
In development (HAMR, BPM); diffusion (SMR)
Potential applications
Greatly improved storage density compared to current HDDs, can be combined
5D optical data storage
5D optical data storage
Emerging technology
5D optical data storage
Status
Research, prototypes
Potential applications
Extremely compact, long-lasting information storage
E-textiles
E-textiles
Emerging technology
E-textiles
Status
Research, diffusion
Potential applications
Wearable technology
Exascale computing
Exascale computing
Emerging technology
Exascale computing
Status
Projects
Exocortex
Exocortex
Emerging technology
Exocortex
Status
Diffusion of primitive amplifications; working prototypes of more; Hypothetical, experiments on more substantial amplification
Flexible electronics
Flexible electronics
Emerging technology
Flexible electronics
Status
Research, development, prototypes, limited commercialization (e . Samsung Galaxy Fold)
Potential applications
Flexible and/or foldable electronic devices, and flexible solar cells which are lightweight, can be rolled up for launch, and are easily deployable
Related articles
Nokia Morph, Flexible organic light-emitting diode
Fourth-generation optical discs (3D optical data storage, Holographic data storage)
Fourth-generation optical discs (3D optical data storage, Holographic data storage)
Emerging technology
Fourth-generation optical discs (3D optical data storage, Holographic data storage)
Status
Research, prototyping
Potential applications
Storing and archiving data previously erased for economic reasons
Related articles
Blu-ray Disc, Optical storage
Li-Fi
Li-Fi
Emerging technology
Li-Fi
Status
Demos, requires standardization
Related articles
Laser communication in space
Machine vision
Machine vision
Emerging technology
Machine vision
Status
Research, prototyping, commercialization
Potential applications
Biometrics, controlling processes (e ., in driverless car, automated guided vehicle), detecting events (e ., in visual surveillance), interaction (e ., in human–computer interaction), robot vision
Related articles
Computer vision, pattern recognition, digital image processing
Magnonics
Magnonics
Emerging technology
Magnonics
Status
Research
Potential applications
Data storage
Memristor
Memristor
Emerging technology
Memristor
Status
Working prototype
Potential applications
Smaller, faster, more energy-efficient storage, analogue electronics, programmable logic, signal processing, neural networks, control systems, reconfigurable computing, brain–computer interfaces, RFID, and pattern recognition
Metaverse
Metaverse
Emerging technology
Metaverse
Status
Experiments
Potential applications
Virtual reality, Augmented reality
Molecular electronics
Molecular electronics
Emerging technology
Molecular electronics
Status
Research and development
Multimodal contactless biometric face/iris systems
Multimodal contactless biometric face/iris systems
Emerging technology
Multimodal contactless biometric face/iris systems
Status
Deployed at various airports and federal security checkpoints
Potential applications
Unimodal facial recognition scanners
Nanoelectromechanical systems
Nanoelectromechanical systems
Emerging technology
Nanoelectromechanical systems
Status
Research and development
Nanoradio
Nanoradio
Emerging technology
Nanoradio
Status
Research and development, diffusion
Neuromorphic engineering
Neuromorphic engineering
Emerging technology
Neuromorphic engineering
Status
Research and development
Optical computing
Optical computing
Emerging technology
Optical computing
Status
Hypothetical, experiments; some components of integrated circuits have been developed
Potential applications
Smaller, faster, lower power consuming computing
Quantum computing
Quantum computing
Emerging technology
Quantum computing
Status
Experiments, commercialization, early diffusion
Potential applications
Much faster computing for some kinds of problems, chemical modeling, new materials with programmed properties, Hypothetical of high-temperature superconductivity and superfluidity
Quantum cryptography
Quantum cryptography
Emerging technology
Quantum cryptography
Status
Commercialization
Potential applications
Secure communications
Quantum radar
Quantum radar
Emerging technology
Quantum radar
Status
Prototypes
Radio-frequency identification
Radio-frequency identification
Emerging technology
Radio-frequency identification
Status
Diffusion of high cost
Potential applications
Smartstores – RFID-based self-checkout (keeping track of all incoming and outgoing products), food packaging, smart shelves, smart carts. See: potential uses
Software-defined radio
Software-defined radio
Emerging technology
Software-defined radio
Status
Development, commercialization
Potential applications
Cognitive radio, Mesh networks, Software defined antenna
Related articles
GNU Radio, List of software-defined radios, Universal Software Radio Peripheral
Solid-state transformer
Solid-state transformer
Emerging technology
Solid-state transformer
Status
Development, prototypes
Speech recognition
Speech recognition
Emerging technology
Speech recognition
Status
Research, development, commercialization
Spintronics
Spintronics
Emerging technology
Spintronics
Status
Working prototypes
Potential applications
Data storage, computing devices
Subvocal recognition
Subvocal recognition
Emerging technology
Subvocal recognition
Status
Research, development, commercialization
Thermal copper pillar bump
Thermal copper pillar bump
Emerging technology
Thermal copper pillar bump
Status
Working prototypes in discrete devices
Potential applications
Electric circuit cooling, micro-fluidic actuators, thermoelectric power generation
Related articles
Ultra high definition holographic disc, Metal–insulator transition
Three-dimensional integrated circuit
Three-dimensional integrated circuit
Emerging technology
Three-dimensional integrated circuit
Status
Development, commercialization
Potential applications
Memory and data processing
Twistronics
Twistronics
Emerging technology
Twistronics
Status
Development
| Emerging technology | Status | Potential applications | Related articles |
| 6G cellular communications | Conceptual | Mobile phones | |
| Artificial general intelligence | Hypothetical, experiments | Creating intelligent devices and robots; AI can counsel (or even take charge) in scientific projects, government, army, corporate governance, film and books creation, inventions etc. | Progress in artificial intelligence, technological singularity, applications of artificial intelligence |
| Biometrics | Diffusion, commercialization | ||
| Blockchain | Diffusion, commercialization | Finance, digital currency, identity (social science), Web3 , Smart contracts | Bitcoin, Ethereum |
| Carbon nanotube field-effect transistor | Research and development | Future miniaturization of transistors | |
| Cashierless store | Limited commercialization | ||
| Civic technology | Research and development, projects | Smart cities, more responsive government | Smart city, e-democracy, open data, intelligent environment |
| Digital scent technology | Diffusion | Smell-O-Vision, iSmell | |
| DNA digital data storage | Experiments | Mass data storage | |
| Electronic nose | Research, limited commercialization | Detecting spoiled food, chemical weapons, and cancer | |
| Emerging memory technologies (T-RAM, CBRAM, SONOS, RRAM, racetrack memory, NRAM, phase-change memory, FJG RAM, millipede memory, Skyrmion, programmable metallization cell, ferroelectric RAM, magnetoresistive RAM, nvSRAM) | In development | ||
| Emerging magnetic data storage technologies (SMR, HAMR, BPM, MAMR, TDMR, CPP/GMR, PMR, hard disk drive) | In development (HAMR, BPM); diffusion (SMR) | Greatly improved storage density compared to current HDDs, can be combined | |
| 5D optical data storage | Research, prototypes | Extremely compact, long-lasting information storage | |
| E-textiles | Research, diffusion | Wearable technology | |
| Exascale computing | Projects | ||
| Exocortex | Diffusion of primitive amplifications; working prototypes of more; Hypothetical, experiments on more substantial amplification | ||
| Flexible electronics | Research, development, prototypes, limited commercialization (e . Samsung Galaxy Fold) | Flexible and/or foldable electronic devices, and flexible solar cells which are lightweight, can be rolled up for launch, and are easily deployable | Nokia Morph, Flexible organic light-emitting diode |
| Fourth-generation optical discs (3D optical data storage, Holographic data storage) | Research, prototyping | Storing and archiving data previously erased for economic reasons | Blu-ray Disc, Optical storage |
| Li-Fi | Demos, requires standardization | Laser communication in space | |
| Machine vision | Research, prototyping, commercialization | Biometrics, controlling processes (e ., in driverless car, automated guided vehicle), detecting events (e ., in visual surveillance), interaction (e ., in human–computer interaction), robot vision | Computer vision, pattern recognition, digital image processing |
| Magnonics | Research | Data storage | |
| Memristor | Working prototype | Smaller, faster, more energy-efficient storage, analogue electronics, programmable logic, signal processing, neural networks, control systems, reconfigurable computing, brain–computer interfaces, RFID, and pattern recognition | |
| Metaverse | Experiments | Virtual reality, Augmented reality | |
| Molecular electronics | Research and development | ||
| Multimodal contactless biometric face/iris systems | Deployed at various airports and federal security checkpoints | Unimodal facial recognition scanners | |
| Nanoelectromechanical systems | Research and development | ||
| Nanoradio | Research and development, diffusion | ||
| Neuromorphic engineering | Research and development | ||
| Optical computing | Hypothetical, experiments; some components of integrated circuits have been developed | Smaller, faster, lower power consuming computing | |
| Quantum computing | Experiments, commercialization, early diffusion | Much faster computing for some kinds of problems, chemical modeling, new materials with programmed properties, Hypothetical of high-temperature superconductivity and superfluidity | |
| Quantum cryptography | Commercialization | Secure communications | |
| Quantum radar | Prototypes | ||
| Radio-frequency identification | Diffusion of high cost | Smartstores – RFID-based self-checkout (keeping track of all incoming and outgoing products), food packaging, smart shelves, smart carts. See: potential uses | |
| Software-defined radio | Development, commercialization | Cognitive radio, Mesh networks, Software defined antenna | GNU Radio, List of software-defined radios, Universal Software Radio Peripheral |
| Solid-state transformer | Development, prototypes | ||
| Speech recognition | Research, development, commercialization | ||
| Spintronics | Working prototypes | Data storage, computing devices | |
| Subvocal recognition | Research, development, commercialization | ||
| Thermal copper pillar bump | Working prototypes in discrete devices | Electric circuit cooling, micro-fluidic actuators, thermoelectric power generation | Ultra high definition holographic disc, Metal–insulator transition |
| Three-dimensional integrated circuit | Development, commercialization | Memory and data processing | |
| Twistronics | Development |
· Entertainment
4D Film
4D Film
Emerging technology
4D Film
Status
Commercialization
Potential applications
Films
Cloud gaming
Cloud gaming
Emerging technology
Cloud gaming
Status
Commercialization
Potential applications
Handheld game consoles, Mobile gaming, Real-time ray-tracing
Related articles
Google Stadia, GeForce Now
Immersive virtual reality
Immersive virtual reality
Emerging technology
Immersive virtual reality
Status
Hypothetical, limited commercialization
Potential applications
An artificial environment where the user feels just as immersed as they usually feel in conscious reality.
Related articles
Virtusphere, 3rd Space Vest, haptic suit, immersive technology, simulated reality, holodeck (fictional)
Synthetic media
Synthetic media
Emerging technology
Synthetic media
Status
Research and development
Potential applications
Films, photos
Related articles
Deepfake, StyleGAN, DeepDream, DALL-E, Stable Diffusion, Sora
| Emerging technology | Status | Potential applications | Related articles |
| 4D Film | Commercialization | Films | |
| Cloud gaming | Commercialization | Handheld game consoles, Mobile gaming, Real-time ray-tracing | Google Stadia, GeForce Now |
| Immersive virtual reality | Hypothetical, limited commercialization | An artificial environment where the user feels just as immersed as they usually feel in conscious reality. | Virtusphere, 3rd Space Vest, haptic suit, immersive technology, simulated reality, holodeck (fictional) |
| Synthetic media | Research and development | Films, photos | Deepfake, StyleGAN, DeepDream, DALL-E, Stable Diffusion, Sora |
References
- IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Sciencehttps://doi.org/10.1088%2F1755-1315%2F1138%2F1%2F012042
- A review of automation and robotics for the bio-industry. Journal of Biomechatronics Engineering Vol. 1, No. 1, (2008) 3
- NASA – Investigation of a Closed Ecological System. Archived 13 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine nasahttps://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/528.html
- Ben Armentrout, and Heidi Kappes. Studies in Closed Ecological Systems: Biosphere in a Bottle
- Frieda B. Taub Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics Vol. 5, (1974), pp. 139–160
- The Timeshttps://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/uk-travel/england/london-travel/is-in-vitro-meat-the-future-dzccrn7t99z
- The Economisthttps://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2012/02/25/hamburger-junction
- interestingengineeringhttps://interestingengineering.com/innovation/can-we-adopt-a-scalable-water-from-air-device
- The Economisthttps://www.economist.com/technology-quarterly/2010/12/11/does-it-really-stack-up
- "Vertical Farming – Can Urban Agriculture Feed a Hungry World?"http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,775754,00.html
- "Vertical Harvest of Jackson Hole Will Grow Organic Produce Even in Winter"http://inhabitat.com/vertical-harvest-of-jackson-hole-will-grow-organic-produce-even-in-the-winter/
- "Mohammed Bin Rashid launches 'Mall of the World', a temperature-controlled pedestrian city in Dubai"http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395267427436.html
- dubaifaqshttp://www.dubaifaqs.com/mall-of-the-world-dubai.php
- Emirates 24/7http://www.emirates247.com/news/government/dubai-s-mohammed-bin-rashid-city-collaboration-with-universal-studios-over-100-hotel-facilities-2012-11-26-1.484515
- IEEE Networkhttps://arxiv.org/abs/1902.10265
- "Do More › New & Next 6G: What It Is & When to Expect It"https://www.lifewire.com/6g-wireless-4685524
- "IBM's Watson supercomputer crowned Jeopardy king"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12491688
- "MIT scientists take a step closer to artificial intelligence"http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240111287/MIT-scientists-take-a-step-closer-to-artificial-intelligence
- "How innovative is Apple's new voice assistant, Siri?"https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21228365.300-how-innovative-is-apples-new-voice-assistant-siri.html
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2011/nov/07/tuberculosis-electronic-nose-device