List of emerging technologies

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.

Agriculture

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	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

Emerging technology	Status	Potential applications	Related articles
Active structure	Research, development, commercialization	Adaptive structures that respond to different conditions, or supermassive buildings and infrastructure
Arcology	Research, development, commercialization
Domed city	Planned feature for Mall of the World	Weather-controlled city, colonization of other celestial bodies
Earthscraper	Demonstration		-

Electronics, IT, and communications

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 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), Web3.0, 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	In development
Emerging magnetic data storage technologies	In development ; diffusion	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	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	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, detecting events, 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, 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

Energy

Emerging technology	Status	Potential applications	Related articles
Airborne wind turbine	Research	Wind power generation at higher altitudes, increasing efficiency	KiteGen
Americium battery	Estimated working prototype in 5–10 years from 2019	Energy storage
Artificial photosynthesis	Research, experiments, growing interest in a macroscience global project	Photosynthesis-like energy and oxygen production from artificial structures	Sustainocene, Renewable energy, Nanotechnology
Concentrated solar power	Growing markets in California, Spain, Northern Africa	Electricity generation	DESERTEC, BrightSource Energy, Solar Millennium
Double-layer capacitor	Diffusion, continued development	Faster-charging, longer-lasting, more flexible, greener energy storage
Energy harvesting	Experiments	Constant energy source for mobile, wearable and ubiquitous devices	Humavox
Flywheel energy storage	Limited commercialization	Energy storage
Fusion power	Research, experiments	Electricity and heat generation, fusion torch recycling with waste heat	ITER, NIF, Wendelstein 7-X, Magnetic confinement fusion, Dense plasma focus, Muon-catalyzed fusion
Generation IV nuclear reactor	Research, experiments	Electricity and heat generation, transmutation of nuclear waste stockpiles from traditional reactors
Gravity battery	Small-scale examples	Energy storage
Home fuel cell	Research, commercialization	Off-the-grid, producing electricity in using an environmentally friendly fuel as a backup during long term power failures.	Autonomous building, Bloom Energy Server
Lithium–air battery	Research, experiments	Laptops, mobile phones, long-range electric cars; storing energy for electric grid
Lithium iron phosphate battery	Commercialization	Energy storage
Lithium–sulfur battery	Research and development	Energy storage
Magnesium battery	Early commercialization	Energy storage
Molten salt reactor	Research, experiments	Electricity and heat generation
Nanowire battery	Experiments, prototypes	Laptops, mobile phones, long-range electric cars; storing energy for electric grid
Nantenna	Research	Electricity generation
Ocean thermal energy conversion	Prototype	Electricity generation
Solid-state battery	Niche uses	Reliable, power-dense energy storage
Smart grid	Research, diffusion	Advanced grid power management	Smart meter, SuperSmart Grid
Space-based solar power	Early research	Electricity generation
Thorium nuclear fuel cycle	Research started in the 1960s, still ongoing	Electricity and heat generation
Vortex engine		Power generation
Wireless energy transfer	Prototypes, diffusion, short range consumer products	Wirelessly powered equipment: laptop, cell phones, electric cars, etc.	WiTricity, resonant inductive coupling
Zero-energy building	Expansion	Energy-efficient homes	Passive house

Military

Emerging technology	Status	Potential applications	Related articles
Caseless ammunition	Field tests and limited commercialization	Lighter and cheaper ammunition; the lack of a case may also simplify the design of firearms	Lightweight Small Arms Technologies
Cloaking device	Successful experiments cloaking small objects under some conditions	Stealth	Metamaterial cloaking
Directed-energy weapon	Research, development, some prototypes		Laser Weapon System, Iron Beam
Electrolaser	Research and development
Electrothermal-chemical technology	Research and development	Tank, artillery, and close-in weapon systems
Force field	Hypothetical, experiments	Military and law enforcement, space travel	Plasma window
Green bullet	Development	Environment-friendly ammunition
Hypersonic cruise missile	Development		Avangard, Kinzhal, Zircon, BrahMos-II, Prompt Global Strike, DARPA Falcon Project, DF-ZF, Boeing X-51 Waverider
Laser weapon	Research and development, trials	Tracking and destruction of rockets, bombs, drones etc.	Advanced Tactical Laser, High Energy Liquid Laser Area Defense System
MAHEM	Research and development	A formed penetrator using molten metal in place of self-forging explosives	Explosively pumped flux compression generator
Precision-guided firearm	Research and development	Increased accuracy by marksmen	EXACTO, Smart bullet, TrackingPoint, SMASH Handheld
Railgun	Research and development	Cheaper and safer ammunition	Coilgun
Stealth technology	Research, development, commercialization	Electronic countermeasures	Plasma stealth, Stealth aircraft, Radar-absorbent material
Telescoped ammunition	Research and development	More compact cartridges
Lightweight Small Arms Technologies	Research and development

Space

Emerging technology	Status	Potential applications	Related articles
Android, gynoid	Research, development, prototypes, diffusion, commercializing	Disabled, infant and older people care, housekeeping, sex-worker, flight-attendant, model, hostess, waiter, security guard	Tesla bot, Atlas, Figure AI
Gastrobot	Prototypes	Robots fuelled by digesting organic matter
Molecular nanotechnology, nanorobotics	Hypothetical, experiments	Machines that can make anything given the materials, cheap planetary terraforming
Powered exoskeleton	Research, development, prototypes, diffusion, commercializing	Heavy lifting, paralysis, muscle-related diseases, warfare, construction, firefighting, care for the elderly and disabled	LOPES (exoskeleton), ReWalk, Human Universal Load Carrier, fictional armor Iron Man's armor, Future Force Warrior
Self-reconfiguring modular robot	Hypothetical, experiments, early prototypes	As a universal physical machine, SRCMR may change the way many physical structures and machines are made	Robot, swarm robotics, autonomous research robot
Swarm robotics	Hypothetical, experiments	Autonomous construction, space construction	Swarm intelligence, autonomous robotics, nanorobotics, particle swarm optimization, multi-agent systems, behavior-based robotics
Uncrewed vehicle	Research and development, diffusion, commercial	Transport of goods, surveillance, oceanography, wildfire mapping, pipeline security, home security, anti-piracy, border control, pursuing criminals, oil, gas and mineral exploration and production, geophysical and geomagnetic surveys, exploration of hazardous areas, firefighting, military and peacekeeping operations, search and rescue, bomb disposal, police raids	Unmanned aerial vehicle, AeroVironment, AeroVironment Global Observer, AeroVironment Nano Hummingbird, Unmanned combat air vehicle, Unmanned ground vehicle, Unmanned space vehicle, Unmanned surface vehicle, Unmanned underwater vehicle, Autonomous underwater vehicle

Transport

Emerging technology	Status	Potential applications	Related articles
Airless tire	Research, development, early prototypes	Safer tires	Tweel
Atmospheric satellite	Experimentation	More widespread communications
Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit	Commercialization, diffusion	Reducing air pollution, decreasing oil consumption	Electric vehicle
Flexible wings, fluidic flight controls	Experiments, prototypes	Controlling aircraft, ships	Aircraft flight control system, BAE Systems Demon, fluidics
Distributed propulsion	Prototypes	More efficient air travel
eVTOL	Research, Development	Low emission and low noise air travel, air taxis	-
Flying car	Early commercialization, prototypes	More effective transportation	Terrafugia Transition, Moller M400 Skycar, Urban Aeronautics X-Hawk, AeroMobil
Fusion rocket	Research, development	Fast interplanetary travel, with limited interstellar travel applications
Ground-level power supply	Standardization, commercialization	Reduction of required battery size and weight for battery electric vehicles by charging while driving
Hoverbike	Working prototypes, early commercialization	Package delivery, search and rescue
Hovertrain, Ground effect train, Ground effect vehicle	Research, development	Faster trains	Aérotrain, Duke Hospital PRT, Hovercraft
Hybrid airship	Prototypes	Air travel with low fuel consumption	Airlander 10
Ion-propelled aircraft	Research, development, prototypes	Better flying transportation, efficient propulsion in air	Electrohydrodynamics
Jet pack or backpack helicopter	Early commercialization, prototypes	More effective individual transportation	-
Maglev train	Research, early commercialization, diffusion	Faster trains	Transrapid, Shanghai Maglev Train, Linimo, L0 Series
Magnetic levitation	Research, development, Commercialization	High temperature superconductivity, cryogenics, low temperature refrigerators, superconducting magnet design and construction, fiber reinforced plastics for vehicles and structural concretes, communication and high power solid-state controls, vehicle design, precision manufacturing, construction and fabrication of concrete structures, maglev car, maglev based spacecraft launch	Vactrain, Levicar
Magnetohydrodynamic drive	Research, development, prototypes	Marine Propulsion, Aircraft Propulsion, Spacecraft Propulsion	Yamato 1
Mass driver	Prototypes
Orbital propellant depot	Research, development	Deep-space missions with larger payloads, satellite life extension, lowering cost per kg launched to space
Personal rapid transit	Early commercialization, diffusion	More effective transportation	Morgantown PRT, ULTra
Physical Internet	Research
Scooter-sharing system	Commercialization	Increased density	Bird (company)
Vactrain	Research, development	Faster way to get somewhere	ET3 Global Alliance, Hyperloop
Plasma propulsion	Research and development	Spacecraft propulsion
Pulse detonation engine	Research and development; one prototype flown in 2008	Higher-efficiency propulsion
Quiet Supersonic Technology	Prototype	Supersonic air travel over land
Self-driving car	Research, development, early commercialization	Reducing concerns of tiredness while driving and also looking outside in the car. Helpful in countries where employment of personal drivers is expensive.	Waymo, Tesla FSD
Space elevator	Research	Non-rocket spacelaunch	Orbital ring, Sky hook, Space fountain
Spaceplane	Research, development	Hypersonic transport	A2, Skylon
Vehicular communication systems	Research and development, some diffusion	Traffic management, automatic accommodation of emergency vehicles, driver assistance systems, automated highways	Artificial Passenger, Dedicated short-range communications, Intelligent transportation system