Here’s the list of five trends learning professionals should be considering when mapping out strategies for the next five of years. It’s important to note that trends are not isolated developments within the L&D community but are often the culmination, confluence, and convergence of technological innovation, discoveries or rediscoveries of learning science and a reaction to changes within the larger culture in which society operates.
Crazy examples of virtual reality possibilities
Sony made a big virtual splash recently. The company finally said that its PlayStation VR virtual reality headset will debut in October. Sony now joins several other big tech companies like Facebook, HTC, and Samsung that see virtual reality as a radical new form of entertainment that will forever change how people watch movies, play games, and socialize with each other.
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AT&T enables iOS 9.3 international Wi-Fi calling
Apple iPhone owners who have updated their device to iOS 9.3 are being notified via text message of AT&T’s international Wi-Fi calling feature. It is a service that allows users to place calls to — and receive calls from — the U.S. without incurring airtime charges.
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J&J project aims to predict and prevent diseases
Johnson & Johnson is ramping up its latest project to learn how to predict who will develop particular diseases and also find therapies to prevent or stop the disease early on. Early prevention is the key.
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Bill Gates to back waterless toilet that will revolutionize global sanitation
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation first challenged the world to design a sustainable and inexpensive toilet, researchers from Cranfield University may have a viable contender – the Nano Membrane Toilet. It was funded by the Gates Foundation in September 2012 for $710,000.
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MoD gravity sensor will ‘see underground or through walls’
A recent scientific breakthrough in a Ministry of Defence research project is paving the way for scanners that could see underground or through walls. A team of British scientists, including experts at the MoD’s Porton Down labs, have developed a new device that can detect tiny fluctuations in gravity.
The Death of Bank Products is being greatly under-exaggerated
Bank branches are ceasing to be the most important channel in banking. They are being replaced by far more efficient mechanisms for revenue generation and relationships. The discussion is increasingly resorting to a sort of desperate plea — “but branches aren’t going to die completely, are they?” No one is saying branches will grow.
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This bed automatically makes itself
The OHEA smart bed automatically makes itself three seconds after you get up. In all but 50 seconds, it straightens your pillow and duvet. The company is selling its own bedding to work with the bed, so you won’t be able to use your own. However, it’s just a prototype, and it’s not currently for sale.
RMIT University researchers say self-cleaning clothes are on the way
Thanks to pioneering nanotechnology research being developed by RMIT University researchers, people could soon be able to replace their washing machines with a little bit of sunshine. The researchers have been working on self-cleaning textiles by growing nanostructures on textiles. When exposed to light, they release a burst of energy that then degrades organic matter.
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Researchers claim blondes are not dumb after all
Blondes have an average IQ of 103.2, compared to 102.7 for those with brown hair, 101.2 for those with red hair and 100.5 for those with black hair
Blondes are not dumb after all, researchers have claimed, as they revealed they have a slightly higher IQ than brunettes.
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Japan’s first electric car without a battery
Toyohashi University of Technology and Taisei Corp unveiled the first electrical car in the world that will run without a battery. The electric car will receive its charge from an electrified road.
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We won’t need stop lights when autonomous vehicles roam the roads
Autonomous vehicles are going to radically change how we get around. As they become commonplace in our streets, we’ll need to rethink how we design our roadways, and they may not include stop lights.
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