A glossary of terms used within the world of emerging technology
Business drivers - The trends in politics, commerce, demographics, technologies, societies etc which determine future markets.
Disruptive technology - An emerging technology of such potential impact that it will drastically change existing business models.
Emerging technology - A new technical capability, proven in the research laboratory and soon to be suitable for commercial application.
Foresight - The ability to predict what new technologies will have the most impact in 10 to 20 years' time.
Genomics - The genetic modification of living material to make new properties mostly for use in the healthcare and food industries.
Imagineering - Developing design concepts that won’t necessarily be realised, although they should not be such outlandish ideas as to be science fiction.
Innovation strategy - A market-led method of analysing trends and developing a plan for acquiring technology.
MEMS - Micro electromechanical systems with physical properties on a scale of thousandths of a millimetre.
Nanotechnology - Objects with electronic and physical properties on a scale of millionths of a millimetre.
Pervasive computing - The widespread use of computing devices in the environment, a trend accelerated due to the convergence of advanced electronic - and particularly, wireless - technologies and the internet.
Smart materials - Materials whose properties or interaction with their environment is responsive, by integration of sensing intelligence.
Techno-economic assessment - Research into the impact of uncertainties associated with use of alternative technologies.
Technology diffusion - How the application of emerging technologies transfers from early and infrequent use to mainstream, high-volume use.
Technology integration - Combining several technologies to encourage even bigger advances; changing whole systems not just components.
Technology management - Proactively planning for and managing the likely impact of technology change on all aspects of a business.