Page 50 - GCN, Feb/Mar 2018

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WishLis
Tech we hope to see in the public sector
Smart city retrofits
For cities seeking to bring more sensors and connectivity to the urban grid, street lights are an obvious (and pre-wired) place to start. Wi-Fiber’s modular Intelli-Platform, which won a best of show award at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, can provide everything from air quality sensors and municipal Wi-Fi hotspots to 4K cameras and two-way audio.
Quantum’s newest contender
The processing power that quantum computers could offer promises to transform IT ways both exciting (machine learning, advanced analytics) and terrifying (today’s encryption won’t hold up). Google’s Bristlecone processor is another step toward that reality, with 72 qubits and a better way of correcting the errors that bedevil practical quantum computing.
Robot pilots for rapid resupply
While much of the discussion around delivery by drone focuses on burritos and Amazon pacakages, the military is thinking bigger. The Office of Naval Research’s Autonomous Aerial Cargo/Utility System program has shown that a sensor and software kit can be integrated into most any rotary-wing aircraft, allowing front-line troops to be resupplied without a human pilot.
Image credits (clockwise): Wi-Fiber, Office of Naval Research, Google
What technologies do you think GCN readers should see? Tell us on Twitter: @GCNtech #GCNwishlist.