FUTURE TECHNO FACT

3D printed food We're not quite in a world where Star Trek replicators exist and we can magic up anything we want out of thin air. But 3D printing technology is coming along quickly and companies are already experimenting with printing food .  Fridge running a bit low? Not a problem for future you, just print some cakes, vegetables or even a pizza. We're dreaming big here.  3D printing is taking off in other areas too. From creating aeroplane and vehicle parts, replacement joints such as hips, or pieces for a board game, it still has huge potential to change our lives in the coming years. The materials being used to print with are evolving too, and now include graphene that is "lighter than air" but 10 times stronger than steel. DISCOVER BY AZAD SINGH

Driverless lorries Self-driving cars are one thing, but the Transports Research Laboratory (TRL) wants driverless lorries on UK roads in the very near future. The idea is for up to three lorries to drive in convoy, with the lead vehicle controlling the acceleration and braking of the two vehicles behind it. The "slave" lorries, while still having a "driver" to steer them, would be able to drive much closer together, compared to humans driving, and therefore reduce fuel costs and emissions.  We'll soon live in a future where our deliveries and cargo are transported by computer powered transport. More efficient and always on time. DISCOVER BY AZAD SINGH

Wearable screens We might be currently daydreaming of foldable phones and screens, but the future might well be screenless. There are plenty of touch-capable projector-like devices that can beam usable screens onto your skin, clothing or other surfaces. The future of smartphone tech might not even require a device in your pocket but something you wear or have implanted. DISCOVER BY AZAD SINGH

Gesture based computing It might have been popularised by Minority Report, but the concept of gesture-based computing has been around for a while. It's also already appearing in multiple different technologies and is almost second-nature for most anyway.  How many gestures do we already use on a day-to-day basis on our smartphones, tablets and other smart devices? It's reasonable to see a future where we're no longer restricted by mouse and keyboard and instead rely on voice and action to manipulate data in a virtual space DISCOVER BY AZAD SINGH

Working in VR Augmented Reality, or AR, has some incredible potential. It's been around for a while now, in the form of various apps that can overlay information around you and is different from VR  because it overlays information rather than simply put you in a virtual reality. Companies are experimenting with using both augmented reality and virtual reality devices in the workplace. They can be used in a variety of ways including visual representations of blueprints, virtual scale models of products in development or for simple things like virtual team meetings.

Hyper-fast trains Another Elon Musk backed company, Hyperloop  is a high-speed underground transport system that is currently being built and tested in America. The first route planned will go from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Another route is planning to go from New York to Washington D.C. in 29 minutes rather than the 2 hours 56 minutes it takes at the moment.  Hyper-fast trains that go underground and underwater could revolutionise not just public transport, but international travel too. Imagine being able to speed from one country to another in the same time it currently takes to travel between towns. DISCOVER BY AZAD SINGH

Solar panel technology Solar panels are another technology that has been around for a while, but their future potential is huge. Not only can they now be hidden in the tiles on the roof of your house thanks to  Tesla Solar Roof  tiles, but some companies are developing ways of  integrating them into car roofs , where they will be able to power in-car tech or make the battery last longer DISCOVER BY AZAD SINGH

Flying cars When there's no space left on the roads, it's not unreasonable to think we might take to the skies. There are already plenty of interesting flying car designs that show this future is a realistic possibility.  DISCOVER BY AZAD SINGH

Roads over rivers Space is finite and running out quickly - especially in crowded urban spaces. This concept shows a future where roads and living spaces have moved out over the waters. When self-driving vehicles do all the work and are fast enough, journeys across the oceans this way might not be unrealistic either. DISCOVER BY AZAD SINGH

Robot butlers Chores, chores, chores. Boring and unfortunately necessary. But what if robots could help save you the misery? We already have the beginnings with robot vacuum cleaners and smart home appliances. Larger, more useful robots are springing up too. We could easily be living in a future packed full of useful robots helping around the home as butlers, chefs or general dogsbodies.

Electric/self-driving cars Electric cars are nothing new; they've been on our roads for some time now and they're only getting  better . Car batteries are lasting longer, the charging station infrastructure is growing and self-driving technology is being heavily invested in meaning it's coming sooner than you probably think. Tesla already has a complex Autopilot mode that can take over some driving controls, but one day car manufacturers hope to let us go completely hands-free. DISCOVER BY AZAD SINGH

Robots in space and in the workplace NASA is already sending robots of different shapes and sizes into space. As technology progresses, this makes sense. Robots don't need to worry about oxygen to breathe or food to eat and they can be packed full of sensors to send data back to Earth.  The same applies in the workplace. Robots can take on the more difficult, dangerous and dull jobs to save mankind the trouble and risk. They can also theoretically operate more quickly, efficiently and with fewer mistakes too. DISCOVER BY AZAD SINGH

Colonisation of other planets We've been wreaking havoc on Earth for a long time and the planet can only put up with mankind's destructive nature for so long. If we don't destroy it, we'll one day outgrow it. Plans are in the works to colonise other planets and Mars will no doubt be the first port of call. With leaps forward in technology, this vision of the future is quickly becoming science-fact, rather than science-fiction. DISCOVER BY AZAD SINGH

Space Tourism We can fly to virtually any country in the world without any trouble, but what if we could all one day see the earth from space? Companies such as Virgin Galactic, SpaceX and even Amazon's  Blue Origin , want to make it a reality one day, and give us a (very expensive) seat aboard a spaceship to take us into orbit. Passengers on Amazon's New Shepard space shuttle will be taken 100km above sea level, before parachuting back to earth. DISCOVER BY AZAD SINGH

Life in the future: Tech that will change the way we live                            Technology has the power to do many things, and changing the world is one of them. We're privileged to be living in a time where science and technology can assist us, make our lives easier and rethink the ways we go about our daily lives. The technology we're already exposed and accustomed to has paved the way for us to innovate further, and this list of current and future technologies certainly have the potential to change our lives even more. DISCOVER BY AZAD SINGH