Here, take a look at future tech hotspots

In the future, agriculture can intelligently design and breed, and intelligently diagnose livestock and poultry diseases; Brain-computer interface technology will be used for medical rehabilitation and autonomous driving; Quantum networks will disrupt the world; Near-Earth small objects can be effectively defended and developed, and the space between the Earth and the Moon will also be used; New drugs will rely on smart pharmacy and micro-nanopharmacy based on innovative materials... Recently, the China Association for Science and Technology issued the "2023 International Science and Technology Conference Topic Setting Guide", showing the future science and technology hotspots of international and domestic concern, and this edition selects some new fields and new tracks for future development to report.

■■■Nuclear and hydrogen energy

Nuclear energy is a kind of low-emission, high-efficiency clean energy, which is of great strategic significance for ensuring national energy supply, adjusting the energy structure, and maintaining national energy security and national security.

Hydrogen energy is a secondary energy source with abundant sources, zero pollution and zero carbon emissions, and is widely used. At present, hydrogen energy has become an important strategic choice for countries to accelerate energy transformation and cultivate new economic growth points.

Focus on: key technologies for uranium extraction from seawater, fifth-generation nuclear energy, radioactive waste disposal, new approaches to laser nuclear fusion, tabletop micro-small reactor battery manufacturing, modular small reactor technology, etc.

Advanced hydrogen production technology, large-scale low-energy liquid hydrogen technology and long-distance green hydrogen storage and transportation technology, high-reliability, low-energy consumption hydrogen compressor, solid oxide fuel cell key technology, hydrogen combustion accident prevention and control and emergency disposal technology, etc.

■■■ Large-scale energy storage technology

The development of large-scale energy storage can improve the absorption level of renewable energy such as wind and solar, support distributed power and microgrids, and effectively promote the replacement of main energy from fossil energy to renewable energy, which is a major strategic choice to achieve high-quality development of mainland energy. MIT Technology Review's 2022 "Top Ten Global Breakthrough Technologies" also takes "long-term grid energy storage" as an important direction for future development.

Focus on: large-scale integrated energy storage and application, distributed energy storage and system optimization, compressed air energy storage, flywheel energy storage, superconducting energy storage, lead storage batteries, lithium-ion batteries, sodium-sulfur batteries, flow batteries, variable speed pumped storage, large-scale new compressed air energy storage, high-temperature superconducting magnetic energy storage, etc.

■■■Future seed and biological breeding, intelligent breeding

Seeds are key to food security. In 2022, the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) established the Future Seed Gene Bank Innovation Center in Colombia, stating that genomics, big data, robotics, drones and artificial intelligence will be used to accelerate the development of climate-resilient crops to shorten breeding cycles and improve agricultural development efficiency.

Focus on: crop genome intelligent design breeding, artificial intelligence breeding platform, future seed gene bank, cell engineering breeding technology, genetic engineering breeding technology, molecular marker breeding technology, etc.

■■■ Brain-computer interface and brain-like technology

Brain-computer interface technology has important application value in medical rehabilitation, autonomous driving and other fields. The 2021 Assistive Technology Trends Report released by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) regards brain-computer interfaces as an important direction for future scientific and technological development. Major countries, scientific research institutions and enterprises in the world are also accelerating the layout of brain-computer interfaces and actively seizing this strategic highland of global scientific and technological competition.

Focus on: analog chip and digital chip, brain state detection technology, non-invasive brain signal acquisition technology, ear canal EEG acquisition technology, neural signal stabilizer technology, etc.

■■■ Digitally Enabled Biotechnology and Bioeconomy

Artificial intelligence technology has penetrated into the field of life sciences, and biotechnology is in the midst of a new transformation in automation, digitalization and intelligence. Both the pharmaceutical industry and the medical device industry are moving towards digitalization. How to assist human exploration and solve life and health problems through computational methods has become an important research direction. For example, "artificial intelligence predicts protein structure" was selected as one of the "Top Ten Scientific Breakthroughs of 2021" by Science magazine.

Focus on: new function enzyme design, green biological manufacturing, artificial intelligence prediction of protein structure, bioinformatics key technology, synthetic biology, new protein drug research and development, biocomputing, etc.

■■■ Biometrics and body enhancement technology

The characteristics of biometric technology, such as mobility, uniqueness, stability, convenience, collection, and acceptability, have promoted its wide application in different industries. Human enhancement technology can enhance or replace human body function and limb movement, and is also becoming a research hotspot. The application prospects and subversive impact of biometric technology and human enhancement technology in medical and health, industrial production, social services and other fields are promoting it to become an important scientific and technological field for future social development.

Focus on: multimodal biometrics, simulated robot biosensor genetic modification, bioprinting and allogeneic transplantation technology, DNA-based data storage technology, etc.

■■■Plant immune regulation and animal disease prevention and control

The research on plant immune regulation and animal disease prevention and control is of great significance to the mining of biological genetic variation resources, the identification of unique traits regulatory genes, the cultivation of excellent varieties of agricultural animals and plants, and the integrated health of humans and animals. Effectively strengthening the research of plant immune regulation and animal disease prevention and control has become an important issue that urgently needs to be paid attention to in the development of human society.

Focus on: plant immune induction technology, intelligent diagnosis of livestock and poultry diseases, zoonotic disease diagnosis and prevention, immune signaling pathway, animal epidemic surveillance and epidemiological network, animal and plant base editor, etc.

■■■ Artificial intelligence algorithm and computing power

Advanced algorithms and computing power are important supports for promoting the digital transformation of the economy and society. According to the "2021-2022 Global Computing Power Index Assessment Report" released by International Data Corporation (IDC) and others, for every 1 point increase in the national computing power index, the corresponding digital economy scale and GDP will increase by 3.5‰ and 1.8‰ respectively. Major countries and international organizations in the world continue to strengthen the strategic layout of artificial intelligence, aiming to promote the development of cloud computing, supercomputing and other technologies, strive to improve the level of computing power services, and obtain digital dividends as much as possible.

Focus on: artificial intelligence, edge computing, high-performance computing, privacy computing, neural network deep learning algorithms, large-scale pre-trained models, natural language processing, etc.

■■■ Quantum Information Technology and Quantum Network

Quantum information technology can improve the speed of computing processing, strengthen the measurement accuracy and sensitivity, help improve the ability of information security assurance, break through the limits of traditional information systems, and has become the focus of information and communication technology development and industrial upgrading. According to the World Economic Forum's (WEF) report, Technology 2027: 17 Ways to Change the World, quantum networks will disrupt the world of tomorrow.

Focus on: quantum internet, quantum communication, quantum sensing, quantum networking, quantum simulation, quantum cryptography, quantum computing, quantum measurement, etc.

■■■ Metaverse and Web3 technology

Gartner predicts that by 2026, 1/4 of the world's population will spend at least an hour a day working, shopping, educating, socializing, and entertaining on the metaverse. In its Technology Outlook 2022 report, Accenture pointed out that the future network, coding world, virtual and real symbiosis, and unlimited computing power are shaping the enterprise metaverse. As an excellent entry point for the realization of the metaverse, Web3 technology can greatly improve the confirmation and circulation efficiency of data elements, and promote the integration of virtual and real world.

Focus on: blockchain, virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, 5G/6G networks, holograms, Web3 technology, digital identity, distributed networks, Internet of Things, digital twins, etc.

■■■ Advanced machine tools and intelligent manufacturing

Advanced machine tools are of great significance to promote manufacturing process innovation and accelerate the transformation and upgrading of the manufacturing industry. In the context of intensified competition in the global advanced manufacturing industry, it is urgent to promote the development of advanced machine tools and seize the commanding heights of manufacturing development.

Intelligent manufacturing is an important starting point to promote the high-end and intelligent development of the manufacturing industry, which is conducive to promoting industrial technological change and optimization and upgrading, and is the key to promoting the fundamental transformation of the manufacturing industry model and enterprise form, which is of great significance for improving quality, efficiency and benefits, reducing resource and energy consumption, and smoothing the industrial chain and supply chain.

Focus on: metal cutting machine tools, metal forming machine tools, CNC machine tools, five-axis linkage technology, bearing technology, precision machining technology, sensing detection technology, manufacturing software, artificial intelligence, etc. Additive manufacturing, smart workshop and factory construction technology, cloud platform technology, smart sensing technology, smart supply chain technology, industrial software, etc.

■■■ Advanced robotics

Advanced robots play an increasingly important role in automobile manufacturing, electronics manufacturing, warehousing and logistics, medical equipment manufacturing, emergency management and other fields. The 2021 Technology and Innovation Report released by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) lists robots as one of the 11 frontier technologies in the world.

Focus on: flexible robot, conversational intelligent interaction technology, system integration technology, servo motor technology, reducer technology, controller technology, motion control technology, high-performance servo drive technology, etc.

■■■General aviation equipment and UAVs

The development of general aviation industry is an important means to build a modern transportation system, enhance the country's emergency response capacity for public emergencies and improve the country's natural disaster defense level. At the same time, in the wave of the fourth industrial revolution led by new technologies such as 5G and artificial intelligence, unmanned aviation came into being and flourished, and UAVs opened up a new track for the intelligent innovation and development of civil aviation.

Focus on: Aero Engines, UAV Technology, Mechatronic Systems, Avionics Systems, Flight Control Systems, General Aircraft Airborne Equipment, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, etc.

■■■ Deep space exploration technology

In 2022, the "Space Exploration Prospects" report released by the European consulting firm (Euroconsult) pointed out that space exploration in the next decade will focus on three key areas: space transportation, orbital infrastructure and solar system exploration, and breakthroughs in key technologies in these fields will affect the depth and breadth of future deep space exploration.

Focus on: deep space orbit design and optimization, space transportation, deep space measurement and control communication, high-precision intelligent navigation of unmanned vehicles, near-Earth small object survey, defense and development, large-aperture spaceborne antenna in orbit deployment, assembly and construction, earth-moon space development, etc.

■■■ Deep Earth exploration and earth monitoring

Human beings still have a shallow understanding of deep underground, and vigorously developing deep exploration and earth monitoring technology is of great significance for revealing the law of earth activities and promoting human development. In recent years, the mainland has also launched the key special projects of the national key research and development plan of "deep earth exploration and mining" and the deep geological survey project, which is comprehensively promoting geological survey from superficial to deep and expanding the space of deep earth resources.

Focus on: digital earth construction earth big data system, the evolution and cycle of earth material, large earthquake mechanism and its physical prediction methods, deep earth detection methods, etc.

■■■Deep-sea exploration

There are a large number of mineral, petroleum and biological resources in the depths of the ocean. Deep-sea exploration not only helps mankind to reveal major scientific issues such as the evolution of the earth and the origin of life, but also has great significance for the research and utilization of deep-sea ecology, the exploitation of deep-sea petroleum resources and mineral resources, and the study of deep-sea geological structure.

Focus on: deep-sea navigation equipment manufacturing and security technology, deep-sea exploration technology, seabed observation network, deep-sea in-situ detection device, etc.

■■■Advanced materials

Advanced material frontier technology refers to those new materials and their preparation technologies that surpass traditional material properties or even anti-traditional performance, and may have a revolutionary impact on manufacturing and people's livelihood, covering special alloys for high-end equipment, high-performance structural materials, aerospace, new energy vehicle materials, biomedicine, energy-saving and environmental protection materials and other fields.

Focus on: nanoenzymes, nanoparticle giant database, nano biomaterials, aviation composite materials, high-end rare earth functional materials, high-performance alloys, high-performance ceramics, high-performance fibers, polymer materials, 3D printing materials, etc.

■■■Smart Chemistry and Chemical Digitization

Digital technology can effectively empower chemical research, accelerate new discoveries and inventions, and effectively reduce the cost and risk of chemical research, making scientific discoveries and inventions faster, more effective and safer. Promoting the application of digital technologies such as machine learning, robotics, modeling and computer science in the field of chemistry, and accelerating the rapid development of intelligent chemistry also provides a feasible way to effectively respond to major challenges in the development of chemistry.

Focus on: basic database of chemical reactions, molecular property prediction, chemical reaction prediction, machine learning, computational modeling and simulation, etc.

■■■Bionic engineering

In recent years, biomimicry has received more and more scholars' attention, and global biomimicry research activities have steadily increased. The application of biomimetic engineering in medical and health, industrial manufacturing and other industrial fields has gradually diversified and enriched, and more engineering system research and design have applied relevant biological principles. In the future, the cutting-edge technology of bionic engineering will play an increasingly important role in industrial and agricultural production, scientific and technological development and national defense construction, and the importance of high-quality development of human society will be further highlighted.

Focus on: bionic olfactory taste sensor, biomimetic materials and micro-nano system technology, hard tissue bionic repair, wearable flexible exoskeleton, intelligent bionic navigation technology, bionic robot, bionic material manufacturing, biomimetic medicine and bioengineering technology, etc.

■■■New drug creation

The creation of new drugs is an important direction in the field of life sciences. Cutting-edge new technologies such as gene editing technology, tumor immunotherapy, big data, and artificial intelligence have significantly improved the effectiveness of drug treatment. Intelligent pharmacy based on intelligent computing, micro-nanopharmacy based on innovative materials, and systematic pharmacy based on multi-omics integration are becoming important development directions for new drug creation.

Focus on: interventional drug target discovery, gene drug research and development, new protein drug research and development, new disease model development and design, application of micro-nano technology in new drug creation, digital drugs, new pharmaceutical materials research, design, simulation, screening and evaluation of new drugs based on artificial intelligence, etc.

■■■Synthesis

Research in the field of synthetic biology is shifting from the design of single biological parts to the design of the integration of multiple basic components and modules, which provides the possibility of promoting more accurate understanding, modification and even resynthesis of life. With the rapid development of DNA synthesis, assembly and gene editing technology, the cost of artificial synthesis will be greatly reduced, and its application will be further expanded.

Focus on: synthetic cells, artificial multicellular systems and artificial microbiomes, synthetic DNA, artificial design and synthesis of new cell types, etc.

■■■ New energy vehicles and green transportation

Electrification, networking, intelligence, and greening are the trends in the development of the automotive industry. New energy vehicles provide new opportunities and tracks for the development of the automobile industry in various countries around the world. According to the latest Global Electric Vehicle Outlook 2022 released by the International Energy Agency (IEA), global electric vehicle sales will account for more than 30% of total global vehicle sales in 2030.

Focus on: intelligent networked vehicles, digital transportation infrastructure, intelligent collaborative operation of urban transportation infrastructure, automatic driving, high-speed bearings, power batteries, drive motors, safety warnings, etc.

(Edited by Guangming Daily reporter Zhan Yuan)

Guang Ming Daily(Version 16, 01 June 2023)

Source: Guangming Network - Guangming Daily