is Coming to Korea - Korea IT Times

Technology
GWU called Techcast, an online think
tank. Korea Institute of Science and
Technology Information (KISTI) also provided
their advice on the method of forecasting
the future. The final list presented
by KERI is rooted upon the process of survey
information and scanning, trend and
quantitative analysis of patents, survey on
expert's opinion, and comprehensive evaluation
that have been excavated for six
months utilizing collective intelligence to
boot. According to KERI research team,
electric energy can be classified into four
stages: production-transportation-storageutilization.
And this year's chosen technologies
are evenly distributed to all four
steps; the list is targeted to satisfy the users
and selected according to the users' point
of view instead of the providers who cultivate
electrical energy.
Lee Hong-Sik, the head of the research
department, orchestrated this selection
project; he said that most of these ten technologies
might seem familiar to people,
but the importance lays on the fact that
this list is in concurrent with the national
agenda of low-carbon, green growth and
the world's concerted effort to reduce carbon
emission by 30 percent until 2020. Lee
Hong Sik continued, "People should take
a keen interest in this list not because it is
eye-catching, but for the reason that a
team of research specialists from a center
for electric power have poured 30 years to
bear these probable technologies which
will come true within a decade."
First on the list is metal-air battery: this
battery can be adopted on to various operating
fields that require long hours, such as
a hearing aid, because it has higher energy
compared to usual kinds. It is a secondary
cell that bears double mileage when used
into an electric car. For the future, the research
is set to advance the current secondary
cell to fuel cells. Second, paper battery
resembles a paper, for it is thin and
bendable and has the best electric-chemical
ability. Because of it's superior flexibility,
it is expected to be used on cosmetics
creating a whole new idea on electric
chemical.
Micro energy, also known as ubiquitous
or harvesting energy, is a technology that
transforms minor, mundane energies such
as, vibration, sound, electromagnetic,
body heat, gravity, wind, light, and oxidation
into electric energy and thus generate
an electrical device that lacks batteries; for
instance, wireless sensor system. Fourth
on the list is transparent solar cell that can
metamorphose into a new energy source
which then gets applied to exterior walls of
the buildings and windows. Since it has
the ability to alter the shape of exterior
walls and windows, for being the main energy
supply, it is expected to create a revolution
on the architectural design market.
Wireless power transmission technology,
the fifth on the list, sends electric energy
in the form of electromagnetic that does
not require electric power lines. Thus, the
user can send electricity anywhere, anytime.
It is expected to be applied on longdistance
wireless charger, ubiquitous wireless
sensor power provider and other devices
that can replace wired power charger
and provider.
The ten technologies will reshape the future;
however, first and foremost, it sets a
forward path for the KERI electric energy
experts to take and gives the nation an outlook
on the changing technological advances.
This will allow it to produce innovative
technologies that will provide an
opportunity to lead the global market and
create a low carbon environment.
Bang Jung-hyun / jbang@koreaittimes.com
www.koreaittimes.com 63