The 2017 Future of Technology Summit Essay Winner - Israel - Middle school

WINNER: DANIEL BILIK

Teacher: Bella Azoulay

School: Ort Max Shein Rehovot, Israel

Topic: My Technodrome

“In conclusion I believe that in order to achieve a successful future and discover new fields of science, we are desperate for technological advancements. I want to create such a future and see what humanity can evolve into. I want to contribute to the world with breakthrough ideas that will give us a new technologically advanced future, maybe even a brand new field of science.”

Honorable Mentions

• Libi Sulta, of Ort Tivon. Teacher: Tahel Weiss Izhaki

• Shira Segal, of Yad Giora JHS. Teacher: Sigal Kaspi

• Adi Tal, of Yad Giora JHS. Teacher: Sigal Kaspi

My Technodrome, by Daniel Bilik

Technology plays a critical role in our lives. From doorknobs to over-complicated artificial intelligence, technology has taken us from caves to smart houses. Technology's progression is not only fascinating to experience but to contribute to as well.

Many people think that the Twenty First Century is the peak of technological advancement. However, the world's inventors want to make life better and easier and continue to do so. With accurate quantum computers, gene therapy and autonomous trucks, we have become a technological empire. By 2020 the world will be covered in autonomous vehicles, the death rate will decrease drastically, the brain will cooperate with an implanted computer and far more superior technologies to what we have today.

Try to imagine that in just a few years learning will be done through the neurological implantation of data into the student’s brain, we will connect through Bluetooth activated by thought alone and we will have the ability to pay for things with our faces.

Technology has many benefits to humanity and earth itself, acting as a gateway to new fields of science and new ideas. It can save our planet in amazing ways such as the generation of electricity in space using solar panels and sending it back to earth or genetically modified plants that increase photosynthesis. We can use these advancements to conquer problems such as pollution and global warming.

With all of the amazing benefits of technological advancements there are many disadvantages as well. We have become dependent on technology and it has turned into an inseparable part of our daily lives. The average student spends over four hours a day on his smartphone (and I am no exception). With the constant use of technology, we lose track of time and social connections with other people. Especially with online video games and SMS, we prefer to spend more time virtually instead of face to face.

Technology will continue to progress as fast as it is at this moment and the well-known internet will expand to the internet of things (IOT) and big data will be manifested in humongous sizes to the point where we will be absorbed by the internet, losing our identity and making the world more prone to a hacker attack.

Throughout history our jobs have been taken over by machines but this allows for new and better jobs to come about. At first we had agriculture which evolved into factories which then evolved into high-tech. One of the biggest advancements that will occur in the next 200 years is space exploration. With so much to explore beyond earth like new galaxies, new elements and new microbiological life forms, we've definitely got our work cut out for us.

In conclusion I believe that in order to achieve a successful future and discover new fields of science, we are desperate for technological advancements. I want to create such a future and see what humanity can evolve into. I want to contribute to the world with breakthrough ideas that will give us a new technologically advanced future, maybe even a brand new field of science.