This is a list of emerging technologies, which are in-development technical innovations that have significant potential in their applications. The criteria for this list is that the technology must:
Listing here is not a prediction that the technology will become widely adopted, only a recognition of significant potential to become widely adopted or highly useful if ongoing work continues, is successful, and the work is not overtaken by other technologies.
| Emerging technology | Status | Potential applications | Related articles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural robotics [1] [2] | Research and development, trial projects | Automation of agriculture | Agricultural drone |
| Closed ecological systems | Research and development, [3] [4] [5] working demonstrators (e.g. Biosphere 2) | Agriculture, scientific research, space colonization | Greenhouse, Eden Project, Bioshelter, Seawater greenhouse |
| Cultured meat | Research and development, trials [6] [7] | Humane, resource-efficient, healthier, and cheaper meat [7] | New Harvest |
| Atmospheric water generator [8] | Working prototype | Agriculture in semi-arid land | Desorption |
| Vertical farming | Research, development, experiments, and diffusion [9] [10] [11] | Space-efficient farming and space travel applications [10] |
| Emerging technology | Status | Potential applications | Related articles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active structure | Research, development, commercialization | Adaptive structures that respond to different conditions, or supermassive buildings and infrastructure (e.g. space fountains) | |
| Arcology | Research, development, commercialization | ||
| Domed city | Planned feature for Mall of the World [12] [13] [14] | Weather-controlled city, colonization of other celestial bodies | |
| Earthscraper | Demonstration |
| Emerging technology | Status | Potential applications | Related articles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cryptocurrency | Diffusion | Payment, Digital currency | Bitcoin, Ethereum |
| Digital wallet | Diffusion | Payment, Digital currency | Google pay, Apple Pay |
| CBDC | Diffusion | Payment, Digital currency | Digital Rupee, Digital Euro |
| Emerging technology | Status | Potential applications | Related articles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6G cellular communications [15] [16] | Conceptual | Mobile phones | |
| Artificial general intelligence | Hypothetical, experiments [17] [18] [19] | Creating intelligent devices and robots; AI can counsel (or even take charge) in scientific projects, government, army, corporate governance, film and books creation, inventions etc. | Progress in artificial intelligence, technological singularity, applications of artificial intelligence |
| Biometrics | Diffusion, commercialization | ||
| Blockchain | Diffusion, commercialization | Finance, digital currency, identity (social science), Web3.0, Smart contracts | Bitcoin, Ethereum |
| Carbon nanotube field-effect transistor | Research and development | Future miniaturization of transistors | |
| Cashierless store | Limited commercialization | ||
| Civic technology | Research and development, projects | Smart cities, more responsive government | Smart city, e-democracy, open data, intelligent environment |
| Digital scent technology | Diffusion | Smell-O-Vision, iSmell | |
| DNA digital data storage | Experiments | Mass data storage | |
| Electronic nose | Research, limited commercialization [20] [21] | Detecting spoiled food, chemical weapons, and cancer | |
| Emerging memory technologies (T-RAM, CBRAM, SONOS, RRAM, racetrack memory, NRAM, phase-change memory, FJG RAM, millipede memory, Skyrmion, programmable metallization cell, ferroelectric RAM, magnetoresistive RAM, nvSRAM) | In development | ||
| Emerging magnetic data storage technologies | In development (HAMR, BPM); diffusion (SMR) | Greatly improved storage density compared to current HDDs, can be combined | |
| 5D optical data storage | Research, prototypes | Extremely compact, long-lasting information storage | |
| E-textiles | Research, diffusion [22] | Wearable technology | |
| Exascale computing | Projects | ||
| Exocortex | Diffusion of primitive amplifications; working prototypes of more; Hypothetical, experiments on more substantial amplification | ||
| Flexible electronics | Research, development, prototypes, limited commercialization (e.g. Samsung Galaxy Fold) | Flexible and/or foldable electronic devices, and flexible solar cells which are lightweight, can be rolled up for launch, and are easily deployable | Nokia Morph, Flexible organic light-emitting diode |
| Fourth-generation optical discs (3D optical data storage, Holographic data storage) | Research, prototyping [23] | Storing and archiving data previously erased for economic reasons | Blu-ray Disc, Optical storage |
| Li-Fi | Demos, requires standardization | Laser communication in space | |
| Machine vision | Research, prototyping, commercialization [24] | Biometrics, controlling processes (e.g., in driverless car, automated guided vehicle), detecting events (e.g., in visual surveillance), interaction (e.g., in human–computer interaction), robot vision | Computer vision, pattern recognition, digital image processing |
| Magnonics | Research | Data storage | |
| Memristor | Working prototype [25] [26] | Smaller, faster, more energy-efficient storage, analogue electronics, programmable logic, [27] signal processing, [28] neural networks, [29] control systems, [30] reconfigurable computing, [31] brain–computer interfaces, [32] RFID, [33] and pattern recognition [34] | |
| Metaverse | Experiments | Virtual reality, Augmented reality | |
| Molecular electronics | Research and development | ||
| Multimodal contactless biometric face/iris systems | Deployed at various airports and federal security checkpoints [35] | Unimodal facial recognition scanners | |
| Nanoelectromechanical systems | Research and development | ||
| Nanoradio | Research and development, diffusion | ||
| Neuromorphic engineering | Research and development | ||
| Optical computing | Hypothetical, experiments; some components of integrated circuits have been developed [36] | Smaller, faster, lower power consuming computing | |
| Quantum computing | Experiments, [37] commercialization, [38] early diffusion | Much faster computing for some kinds of problems, chemical modeling, new materials with programmed properties, Hypothetical of high-temperature superconductivity and superfluidity | |
| Quantum cryptography | Commercialization [39] | Secure communications | |
| Quantum radar | Prototypes | ||
| Radio-frequency identification | Diffusion of high cost [40] [41] [42] | Smartstores – RFID-based self-checkout (keeping track of all incoming and outgoing products), food packaging, smart shelves, smart carts. See: potential uses | |
| Software-defined radio | Development, commercialization | Cognitive radio, Mesh networks, Software defined antenna | GNU Radio, List of software-defined radios, Universal Software Radio Peripheral |
| Solid-state transformer | Development, prototypes | ||
| Speech recognition | Research, development, commercialization | ||
| Spintronics | Working prototypes [43] | Data storage, computing devices | |
| Subvocal recognition | Research, development, commercialization | ||
| Thermal copper pillar bump | Working prototypes in discrete devices | Electric circuit cooling, micro-fluidic actuators, thermoelectric power generation | Ultra high definition holographic disc, Metal–insulator transition |
| Three-dimensional integrated circuit | Development, commercialization | Memory and data processing | |
| Twistronics | Development |
| Emerging technology | Status | Potential applications | Related articles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4D Film | Commercialization | Films | |
| Cloud gaming | Commercialization | Handheld game consoles, Mobile gaming, Real-time ray-tracing | Google Stadia, GeForce Now |
| Immersive virtual reality | Hypothetical, limited commercialization | An artificial environment where the user feels just as immersed as they usually feel in conscious reality. | Virtusphere, 3rd Space Vest, haptic suit, immersive technology, simulated reality, holodeck (fictional) |
| Synthetic media | Research and development | Films, photos | Deepfake, StyleGAN, DeepDream, DALL-E, Stable Diffusion, Sora |
| Emerging technology | Status | Potential applications | Related articles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laser video display | Limited commercialization (e.g. Mitsubishi LaserVue TV in 2008) | Displays with a very wide colour gamut | Laser TV, Comparison of display technology |
| Holography (holographic display, computer-generated holography) | Diffusion [44] [45] [46] [47] | ||
| Optical transistor | Some prototypes | ||
| Screenless display (Virtual retinal display, Bionic contact lens, Augmented reality, Virtual reality) | Experiments | Virtual tools and entertainment in a real-world environment, aids for the visually impaired | Head-mounted display, Head-up display, Adaptive optics, EyeTap, Google Glass, Microsoft HoloLens, AR cloud [48] |
| Volumetric (3D) display | Research, working prototypes, commercialization [49] | Television, computer interfaces, cinemas, 3-dimensional imagery | Autostereoscopic display, stereoscopic display, volumetric display, Holographic display, Light Field display, Nintendo 3DS, Swept-volume display |
| Emerging technology | Status | Potential applications | Related articles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airborne wind turbine | Research [50] [51] [52] | Wind power generation at higher altitudes, increasing efficiency | KiteGen |
| Americium battery | Estimated working prototype in 5–10 years from 2019 [53] | Energy storage | |
| Artificial photosynthesis | Research, experiments, [54] growing interest in a macroscience global project [55] | Photosynthesis-like energy and oxygen production from artificial structures | Sustainocene, Renewable energy, Nanotechnology |
| Concentrated solar power | Growing markets in California, Spain, Northern Africa [56] | Electricity generation | DESERTEC, BrightSource Energy, Solar Millennium |
| Double-layer capacitor | Diffusion, continued development [57] | Faster-charging, longer-lasting, more flexible, greener energy storage (e.g. for regenerative braking) | |
| Energy harvesting | Experiments | Constant energy source for mobile, wearable and ubiquitous devices | Humavox |
| Flywheel energy storage | Limited commercialization | Energy storage | |
| Fusion power | Research, experiments | Electricity and heat generation, fusion torch recycling with waste heat | ITER, NIF, Wendelstein 7-X, Magnetic confinement fusion, Dense plasma focus, Muon-catalyzed fusion |
| Generation IV nuclear reactor | Research, experiments | Electricity and heat generation, transmutation of nuclear waste stockpiles from traditional reactors | |
| Gravity battery | Small-scale examples | Energy storage | |
| Home fuel cell | Research, commercialization [58] [59] [60] | Off-the-grid, producing electricity in using an environmentally friendly fuel as a backup during long term power failures. | Autonomous building, Bloom Energy Server |
| Lithium–air battery | Research, experiments [61] | Laptops, mobile phones, long-range electric cars; storing energy for electric grid | |
| Lithium iron phosphate battery | Commercialization | Energy storage | |
| Lithium–sulfur battery | Research and development | Energy storage | |
| Magnesium battery | Early commercialization | Energy storage | |
| Molten salt reactor | Research, experiments | Electricity and heat generation | |
| Nanowire battery | Experiments, prototypes [62] [63] | Laptops, mobile phones, long-range electric cars; storing energy for electric grid | |
| Nantenna | Research [64] [65] [66] | Electricity generation | |
| Ocean thermal energy conversion | Prototype | Electricity generation | |
| Solid-state battery | Niche uses | Reliable, power-dense energy storage (particularly for electric cars and wearable technology) | |
| Smart grid | Research, diffusion [67] [68] [69] | Advanced grid power management | Smart meter, SuperSmart Grid |
| Space-based solar power | Early research | Electricity generation | |
| Thorium nuclear fuel cycle | Research started in the 1960s, still ongoing | Electricity and heat generation | |
| Vortex engine | Power generation | ||
| Wireless energy transfer | Prototypes, diffusion, short range consumer products [70] [71] | Wirelessly powered equipment: laptop, cell phones, electric cars, etc. | WiTricity, resonant inductive coupling |
| Zero-energy building | Expansion | Energy-efficient homes | Passive house |
| Emerging technology | Status | Potential applications | Related articles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4D printing | Research and development | ||
| Aerogel | Hypothetical, experiments, diffusion, early uses [72] | Improved thermal insulation (for pipelines, aerospace, etc.), as well as insulative "glass" if it can be made clear | |
| Amorphous metal | Experiments, use in amorphous metal transformers | Armor, implants | |
| Bioplastic | Limited commercialization (e.g. polylactic acid in 3D printing) | Disposable packaging and single-use items | |
| Conductive polymers | Research, experiments, prototypes | Lighter and cheaper wires, antistatic materials, organic solar cells | Jacquard weaving |
| Cryogenic treatment | Research, experiments, prototypes | Significantly stronger metal components | |
| Edible packaging | Diffusion | Biodegradable alternatives to plastic | |
| Electric armour | Prototypes | Better protection for warships and armoured fighting vehicles from shaped charge weapons | |
| Fullerene | Experiments, diffusion | Programmable matter | |
| Graphene | Hypothetical, experiments, diffusion, early uses [73] [74] | Higher-specific strength structural components, higher-frequency transistors, lower-cost mobile displays, automotive hydrogen storage, biosensors, [75] more efficient batteries [76] | |
| Lab-on-a-chip | Limited commercialization | More efficient laboratory analysis | |
| High-temperature superconductivity | Cryogenic receiver front-end (CRFE) RF and microwave filter systems for mobile phone base stations; prototypes in dry ice; experiments for lower temperatures [77] | No-loss conductors, frictionless bearings, magnetic levitation, lossless high-capacity accumulators, electric cars, heat-free integrated circuits | |
| Magnetic nanoparticles | Development | Cancer treatment, [78] [79] wastewater treatment [80] | |
| Magnetorheological fluid | Research and development, limited magnetorheological damping applications | Seismic damping for earthquake resistance | Electrorheological fluid |
| Microfluidics | Research and development | ||
| High-temperature superfluidity | Superfluid gyroscopes exist but work at very low temperatures | High-precision measure of gravity, navigation and maneuver devices, possible devices to emit gravitomagnetic field, frictionless mechanical devices | |
| Metamaterials | Hypothetical, experiments, diffusion [81] | Microscopes, cameras, metamaterial cloaking, cloaking devices | |
| Metal foam | Research, limited commercialization | Space colonies, floating cities | |
| Multi-function structures [82] | Hypothetical, experiments, some prototypes, few commercial | Wide range of applications (e.g. self-health monitoring, self-healing materials) | |
| Nanomaterials: carbon nanotubes | Hypothetical, experiments, diffusion, early uses [83] [84] | Higher-specific strength structural components | Potential applications of carbon nanotubes, Carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers |
| Quantum dot | Research, experiments, prototypes, [85] commercialization[ citation needed ] | Quantum dot lasers, quantum dot displays, faster data communication, laser scalpels | |
| Self-healing materials | Research, experiments | Infrastructure, robotics, biotech | |
| Silicene | Early research | Nanoscale electronics | |
| Superalloy | Research, diffusion | Significantly stronger metal components (particularly in aircraft jet engines) | |
| Synthetic diamond | Research, commercialization | Electronics | |
| Time crystal | Research experiments [86] | Quantum computers with stable qubits | |
| Translucent concrete | Commercialization | Construction of buildings and sculptures (e.g. Europe Gate) |
| Emerging technology | Status | Potential applications | Related articles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artificial uterus | Research, experiments | Space travel, extracorporeal pregnancy, reprogenetics, same-sex procreation | |
| Body implant, prosthesis | Trials, from animal (e.g., brain implants) to human clinical (e.g., insulin pump implant), to commercial production (e.g. pacemaker, joint replacement, cochlear implant) | Brain implant, retinal implant | Prosthetics, prosthetics in fiction, cyborg |
| Cryonics | Hypothetical, research, commercialization (e.g. Alcor, Cryonics Institute) | Life extension | |
| De-extinction | Research, development, trials | Animal husbandry, pets, zoos | Revival of the woolly mammoth |
| Electronic medical records | Deployment | Replacing paper medical records | |
| Human DNA vaccination and mRNA vaccination | Implementation in 2021 to combat the COVID-19 pandemic | Disease vaccinations, cancer therapy | |
| Enzybiotics | Successful first trials | ||
| Genetic engineering of organisms and viruses | Research, development, commercialization [87] [88] | Creating and modifying species (mainly improving their physical and mental capabilities), bio-machines, eliminating genetic disorders (gene therapy), new materials production, [89] healthier and cheaper food, creating drugs and vaccines, research in natural sciences, bioremediation, [90] detecting arsenic, [91] CO2 reducing superplant, [92] | Biopunk, Genetically modified food, superhuman, human enhancement, transhumanism, gene doping, designer baby, genetic pollution |
| Hibernation or suspended animation | Research, development, animal trials [93] | Organ transplantation, space travel, prolonged surgery, emergency care | |
| Life extension, strategies for engineered negligible senescence | Research, experiments, animal testing [94] [95] | Increased life spans | Immortality, biological immortality |
| Nanomedicine | Research, experiments, limited use [96] [97] | ||
| Nanosensors | Research and development | ||
| Omni Processor | Research and development; some prototypes | ||
| Oncolytic virus | Human trials (Talimogene laherparepvec, reolysin, JX-594), commercialisation (H101) | Cancer therapy, imaging | Oncolytic virus |
| Personalized medicine, full genome sequencing | Research, experiments [98] | Personalized medical procedures, genome sequencing during drug trials | Personal genomics |
| Phage therapy | First trial uses | ||
| Plantibody | Clinical trials | ||
| Regenerative medicine | Some laboratory trials [99] | Life extension | |
| Robotic surgery | Research, diffusion [100] [101] [102] | ||
| Senolytic | Under investigation | ||
| Stem cell treatments | Research, experiments, phase I human trial spinal cord injury treatment (GERON), cultured cornea transplants [103] [104] | Treatment for a wide range of diseases and injuries | Stem cell, stem cell treatments |
| Synthetic biology, synthetic genomics | Research, development, first synthetic bacteria created May 2010 [105] [106] | Infinitely scalable production processes based on programmable species of bacteria and other life forms | BioBrick, iGEM, synthetic genomics |
| Tissue engineering | Research, diffusion [107] [108] [109] [110] | Organ printing, tooth regeneration | |
| Tricorder | Research and development | Diagnosing medical conditions | Medical tricorder |
| Virotherapy | Research, human trials | Gene therapy, cancer therapy | Virotherapy, Oncolytic Virus |
| Vitrification or cryoprotectant | Research, some experiments [111] | Organ transplantation, cryonics |
| Emerging technology | Status | Potential applications | Related articles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artificial brain | Research [24] | Treatment of neurological disease, artificial intelligence | Blue Brain Project, Human Brain Project |
| Brain–computer interface | Research and commercialization | Faster communication and learning, as well as more "real" entertainment (generation of feelings and information in brain on-demand) and the control of emotions in the mentally ill [112] | Experience machine, Neuralink, Stent-electrode recording array |
| Brain-reading, neuroinformatics | Research [113] [114] | ||
| Electroencephalography | Research, diffusion [115] | Controlling electronic devices via brain waves | BrainGate |
| Head transplant | Success in animal experiments, including 2-headed result | Treatment of debilitating diseases or severe disfigurement | Brain transplant, hand transplantation, organ transplantation |
| Memory erasure | Hypothetical, research | Treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder | |
| Neuroprosthetics | Research, animal trials | Visual prosthesis, brain implant, exocortex, retinal implant, neurograin [116] | |
| Wetware computer | Experimentation [117] | Artificial Intelligence, better understanding of neurons |
| Emerging technology | Status | Potential applications | Related articles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caseless ammunition | Field tests and limited commercialization | Lighter and cheaper ammunition; the lack of a case may also simplify the design of firearms | Lightweight Small Arms Technologies |
| Cloaking device | Successful experiments cloaking small objects under some conditions [118] | Stealth | Metamaterial cloaking |
| Directed-energy weapon | Research, development, some prototypes [119] | Laser Weapon System, Iron Beam | |
| Electrolaser | Research and development | ||
| Electrothermal-chemical technology | Research and development | Tank, artillery, and close-in weapon systems | |
| Force field | Hypothetical, experiments [120] | Military and law enforcement, space travel | Plasma window |
| Green bullet | Development | Environment-friendly ammunition | |
| Hypersonic cruise missile | Development | Avangard, Kinzhal, Zircon, BrahMos-II, Prompt Global Strike, DARPA Falcon Project, DF-ZF, Boeing X-51 Waverider | |
| Laser weapon | Research and development, trials | Tracking and destruction of rockets, bombs, drones etc. [121] | Advanced Tactical Laser, High Energy Liquid Laser Area Defense System |
| MAHEM | Research and development | A formed penetrator using molten metal in place of self-forging explosives | Explosively pumped flux compression generator |
| Precision-guided firearm | Research and development | Increased accuracy by marksmen | EXACTO, Smart bullet, TrackingPoint, SMASH Handheld |
| Railgun | Research and development [122] [123] | Cheaper and safer ammunition | Coilgun |
| Stealth technology | Research, development, commercialization | Electronic countermeasures | Plasma stealth, Stealth aircraft, Radar-absorbent material |
| Telescoped ammunition | Research and development | More compact cartridges | |
| Lightweight Small Arms Technologies | Research and development |
| Emerging technology | Status | Potential applications | Related articles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artificial gravity | Research and development | Space travel | Spin gravity |
| Asteroid mining | Conceptual; NASA has announced plans to capture and redirect an asteroid [124] | Commerce, resource supply | |
| Field propulsion | Varies by subtype; some in production/spaceflight status; some theoretical. | Reduction of propellant requirements; orbital maneuvering; long-duration interplanetary and interstellar missions | Electrodynamic tether, Electrodeless plasma thruster, Laser propulsion |
| Inflatable space habitat | Development, prototypes built and tested | Space habitats | Bigelow Aerospace |
| Reusable launch vehicle | Commercial | Circumvention of the cost of expendable launch vehicles outside of national government or military missions | Reusable launch vehicle |
| Starshot | Research | Uncrewed interstellar probes [125] | |
| Stasis chamber | Research and development, experiments [126] | Interplanetary space travel, interstellar space travel, medical |
| Emerging technology | Status | Potential applications | Related articles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android, gynoid | Research, development, prototypes, diffusion, commercializing [127] | Disabled, infant and older people care, housekeeping, sex-worker, flight-attendant, model, hostess, waiter, security guard | Tesla bot, Atlas, Figure AI |
| Gastrobot | Prototypes | Robots fuelled by digesting organic matter | |
| Molecular nanotechnology, nanorobotics | Hypothetical, experiments [128] | Machines that can make anything given the materials, cheap planetary terraforming | |
| Powered exoskeleton | Research, development, prototypes, diffusion, commercializing [129] | Heavy lifting, paralysis, muscle-related diseases, warfare, construction, firefighting, care for the elderly and disabled | LOPES (exoskeleton), ReWalk, Human Universal Load Carrier, fictional armor Iron Man's armor, Future Force Warrior |
| Self-reconfiguring modular robot | Hypothetical, experiments, early prototypes | As a universal physical machine, SRCMR may change the way many physical structures and machines are made | Robot, swarm robotics, autonomous research robot |
| Swarm robotics | Hypothetical, experiments [130] | Autonomous construction, space construction | Swarm intelligence, autonomous robotics, nanorobotics, particle swarm optimization, multi-agent systems, behavior-based robotics |
| Uncrewed vehicle | Research and development, diffusion, commercial | Transport of goods, surveillance, oceanography, wildfire mapping, pipeline security, home security, anti-piracy, border control, pursuing criminals, oil, gas and mineral exploration and production, geophysical and geomagnetic surveys, exploration of hazardous areas, firefighting, [131] military and peacekeeping operations, search and rescue, bomb disposal, police raids | Unmanned aerial vehicle, AeroVironment, AeroVironment Global Observer, AeroVironment Nano Hummingbird, Unmanned combat air vehicle, Unmanned ground vehicle, Unmanned space vehicle, Unmanned surface vehicle, Unmanned underwater vehicle, Autonomous underwater vehicle |
| Emerging technology | Status | Potential applications | Related articles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airless tire | Research, development, early prototypes [132] [133] | Safer tires | Tweel |
| Atmospheric satellite | Experimentation | More widespread communications | |
| Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit | Commercialization, diffusion | Reducing air pollution, decreasing oil consumption | Electric vehicle |
| Flexible wings (X-53 Active Aeroelastic Wing, Adaptive Compliant Wing), fluidic flight controls | Experiments, prototypes [134] [135] [136] [137] [138] | Controlling aircraft, ships | Aircraft flight control system, BAE Systems Demon, fluidics |
| Distributed propulsion | Prototypes | More efficient air travel | |
| eVTOL | Research, Development | Low emission and low noise air travel, air taxis | |
| Flying car | Early commercialization, prototypes [139] [140] | More effective transportation | Terrafugia Transition, Moller M400 Skycar, Urban Aeronautics X-Hawk, AeroMobil |
| Fusion rocket | Research, development [141] | Fast interplanetary travel, with limited interstellar travel applications | |
| Ground-level power supply | Standardization, [142] [143] commercialization [144] [145] | Reduction of required battery size and weight for battery electric vehicles by charging while driving | |
| Hoverbike | Working prototypes, early commercialization | Package delivery, search and rescue | |
| Hovertrain, Ground effect train, Ground effect vehicle | Research, development [146] [147] | Faster trains | Aérotrain, Duke Hospital PRT, Hovercraft |
| Hybrid airship | Prototypes | Air travel with low fuel consumption | Airlander 10 |
| Ion-propelled aircraft | Research, development, prototypes [148] [149] | Better flying transportation, efficient propulsion in air | Electrohydrodynamics |
| Jet pack or backpack helicopter | Early commercialization, prototypes [150] | More effective individual transportation | |
| Maglev train | Research, early commercialization, diffusion [151] [152] | Faster trains | Transrapid, Shanghai Maglev Train, Linimo, L0 Series |
| Magnetic levitation | Research, development, Commercialization (Maglev Train) | High temperature superconductivity, cryogenics, low temperature refrigerators, superconducting magnet design and construction, fiber reinforced plastics for vehicles and structural concretes, communication and high power solid-state controls, vehicle design (aerodynamics and noise mitigation), precision manufacturing, construction and fabrication of concrete structures, [153] maglev car, maglev based spacecraft launch | Vactrain, Levicar |
| Magnetohydrodynamic drive | Research, development, prototypes [154] | Marine Propulsion, Aircraft Propulsion, Spacecraft Propulsion | Yamato 1 |
| Mass driver | Prototypes | ||
| Orbital propellant depot | Research, development | Deep-space missions with larger payloads, satellite life extension, lowering cost per kg launched to space | |
| Personal rapid transit | Early commercialization, diffusion [155] [156] | More effective transportation | Morgantown PRT, ULTra |
| Physical Internet | Research [157] | ||
| Scooter-sharing system | Commercialization | Increased density [158] | Bird (company) |
| Vactrain | Research, development [159] | Faster way to get somewhere | ET3 Global Alliance, Hyperloop |
| Plasma propulsion | Research and development | Spacecraft propulsion | |
| Pulse detonation engine | Research and development; one prototype flown in 2008 [160] | Higher-efficiency propulsion | |
| Quiet Supersonic Technology | Prototype | Supersonic air travel over land | |
| Self-driving car | Research, development, early commercialization | Reducing concerns of tiredness while driving and also looking outside in the car. Helpful in countries where employment of personal drivers is expensive. | Waymo, Tesla FSD |
| Space elevator | Research [161] | Non-rocket spacelaunch | Orbital ring, Sky hook, Space fountain |
| Spaceplane | Research, development [162] [163] [164] | Hypersonic transport | A2, Skylon |
| Vehicular communication systems | Research and development, some diffusion | Traffic management, automatic accommodation of emergency vehicles, driver assistance systems, automated highways | Artificial Passenger, Dedicated short-range communications, Intelligent transportation system |