9/11

To say that the world hasn’t changed much since September 11, 2001, would be a vast understatement. The coordinated terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, and the crashing of a fourth plane in Pennsylvania were vivid, horrific memories for many of us and devastating for the friends and relatives of the 3,000 people that were killed in the attacks. The effects from those events continue to affect us 22 years later.

I was in the midst of my career as a Software Engineer in Sun Microsystems at the time, and had the opportunity to saw what happens first-hand on how these horrid events affected the IT industry, as the supply chain was effectively shut down for weeks.

The past 22 years since that fateful day have seen a lot of changes in the technology in our daily lives. Some, such as biometrics and cybersecurity, are without a doubt influenced by heightened security concerns. But other technologies, many of which did not exist or were in their infancy in 2001, arose from talented design engineers answering the challenges of developing products and systems that better our lives.

Going forward, the challenge will be harnessing these innovations in a manner that will be beneficial to society and not used as unfair leverage to take advantage of weaker nations or population segments.

Some of the significant technologies that have emerged since 9/11 follow ibelow:

1. Smartphones and Mobile Computing

The iPhone did not emerge until almost six years after September 11, 2001, but that device and other smartphones have revolutionized the way most of us communicate, whether it be taking instant photos, mapping location, and providing instant communications. In addition, laptop computers and tablets play a stronger than-ever role in daily business and pleasure activities.

2. Social Media

Many of the tributes to fallen 9/11 heroes and colleagues were performed in physical locations such as parks and impromptu memorials. Imagine if Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media sites were around during that fateful day.

3. Ultra High-Speed Communications Networks

Around the time of 9/11, 3G services were only being introduced as trial services. In the last two decades, communications networks have gravitated from 3G to 4G and now 5G, with 6G on the horizon for the end of the decade. These high-speed networks have been key ushering in the availability of fast broadband access and the ability of wireless devices to instantly transfer huge amounts of data, anywhere.

4. Cloud Computing

Cloud computing was not even on the radar in 2001. In recent years, the rise of cloud computing services has enabled scalable and cost-effective storage, computation, and data management solutions. Many software programs now take advantage of the cloud’s vast bandwidth.

5. Cybersecurity

Not surprisingly, cyber threats have increased since 9/11, giving rise to the booming field of cybersecurity. There are numerous government and private industry initiatives to develop cybersecurity products, services, and policies, in response to evolving threats.

6. Biometrics

More of a direct offshoot from 9/11, fingerprint scanning and facial recognition have increased markedly over the past two decades, with rapid technological advances. These technologies are used in airports and other security locations and everyday devices like smartphones as necessary user verification.

More of a direct offshoot from 9/11, fingerprint scanning and facial recognition have increased markedly over the past two decades, with rapid technological advances. These technologies are used in airports and other security locations and everyday devices like smartphones as necessary user verification.

7. Big Data and Analytics

Large and small to collect vast amounts of data for insights and decision-making. Data is playing a key role in many fields, such as engineering, healthcare, finance, and marketing.

8. Electric and Autonomous Vehicles

The development and commercialization of electric vehicles (EVs), along with rapid progress in autonomous vehicle technology, are transforming the automotive industry and transportation systems.

9. 3D Printing

The concept of 3D printing actually began late in the 20th century, but it has only been the past decade where the technology has become more accessible. 3D printing is now used in various industries for rapid prototyping, custom manufacturing, and medical applications.

10. Internet of Things

In recent years, the proliferation of IoT devices has connected everyday objects to the internet, enabling automation and data collection in areas such as home automation, healthcare, and industrial processes. Myriad advances in sensor technology are making these devices the hub of the IoT, monitoring information and making spot decisions.

11. Artificial Intelligence

AI was only a dream back in 2001, but 2023 has seen a massive uptick of interest and adoption of AI, particularly generative AI. The science is quickly transforming image recognition, voice assistants, and other technologies, and its impact is only likely to increase in coming years.

12. Augmented/Virtual Reality

AR/VR were still largely in experimental stages several decades ago, but have made rapid progress in recent years. While still far from mature, AR and VR technologies have found applications in gaming, education, training, and simulation, with the potential for broader uses in the future.

13. Quantum Computing

Although still in its early stages, quantum computing research is starting to make progress, with potential applications in cryptography, optimization, and scientific simulations. Quantum computing will take on greater importance as AI and high-speed computing increase.