New Technology in 2026: Brain Chips and Space Missions
New Technology in 2026: Brain Chips and Space Missions
https://spectrum.ieee.org/new-technology-2026
Publish Date: 2026-01-01 08:00:02
Source Domain: spectrum.ieee.org
Elon Musk’s Neuralink is set to restore partial sight in blind patients via the “Blindsight” implant by connecting it to a video camera to generate a low-resolution visual perception directly from the brain’s visual cortex. Apple plans to release a foldable iPhone in late 2026, the “iPhone Fold,” which aims to improve the hinge mechanism to reduce display creases, though it will be pricey at $2,000. In a dual space mission, China’s Tianwen-2 will first study near-Earth asteroid Kamoʻoalewa, then 311P/PanSTARRS before returning samples to Earth. In another significant event, NASA plans its first crewed moon mission since 1972 in April 2026 to investigate health effects during near-lunar space travel.
Moreover, Meta is advancing towards a massive AI supercomputer, Prometheus, set to go online in 2026 with a capacity of up to 1 gigawatt near Columbus, Ohio, part of a billion-dollar plan to dominate AI. In space resource utilization, Blue Origin’s Blue Alchemist demonstrates technology to harvest oxygen and metals from the lunar regolith. Unity-2’s project aims to commercialize fusion energy by the end of the year with its first workable demonstration of the tritium-fuel cycle. Tensor plans to introduce SAE Level-4 self-driven cars in 2026, providing private rides that can operate autonomously, allowing occupants leisure during travel. Finally, Intel will decide on the adoption of its advanced 14A chipmaking process by pursuing it only if there’s sufficient demand, while Meta plans to fully automate ad creation and delivery using AI.
Key Points:
– Neuralink introduces Brain-Computer Interface for restoring partial sight in totally blind individuals via ‘Blindsight’ implant by 2026.
– Apple plans to release a foldable ‘iPhone Fold’ later in 2026 to elevate its product line with significant improvements over existing foldable models.
– China’s Tianwen-2 planned to study NEO asteroid Kamoʻoalewa and comet-asteroid hybrid 311P/PanSTARRS and return samples.
– NASA’s first crewed lunar mission since 1972 is set for April 2026 to test new space travel health systems.
– Meta’s Prometheus supercomputer aims to revolutionize AI with a power capacity of 1 gigawatt by 2026.
