Zukunftstechnologien – Future Technologies
Technology is changing the way we produce energy, communicate, travel, work and understand the world.
Technologie verändert die Art und Weise, wie wir Energie erzeugen, kommunizieren, reisen, arbeiten und die Welt verstehen.
Artificial intelligence, drones, robotics, heat pumps, batteries, hydrogen and quantum computing are no longer simply ideas about the distant future.
Künstliche Intelligenz, Drohnen, Robotik, Wärmepumpen, Batterien, Wasserstoff und Quantencomputing sind längst nicht mehr nur Ideen einer fernen Zukunft.
Many of these technologies are already being used and developed around the world.
Viele dieser Technologien werden bereits heute weltweit eingesetzt und weiterentwickelt.
Understanding them is useful – and learning to talk about them in English is becoming increasingly important.
Sie zu verstehen ist nützlich – und zu lernen, auf Englisch darüber zu sprechen, wird immer wichtiger.
On this page, you can explore future technologies while developing the English vocabulary and communication skills you need to discuss them.
Auf dieser Seite können Sie Zukunftstechnologien entdecken und gleichzeitig den englischen Wortschatz und die Kommunikationsfähigkeiten entwickeln, die Sie benötigen, um darüber zu sprechen.
What Are Future Technologies?
Future technologies are technologies that could significantly change society, industry or everyday life in the coming years and decades.
Zukunftstechnologien sind Technologien, die Gesellschaft, Industrie oder Alltag in den kommenden Jahren und Jahrzehnten erheblich verändern könnten.
Some are completely new, while others have existed for many years but are now developing much more rapidly.
Einige sind völlig neu, während andere bereits seit vielen Jahren existieren, sich heute aber wesentlich schneller weiterentwickeln.
Artificial intelligence is one example. Researchers have worked on AI for decades, but advances in computing power, data and machine learning have greatly expanded what AI systems can do.
Künstliche Intelligenz ist ein Beispiel. Forscher arbeiten seit Jahrzehnten an KI, aber Fortschritte bei Rechenleistung, Daten und maschinellem Lernen haben die Möglichkeiten von KI-Systemen stark erweitert.
The same is true of batteries, robotics, renewable energy, biotechnology and space technology.
Ähnliches gilt für Batterien, Robotik, erneuerbare Energien, Biotechnologie und Raumfahrttechnologie.
Future technology does not necessarily mean technology that does not exist yet. It can also mean technology that already exists but is likely to become much more important.
Zukunftstechnologie bedeutet nicht unbedingt eine Technologie, die noch nicht existiert. Es kann sich auch um eine bereits vorhandene Technologie handeln, die wahrscheinlich wesentlich wichtiger werden wird.
Why Are Future Technologies Important?
New technologies often develop because societies face new problems or discover better ways of doing things.
Neue Technologien entstehen häufig, weil Gesellschaften vor neuen Problemen stehen oder bessere Wege finden, Dinge zu erledigen.
Energy systems need to become cleaner and more flexible. Industries want to produce goods more efficiently. Transport systems are becoming increasingly automated.
Energiesysteme müssen sauberer und flexibler werden. Industrien möchten Waren effizienter produzieren. Verkehrssysteme werden zunehmend automatisiert.
At the same time, computers are becoming capable of analysing enormous amounts of information and performing tasks that previously required human intelligence.
Gleichzeitig können Computer immer größere Informationsmengen analysieren und Aufgaben ausführen, die früher menschliche Intelligenz erforderten.
These developments can create new opportunities, but they can also create new economic, environmental and social challenges.
Diese Entwicklungen können neue Chancen schaffen, aber auch neue wirtschaftliche, ökologische und gesellschaftliche Herausforderungen mit sich bringen.
Explore Future Technologies
Choose a technology and learn how it works – while improving your English.
Drones
Learn how drones fly, navigate and communicate, and discover how they are changing agriculture, logistics, inspection and other industries.
Explore Drones →Artificial Intelligence
Understand AI, machine learning, neural networks, generative AI and how intelligent systems learn from data.
Explore Artificial Intelligence →Robotics
Discover sensors, motors, actuators, industrial robots, collaborative robots and the development of humanoid machines.
Explore Robotics →Energy Technology
Explore renewable energy, electrification, energy storage and the technologies transforming the world's energy systems.
Explore Energy Technology →Heat Pumps
Learn how heat pumps move thermal energy and why flow temperature, refrigerants and efficiency are so important.
Explore Heat Pumps →Hydrogen
Discover green hydrogen, electrolysers, fuel cells, storage systems and possible applications in industry and transport.
Explore Hydrogen →Battery Technology
Learn how modern batteries work and explore lithium-ion, solid-state, sodium-ion and grid-scale energy storage.
Explore Battery Technology →Smart Grids
Discover how digital technology, smart meters, batteries and renewable energy could create a more intelligent electricity grid.
Explore Smart Grids →Autonomous Vehicles
Learn how cameras, radar, LiDAR, sensors and AI allow vehicles to understand and respond to their environment.
Explore Autonomous Vehicles →Quantum Computing
Explore qubits, superposition and entanglement and discover why quantum computers are fundamentally different from classical computers.
Explore Quantum Computing →Space Technology
Learn about rockets, satellites, reusable launch systems, space exploration and the technologies behind the new space age.
Explore Space Technology →Biotechnology
Explore DNA, genetic engineering, CRISPR, synthetic biology and technologies that use biological processes in new ways.
Explore Biotechnology →3D Printing
Discover additive manufacturing and how digital designs can become physical objects in industry, medicine and construction.
Explore 3D Printing →Future Communication
Explore 6G, satellite communication, connected devices and technologies that could change how people and machines communicate.
Explore Future Communication →Climate Technology
Discover carbon capture, direct air capture, circular technologies and new approaches to reducing environmental impact.
Explore Climate Technology →Artificial Intelligence and Automation
Artificial intelligence is becoming one of the most important technologies connecting many other areas of innovation.
Künstliche Intelligenz entwickelt sich zu einer der wichtigsten Technologien, die viele andere Innovationsbereiche miteinander verbindet.
AI systems can recognise patterns in data, analyse images, understand language and help machines make decisions.
KI-Systeme können Muster in Daten erkennen, Bilder analysieren, Sprache verstehen und Maschinen bei Entscheidungen unterstützen.
This means AI is not limited to computers and software.
Das bedeutet, dass KI nicht auf Computer und Software beschränkt ist.
It can be combined with robots, drones, autonomous vehicles, factories, medical equipment and energy systems.
Sie kann mit Robotern, Drohnen, autonomen Fahrzeugen, Fabriken, medizinischen Geräten und Energiesystemen kombiniert werden.
One of the most important trends in future technology is convergence – different technologies increasingly working together.
Einer der wichtigsten Trends bei Zukunftstechnologien ist die Konvergenz – verschiedene Technologien arbeiten zunehmend zusammen.
The Future of Energy
Energy technology is another major area of technological change.
Energietechnologie ist ein weiterer wichtiger Bereich des technologischen Wandels.
Electricity is increasingly being produced from renewable sources such as wind and solar power.
Strom wird zunehmend aus erneuerbaren Quellen wie Wind- und Solarenergie erzeugt.
However, renewable electricity creates new challenges because production changes with the weather.
Erneuerbarer Strom bringt jedoch neue Herausforderungen mit sich, da sich die Produktion mit dem Wetter verändert.
Batteries, smart grids, hydrogen and flexible electricity demand can help balance future energy systems.
Batterien, intelligente Stromnetze, Wasserstoff und flexible Stromnachfrage können dabei helfen, zukünftige Energiesysteme auszugleichen.
Heat pumps and electric vehicles also connect heating and transport more closely with the electricity system.
Wärmepumpen und Elektrofahrzeuge verbinden außerdem Heizung und Verkehr stärker mit dem Stromsystem.
Machines That Can See, Move and Decide
Robots and autonomous machines are becoming more capable because sensors, computing power and artificial intelligence are improving.
Roboter und autonome Maschinen werden leistungsfähiger, weil sich Sensoren, Rechenleistung und künstliche Intelligenz verbessern.
A modern robot can use cameras and other sensors to collect information about its surroundings.
Ein moderner Roboter kann Kameras und andere Sensoren nutzen, um Informationen über seine Umgebung zu sammeln.
Software can analyse this information and decide how the machine should respond.
Software kann diese Informationen analysieren und entscheiden, wie die Maschine reagieren soll.
Similar principles are used in drones, warehouse robots, autonomous cars and industrial automation.
Ähnliche Prinzipien werden bei Drohnen, Lagerrobotern, autonomen Autos und industrieller Automatisierung eingesetzt.
Technology Is Becoming More Connected
Many future technologies will not develop independently.
Viele Zukunftstechnologien werden sich nicht unabhängig voneinander entwickeln.
Electric vehicles depend on battery technology, digital control systems, sensors and electricity infrastructure.
Elektrofahrzeuge sind von Batterietechnologie, digitalen Steuerungssystemen, Sensoren und Strominfrastruktur abhängig.
Smart grids can connect renewable electricity, batteries, electric vehicles, heat pumps and intelligent software.
Intelligente Stromnetze können erneuerbaren Strom, Batterien, Elektrofahrzeuge, Wärmepumpen und intelligente Software miteinander verbinden.
Drones can combine lightweight materials, electric motors, batteries, GPS, cameras, sensors, radio communication and artificial intelligence in one machine.
Drohnen können leichte Materialien, Elektromotoren, Batterien, GPS, Kameras, Sensoren, Funkkommunikation und künstliche Intelligenz in einer Maschine kombinieren.
Understanding these connections is often more useful than studying each technology in isolation.
Diese Zusammenhänge zu verstehen ist häufig nützlicher, als jede Technologie isoliert zu betrachten.
Why Learn About Technology in English?
English is one of the most important languages of international science, technology and business.
Englisch ist eine der wichtigsten Sprachen der internationalen Wissenschaft, Technologie und Wirtschaft.
Engineers, researchers, technicians and managers often need English to read technical information, communicate with international colleagues or discuss new developments.
Ingenieure, Forscher, Techniker und Manager benötigen häufig Englisch, um technische Informationen zu lesen, mit internationalen Kollegen zu kommunizieren oder neue Entwicklungen zu besprechen.
Learning technical vocabulary is useful, but vocabulary alone is not enough.
Technischen Wortschatz zu lernen ist nützlich, aber Wortschatz allein reicht nicht aus.
You also need to practise explaining how something works, comparing technologies, describing advantages and disadvantages and expressing your own opinion.
Sie müssen auch üben zu erklären, wie etwas funktioniert, Technologien zu vergleichen, Vor- und Nachteile zu beschreiben und Ihre eigene Meinung auszudrücken.
This is the idea behind English Through Knowledge: you learn English by exploring subjects that are interesting and relevant.
Das ist die Idee hinter English Through Knowledge: Sie lernen Englisch, indem Sie interessante und relevante Themen entdecken.
Key Vocabulary – Future Technologies
| English | German | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| future technology | Zukunftstechnologie | a technology expected to become increasingly important |
| artificial intelligence | künstliche Intelligenz | computer systems capable of performing tasks associated with intelligence |
| automation | Automatisierung | the use of technology to perform processes automatically |
| renewable energy | erneuerbare Energie | energy from sources that are naturally renewed |
| energy storage | Energiespeicherung | technology used to store energy for later use |
| smart grid | intelligentes Stromnetz | an electricity network using digital monitoring and control |
| autonomous | autonom | able to operate with limited or no direct human control |
| sensor | Sensor | a device that detects or measures information |
| robotics | Robotik | the science and technology of designing and operating robots |
| biotechnology | Biotechnologie | the use of biological systems and processes in technology |
| quantum computing | Quantencomputing | computing based on principles of quantum physics |
| innovation | Innovation | a new idea, technology, method or improvement |
| infrastructure | Infrastruktur | basic systems and facilities needed for society or industry |
| convergence | Konvergenz | the process of different technologies increasingly coming together |
| technological development | technologische Entwicklung | the process by which technology changes and improves |
Knowledge Quiz – Future Technologies
Test how well you understood the information on this page.
1. What can the term "future technology" describe?
2. Which technology can recognise patterns in data?
3. Why are batteries important for future energy systems?
4. What can smart grids connect?
5. What do sensors allow machines to do?
6. Which is an example of autonomous technology?
7. What does technological convergence mean?
8. Which technologies can be combined in a modern drone?
9. Why is English useful for people working with technology?
10. What is the main learning idea of this page?
English Quiz – Future Technologies
Practise vocabulary, grammar and collocations used when talking about technology.
1. Technology is changing the way we _____ and communicate.
2. Artificial intelligence can recognise patterns _____ data.
3. Renewable energy is becoming increasingly _____.
4. Engineers have _____ new technologies for many years.
5. Batteries are used _____ store electrical energy.
6. Smart grids can help _____ electricity supply and demand.
7. Many technologies depend _____ advanced computer systems.
8. Autonomous vehicles _____ information from sensors to understand their surroundings.
9. Technology has _____ rapidly during the last few decades.
10. In the future, different technologies will become more closely _____.
Talk About Future Technologies
There are no right or wrong answers. Use the questions to practise expressing your ideas in English.
Useful English for Talking About Technology
Where Should You Start?
Start with one of these three technology areas and then follow the links to more detailed topics.
Drones – How They Are Changing the World
Start with one of the most visible examples of modern technology and discover how flight, sensors, communication and AI come together.
Start with Drones →Artificial Intelligence – What Is AI?
Understand the basic ideas behind artificial intelligence before exploring machine learning, neural networks and generative AI.
Start with AI →Energy Technology – Powering the Future
Explore how electricity, renewable energy, storage, heat pumps and smart grids are changing the energy system.
Start with Energy →Learn English Through Future Technologies
You do not have to separate learning English from learning about the world.
Technology gives you something real to think about, explain, compare and discuss.
As you explore drones, artificial intelligence, energy, robotics, batteries and other future technologies, you can develop the vocabulary and language you need to talk about them naturally.
Understand how it works.
Learn the English.
Talk about the future.