Science and Technology Challenges in 2021

As we enter 2021, a lot of challenges need to be addressed in the field of science and technology. If we talk of COVID-19 vaccines, issues like storage, distribution, etc need to be addressed. The field of digital education has issues with the basic tech set up needed in the classroom, etc. Even 5G, telemedicine, cybersecurity, and some of the other tech issues need to be addressed.

Hyderabad: As we all welcome 2021 and say Good Bye to 2020, here are some of the Science and Tech challenges which we may all witness and experience.

Science and Technology Challenges in 2021

COVID-19 and Innovation challenges

Vaccination – Budget, Logistics, and Infrastructure

Distribution challenge

• Distribution channels with proper refrigeration facilities will remain a challenge (Some of the candidates, such as Moderna's and Pfizer's, need to be kept in freezers or refrigerators to work. Moderna's vaccine, for instance, needs to be stored at minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit)
• Formidable infrastructure issues-particularly in places where electricity or established health systems are not widespread.
• Scarce resources such as freezers and cold-storage vans can hamper the speed at which vaccination will be distributed.
• System to track those who have received the first dose of vaccine and are in need of a second one.

Also Read: FDA authorizes vaccine from Moderna and NIH, ramping up fight against COVID-19

Storage challenge

• Expansion of India's existing cold chain capacity at breakneck speed will remain a challenge (India currently has about 27,000 cold chain points, 76,000 cold chain equipment, 700 reefer vans, 55,000 cold chain handlers)
• Managing gaps in the existing vaccine distribution network (Latest available audit of the vaccine chain conducted by the health ministry in 2017-18 shows that bottlenecks still exist. 26% of eVIN cold chain points reported instances of stock out during the period of assessment.)
• It won’t be easy to fill deficits given that most of the private sector cold chain network is concentrated in the bigger cities and towns.

Digital Education: Requirement of tech innovations

Infrastructure

• Not every student has had access to technology. Many rely on their smartphone or a tablet for all of their online activities.
• Some have limited access to broadband or Wi-Fi, even- all of their data comes through their phone plan.
• India is still in the early stages of turning a traditional classroom into a digital one. This will remain one of the biggest challenges as the Coronavirus pandemic has forced the students to stay indoors. The classrooms are still unequipped of the tech required for online classes.

Study material

• Availability of courses in different languages which is digitally available and comprehensible.
• It’s important that course materials evolve from the PC-centric model of the early ’00s. Downloading files, printing pages, even using Word documents may be obsolete for the mobile-first generation. It’s important to choose course materials that are easy to navigate on smartphones and tablets, as well as laptops and desktops.

Digital Workplace- Moving offices to Home

• Data and application security.
• The ability to quickly share data between multiple different departments.

Some of the major challenges in technology include:-

Science and Technology Challenges in 2021

Science and Technology Challenges in 2021

Stalkerware App: Reports of domestic abuse and family violence have increased around the world since social isolation and quarantine measures. Stalkerware apps, which relay private information including location, photos, audio, browser, and messaging history, are easy to install on someone’s phone and they hide in plain sight. It’s difficult enough for victims to escape their abusers, only to find out that they are still being tracked by their phone, which is often considered a lifeline.

Telemedicine: Before the pandemic, only 1% of medical appointments were done virtually. At the height of COVID-19, more than 50% of appointments were by the way of telemedicine. However, the number is expected to decrease as the pandemic slows.

For some, telemedicine is a fantastic option. But the drawbacks include unequal access to healthcare among those without internet access, untreated illnesses for those with conditions not conducive to telehealth, and clinician fatigue. Additionally, as with most virtual medical situations, privacy concerns also remain of utmost importance.

5G in Mainstream: All the discussion and publicity around 5G, will it turn out to be real in 2021. At the point when digital collaboration, telecommunication, and videoconferencing turned into a part of our lives, we needed to get approaches to boost speed. It was at this point clear enough for the telecommunication companies that 5G was the best approach. The arrangement of this innovation will be significant for various tools like IoT. Moreover, about 51% of organizations utilizing IoT have noticed an improved insight into customer needs, practices, and inclinations.

Re-evaluation of Automation Road maps: Coronavirus is changing firms’ automation plans quickly toward back-office processes and business strength. Intelligent automation will represent the infusion of robotic and digital process automation with pragmatic AI and low-code tools.

Customer Data Platforms (CDP): Over the recent months, we have seen an ascent in customer data platforms (CDP). It is difficult to put together fragmented data from numerous sources. In an ongoing report, an expected $3 trillion goes down the channel every year because of terrible data.

Cybersecurity: The abrupt ascent in remote workforces and cloud technology has influenced the security of company assets outside the organization’s edge. The assistance provided by the cybersecurity mesh, the security border goes beyond and covers people working remotely.

Quantum Computing: Quantum computing has helped in the administration of COVID-19 regarding dealing with the spread, searching for potential vaccines, and the advancement of therapeutics. As individuals keep on understanding the power of quantum computing, we are bound to observe its application in numerous ventures in 2021 and beyond.