DARQ Tech is Here

DARQ tech is here, and it will change the world. Businesses must be ready to embrace it. Early adopters will reap huge rewards, whilst those who linger may miss the opportunity entirely. 

Every few generations, technology takes a huge leap forwards on multiple fronts at once. On the rare occasions this happens, each advancement amplifies the others. The result is that the world changes at a breathtaking pace. 

DARQ technology is a multi-revolutionary example. If you think this is something for the future, think again. DARQ tech is already being used. Large tech giants and corporates have already adopted it. We explore what DARQ tech is, and how it is already being used. 

What is DARQ technology?

• Distributed ledger technology
• Artificial Intelligence 
• Extended/Augmented Reality 
• Quantum Computing 

Distributed Ledger Tech

Distributed ledger technology is an append only data storage mechanism where data is stored at multiple locations on a shared network. In theory, this increases security and transparency. As data use enters the public arena people are becoming more aware of the implications that the collection of mass personal data can and will have on the world, and on their personal lives. Even the toilet is becoming a method of data collection - collecting personal medical samples from users. 

Artificial Intelligence 

The rise of AI is allowing us to solve problems that humans have been trying, and failing, to solve for decades. AI is a powerful problem solving tool. With the rise of quantum computing, AI is about to take a bounding leap forwards, as even more complex problems can be solved.  AI needs to be used and trained carefully and with wisdom: it is prone to embedding bias in processes and decision making. AI is only as good as the data it is trained on, and the humans who collected that data. There are serious risks that AI embeds bias, particularly unconscious bias, in dangerous ways. In recognition of these risks, the EU is currently in the process of trying to regulate the use of AI.

Extended Reality/Augmented Reality

Extended reality includes Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Mixed Reality. Extended reality is offering new opportunities to create immersive customer experiences. The creation of augmented reality glasses will allow more mainstream adoption of extended reality, as we move from needing heavy headsets to far less invasive devices. Extended reality starts to blur the lines between the real world and the virtual, which opens up a whole host of opportunities. 

Quantum Computing 

Quantum computing is mind boggling. You need to be a physicist as much as a computer science expert in order to understand its full potential. It is ideal for solving complex problems. It creates quantum algorithms which create multidimensional spaces where subtle patterns emerge that link individual data points. In being able to solve problems that are too complex even for supercomputers, quantum computing has enormous potential. It takes computing beyond its current limits and opens up a while new world of technology. Google used a quantum computer to complete a task in 200 seconds that they estimate would take a standard computer 10,000 years. IBM challenged this and suggested they had a standard computing way to solve the problem in several days. Either way, 200 seconds vs several days or 10,000 years is a mind-blowing increase.  

How is DARQ tech being used? 

DARQ tech is not just being explored, it is being used. Here are some of the examples of DARQ tech in action:

Etsy: Augmented Reality in Action

Back in 2021 Etsy announced that they had an augmented reality app that would allow users to see what a piece of artwork would look like on their wall: simply point your phone at the wall and take a look.  

In October 2021 they took the tech one step further, releasing a full augmented reality experience. The Etsy House allows users to walk through a virtual reality home, full of Etsy products. 

The internet has killed the high street, but the rise of experiential marketing has driven online businesses to provide more. Now, with augmented reality, online stores can have a store presence. They can give us the experience of shopping. The potential is huge. 

With the creation of augmented reality glasses, we may soon not need chunky virtual reality headsets to access these services.

DARQ Tech for Shopping 

Combine this with artificial intelligence, and the opportunities are limitless. We could see scenarios where we load our body stats into our apps - or are 3D scanned by a clever piece of tech - pop our virtual reality headsets on and walk into a virtual store. In the store an assistant (either real or virtual, powered by AI) can advise us on what clothes would suit our body shape and what colours would suit our skin tone. AI then generates a 3D image of us in those clothes, and advises us what size we should buy. AI tracks any returns and records sizing issues so that it can continually improve its sizing suggestions for each specific item. 

This will provide an improved customer experience, and reduce the number of returns, saving costs and carbon. 

Now we begin to see the power of these 4 technologies and how each one enables the other.

DARQ Tech for Archaeology 

National Geographic explorer, Albert Lin, uses LiDAR technology from a company called Visual Skies to detect archaeological evidence in the most inhospitable environments. The latest episode sees Albert Lin and his team go to Ciudad Perdida. Ciudad Perdida is thought to have been a bustling city 600 years before the Incas built Machu Picchu. Swallowed by dense forest, and a week's trek from civilisation, the location has gone largely unexplored because of the difficulties in accessing the area. The team used helicopters and drones to scan every inch from the sky.

The technology is able to strip away the layers of dense vegetation - allowing obscured structures to be seen from the sky for the first time. 3d models are then created, and augmented reality is then used to recreate what the city would have looked like. This technology is allowing us to discover parts of history that have lain forgotten for thousands of years. It has the potential to discover lost civilisations all over the world, and enrich our understanding of human history. It has already been used to discover new settlements in South America. Could there come a time when the entire globe has been mapped by tech?

DARQ Tech for Medicine

The advances in medicine are some of the most exciting benefits from DARQ tech. When tech can reduce or eliminate human suffering, the potential gets powerful. Virtual reality is being used to treat phantom limb pain. The power of quantum computing, combined with artificial intelligence, virtual reality and distributed ledgers has massive implications for medicine. Initial trials are underway, or being envisioned, to develop supersonic drugs, move hospitals to the cloud, improve patient confidentiality, assess medical images far more accurately and even carry out medical trials on virtual humans. DARQ tech is already having a positive impact on medicine, but the full potential of it is still being realised. Expect to see some serious medical advancements in the coming years. Again, we start to see the power of having multiple game-changing advances happening at the same point in history. 

DARQ Technology for Social  

Facebook recently announced that it is hiring 10,000 staff in Europe to develop its metaverse. The metaverse is an augmented reality universe. Users will put on their virtual headsets and walk into the metaverse. Facebook’s vision sees other companies like Apple and Amazon creating their own locations within the metaverse. It is an augmented reality world. Facebook are already showcasing the power of their metaverse to potential advertisers. They have created an example of a swimming with sharks experience - allowing the event organiser to give people a taste of the power of their experience, hoping to entice them to book the real thing.  

DARQ Tech for Work

Oculus from Facebook is utilising the same tech that is being used for the metaverse to revolutionise the way we work. Remote working was already on the rise, as Millenials and Gen Z-ers demand a better quality of life. The Covid-19 pandemic acted as a catalyst in that movement, pushing remote working to become the new normal. But some people miss the office environment. Augmented reality can now be used to recreate the office, the boardroom, the team meet up. Simply put your virtual reality headset on and you're at the meeting. 

The Future is DARQ

DARQ tech is here, now. Businesses are already adopting it, using it and reaping the rewards. As futuristic as it sounds, don't be fooled - the time is now for DARQ tech. 

If you can feel the power of DARQ tech, but don't quite know how to use it in the best way for your business, contact us. We understand that the pace of technological advancement is a real challenge to businesses, but we also understand the potential it offers. Use our tech consultancy services to keep ahead of the disruptors.