Emerging Technologies for Sustainable Development

The first Research Report of the Social Tech Lab analyzes the main and most widespread Emerging Technologies, considering the potential of social impact in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations, presenting the history, evolution and use cases of emerging technologies. Each chapter is dedicated to a specific technology, contributed to the research: Impactscool, Italian Association for Artificial Intelligence, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Italian Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Machines (I-RIM), Isinnova, Uqido, Italian Association for Marketing Development (AISM).

Objectives and structure of the research

The objective of this report is to provide accessible and quality information on the main emerging technologies of relevance in 2021: Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, 3D Printing, Internet of things and 5G, Virtual and Augmented Reality, Blockchain.

In doing so, emphasis was placed on the role that emerging technologies can play for the common good:

describing their positive potential for social and environmental impact and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); and
outlining guidelines to mitigate their risks and avoid unintended negative consequences.