Altered Reality and the Rise of AI

Transcription

1 2018 Flavor Trends

2 The Human Algorithm Creating flavors that connect with people on a sensory level, but also an emotional one, is no small challenge. That is why Flavorchem approaches this important undertaking in an exceptionally robust and painstaking way. Our methodology, The Human Algorithm, is a process that by which we take an exhaustive look at key facets of life today: food and beverage, fashion, socio-political, art, architecture, technology, and 24 other indicators. The Human Algorithm Team gathers and analyzes major and minor trends, providing a basis not only for our own development purposes, but also to provide a strategic road map for our customers. Please enjoy our findings, presented as our top four significant trends for 2018.

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4 Altered Reality and the Rise of AI In 1990, Boeing researchers Thomas Caudell and Dave Mizell coined the term Augmented Reality (AR) while working at Boeing s Computer Services Adaptive Neural Systems Research and Development project in Seattle. At Boeing, it referred to the headsets worn by aircraft electricians that blended virtual graphics onto a physical reality. To further explain it, AR is a technology that superimposes a computer-generated image merged with a user s view of the real world, thus providing a composite view. Leading the way for AR and VR innovation are immersive gaming systems that amp up the sense that you re fighting zombies or aliens. In retail, we are seeing AR devices in fitting rooms, at makeup counters, and even an AR IKEA catalog that lets customers try the furniture in their own homes. We are seeing a rise in VR technology in healthcare as doctors use this tech to treat patients around the world. There are educational applications as well. Educators are using VR to teach about subjects ranging from language to astronomy. Today, AI devices are popping up everywhere, affecting every aspect of our daily lives from smart thermostats (Nest) that you can set with your phone to home security systems, remote-controlled lighting and sound. AI technology is also enabling thinking in everyday devices such as toasters, refrigerators, toothbrushes and coffee makers, ensuring that the temperature and humidity are perfect in the crisper and a cup of hot joe is waiting. They are also making life more convenient via voiceactivated devices like Alexa and Echo and making entertainment more easily accessible with things like ATT U-Verse that allows you to record a show remotely. Any sufficiently advanced technology is equivalent to magic. Arthur C. Clarke

5 Resource Sharing In the olden days, neighbors got together and shared to survive. No one had a lot, but what little they had often made its way around the community. When a barn needed raising or quilts sewn, everyone pitched in. So, it s interesting to see a return to resource sharing in these more abundant times. One of the most prevalent examples of this hunkering down is the go local mentality. Supporting locally owned businesses funnels money back into our own communities, creates jobs and makes us feel like good neighbors. Buying local produce, eggs, meat and other foods contributes to sustainability by reducing the waste of natural resources in transporting and production. In tandem, urban planners are accommodating small businesses in town centers and making them more accessible via public transportation. Simplicity is a key theme, with people embracing minimalism and getting back to basics in an effort to be less stressed, healthier and mindful of the environment. More people are growing pesticide-free produce, raising chickens, using plant-based fragrances and cosmetics and doing whatever they can to be more sustainable and consume less energy and other resources. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler, solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness weakness. Henry David Thoreau

6 New Frontiers As a culture, we are pushing the boundaries of what we want, how we get it and when. The digital age has given us all more a sense of control in our daily experiences and purchases. Are we becoming a demanding and impatient lot? Possibly. But, in the process, service and merchandise providers are stepping up and cashing in. Closely aligned with personalization is the move toward individualism and independence that continues to drive the popularity of such things as craft beers, craft cheeses (quite the opposite of Kraft cheeses), coffee micro- roasters and handmade artisan soaps, cosmetics, shoes and clothing. As technology is perceived by many as boiling us down into data, the reaction is to reassert one s unique humanity by choosing products out of the mainstream. Better/Faster has become a pervasive mantra for consumers, perpetuated by Millennials who have grown up with the instant gratification of technology. Examples of this include on-demand music and streaming entertainment. Want hot food delivered more quickly? Soon, it will be arriving via drones. And we might also be arriving similarly in autonomous aerial vehicles such as the Ehang 184, currently in production. All of this very demanding demand is causing a competitive frenzy in American business, spurring more innovative intensity to get out ahead. Who will the leaders be at the forefront of these new frontiers? The companies who answer the call for better, faster, more individualized and targeted everything. To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment. Ralph Waldo Emerson

7 Back to Nature The more high-tech our lives become and the more gadgets and devices we use, the more some of us feel we might be losing our humanity. Many of us have found we re asking questions about what it means to be human in this fast-paced world. What do we really need on a basic level to be good people and responsible, fully present, participants in life? In this quest for deeper meaning and inspiration, we are turning to nature to soothe us, rejuvenate us and restore tranquility in our lives. It is then, we believe, we will find the answers we seek. Often, communing with nature takes the form of immersing ourselves, literally and figuratively. We cruise rivers and delve into the aquatic deep where, some would argue, existence started. There we are, awestruck by the wonders of a world so vibrant that we begin to reconnect with life. Our immersive experiences continue with adventure vacations, extreme sports, visits to lush rainforests and wilderness retreats in an attempt to feel more, be more human. When we return to civilization, we attempt to continue the natural vibe. Quite simply, nature nurtures. Though, as powerful as nature is, it is unlikely it will turn us into Luddites. The hiker or camper who struggles to find a location to get a signal on his cell phone exemplifies this. Well, he still has a great view and fresh air! Look deep into nature and you will understand everything else. Albert Einstein

8 Want to innovate together? Contact us! Orchidia Corporate Flavorchem West 1525 Brook Drive Downers Grove, IL Calle Pintoresco San Clemente, CA FLAVOR (630) FLAVOR (949) Flavorchem Europe Vasut utca 42 H-2144 Kerepes, Hungary Europe