True artificial intelligence
The advancements that have been made with Siri and Cortana are cute, but we want true AI that can actually infer like a human being and learn independently. A machine that can act like a sentient human would have huge implications across all kinds of industries.
Microsoft Research is currently experimenting with AI to develop more nuanced communication in machines, but we're patiently waiting for our new best robotic friend.
Next-generation wireless or fiber data connections
The internet speeds in Korea put the US to shame. Google Fiber represents a small push towards modernizing our country's internet infrastructure, but just like Project Loon, it's operating as a pilot program and has a way to go before it becomes as ubiquitous and accessible as a cable subscription.
Wireless power
Our wireless phones remain tethered to the wall in one major way: by the electric cord.
Yes, there are battery packs you can carry around, and yes there are cases that will charge your phone, but there is not yet a panacea for constant wireless power.
One startup called Ubeam has been working on inventing a wireless charging technology for a couple years now, but they have yet to come out with a market-ready product.
Affordable, practical energy independence on a per-household basis
What if you could get rid of your electric bill forever?
A combination of solar and wind power is enough to make most homes as energy-independent, but it involves some setup that's either too expensive or too technical. A startup that solves these problems stands to make loads of cash.
Reliable broadband Internet for rural areas
The idea of living without Internet is probably terrifying for most of us. But outside the comforts of city life, there are people who are constantly in offline mode.
According to Google, two-thirds of the world's population doesn't have Internet. And that's why they're working on Project Loon, to connect people in rural and remote areas, but it's currently an experimental pilot program offered for free and being rolled out slowly.
If someone can beat Google to the punch and make it widely available and affordable, they'll make bank.
A common sense brain-computer interface
Brain-computer interfaces exist today, largely as research tools or almost-useful computer peripherals.
We want to be able to download our thoughts and memories to a computer for retrieval or transmission, and we want it to be as easy to use as a USB port.
Imagine what communication would be like if you didn't have to force it out of your mouth and hands as clumsy words and writing, but could instead share your unimpeded, detail-rich thoughts.
Unbreakable passwords
Thanks to Heartbleed and other major security concerns of late, passwords and security are becoming even more important. Throwing an exclamation point on the end of your old password doesn't cut it anymore.
Maybe the future of security protection is fingerprinting, or maybe it's skeletal scanning. Whatever it is, we are in need of an upgrade.
Teleportation, plain and simple
Why travel when you could take a page from sci-fi and instantly teleport to your destination?
A recent poll by the Pew Research Center indicates that 39% of Americans believe Star Trek-style teleportation will become a reality within the next 50 years. Scientists are already able to teleport super-tiny particles more reliably than ever before, so it might only be a matter of time before we see this unveiled in the everyday world.
Replacing the wallet
While mobile payments are definitely far from being mainstream, the person who makes it possible for all of us to leave our wallets at home will definitely score some gold.
Right now, the market is super fragmented with Square, Isis, Google Wallet, and then branded options like the Starbucks app. At this point in time, if you were to leave your house without any cash or credit cards, chances are you wouldn't get too far.
But as soon as one solution wins as the be all end all for digital payments, wallet makers beware.
Self-piloting vessels for delivering goods
Google's made headlines with its self-driving cars, which are already street-legal in a handful of US states. But what would happen when we could effectively automate worldwide delivery with fewer people involved?
This isn't just about self-driving delivery trucks, but autonomous boats and airplanes that might one day become the norm in terms of how goods move around the world.