1980s
The personal computer experienced explosive growth in the 1980s, transitioning from a hobbyist's toy to a full-fledged consumer product. The IBM PC, launched in 1981, became the dominant computer for professional users. Commodore created the most popular home computers of both 8-bit and 16-bit generations. MSX standard was the dominant computer platform in Japan and in most parts of Asia. Apple superseded its Apple II and Lisa models by introducing the first Macintosh computer in 1984. It was the first commercially successful personal computer to use a graphical user interface (GUI) and mouse, which started to become general features in computers after the middle of the decade.
CHALLENGE: Take a problem from the '80s that has reemerged today (Ex: War on Drugs in the '80s; Opioid Addiction today) and create a solution for community and/or care providers.
1990s
The 1990s were a revolutionary decade for digital technology. Between 1990 and 1997, individual personal computer ownership in the US rose from 15 to 35%. Cell phones of the early-1990s and earlier ones were very large, lacked extra features, and were used by only a few percent of the population of even the wealthiest nations. Only a few million people used online services in 1990, and the World Wide Web had only just been invented. The first web browser went online in 1993 and by 2001, more than 50% of some Western countries had Internet access, and more than 25% had cell phone access.
CHALLENGE: With the emergence of diverse musical talent in the '90s (hip hop, R&B, grunge, pop, etc.) and today's advent of new music technologies (Spotify, Pandora, Tidal, Apple Music, etc.), how can you blend these worlds?
2000s
The World Trade Center on fire and the Statue of Liberty during the 9/11 attacks; the euro enters into European currency in 2002; a statue of Saddam Hussein being toppled during the Iraq War; U.S. troops heading toward an army helicopter during the War on Terror; social media through the Internet spreads across the world; a Chinese soldier gazes at the 2008 Summer Olympics commencing; an economic crisis, the largest since the Great Depression, hits the world in 2008; a tsunami from the Indian Ocean following an earthquake kills over 250,000 in 2004.
CHALLENGE: In the 2000s, the US military was widely involved in occupations throughout the Middle East and Africa. At the same time, emergency responders were tackling crises such as tsunamis, wildfires, drought, and famine. What is the technology of the future that is going to assist these populations?
2010s
In 2010, online nonprofit organization WikiLeaks gained international attention for publishing classified information. The website's editor-in-chief, Julian Assange, was granted political asylum by Ecuador, while the United States accused Chelsea Manning of leaking classified information and conducted a court-martial. Elsewhere, Edward Snowden blew the whistle on NSA global surveillance. Widespread use and interconnectedness of mobile networked devices and mobile telephony, internet websites and resources, and social networking became a de facto standard in digital communication during the 2010s. Cloud gaming, virtual reality, stereoscopic 3D gaming and ongoing improvements in graphics were some of the biggest trends. Prominent websites and apps were launched during this decade, including WhatsApp and Pinterest in 2010, Instagram and Snapchat in 2011, Tinder in 2012 and Vine in 2013.
Challenge: In a culture that's more open and more giving of personal data, how do you prepare for a future where security, threat intelligence, and privacy should be at forefront of individual and corporate decision-making?
