Vegetables brand Panasonic

The Japanese company famous for their TV set his technology for agriculture in Singapore to optimize the plantations.

Plans are to grow 30 different varieties to March 2017 representing 5% of the local production of vegetables. The company says the cost of the plant can be half compared to those imported from Japan. Singapore, the second most densely populated country in the world, imports 90% of its food.

Agricultural technology expert Lee Sing Kong said Singapore can improve their food security using farming techniques that increase productivity. "We have to grow something on our own to have a backup for periods when interruptions of supply," Lee, professor of biological sciences at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore said.

IBM predicts technological future in 2017

The IBM Company, the giant American multinational technology predicted a near future in which machines read human minds and recognize who they are dealing.

The "IBM 5 in 5" forecast, revealed Monday the company based in upstate New York are based on IBM as trends begin to materialize in 2017.

"From Houdini to Skywalker to X-Men, mind reading has been wishful thinking for science fiction fans for decades, but their wish may soon come true," IBM said in its annual assessment of future innovations.

"IBM scientists are among those researching how to link your brain to the rest of the devices, such as a computer or a smartphone," he continued.

IBM cited the act of calling someone on the phone just thinking about that person, or cause the cursor to move on a computer screen just by wanting it.

The biological makeup will become the key to personal identity, with retina verification to recognize faces or voices to confirm who people are rather than having to type in passwords, the company said in its forecast.

 "Imagine you will be able to go to an ATM machine to securely withdraw money, by speaking your name or looking for a tiny sensor that can recognize the unique patterns in the retina of your eye," IBM said.

"Or doing the same, you can check your balance from your mobile phone or tablet," he continued.

Technology will also be able to produce electric power from any types of movement, both walking and cycling as the flow of water in pipes of homes, IBM predicted.

According to the press release by IBM, mobile phones will reduce the digital divide between "haves and have not’s, making information easily accessible to all and spam will be removed by a filter intelligent selection of ads, reports AFP.