An employee showcases a semiconductor integrated circuit at an industry expo on October 31. Photo: VCG

Alibaba DAMO, Academy for Discovery, Adventure, Momentum and Outlook, released a report outlining the 10 most important trends in science and technology field in 2021. DAMO predicted that the third generation of semiconductors will become increasingly widespread and used by industries.

DAMO posted a white paper on its official website about the forecast technology trends for 2021 on Monday. The white paper has three chapters of Atomic Momentum, Bit Jump and Scenery Transformation. 

DAMO believed that the new generation of semiconductors will become the basis for scientific development in the coming years. Due to the limitation of high production costs and technical requirements, many new materials have not been widely used. 

DAMO noted that the third generations of semiconductor materials, including GaN and SiC, will be applied into new material production and manufacturing industries, especially for 5G base stations, new energy vehicles (NEV), extra-high voltage (EHV) transmission, and data centers, to reduce the energy cost.

New material can also break through physical limit of traditional materials. Carbon-based material, which is the core material for making soft equipment, will be taken out of the lab and be utilized into many electronic devices. DAMO mentioned that the "electronic skin" to be made with this type of material has many similarities with real skin, and can even feel the surrounding environment. 

In the medical field, DAMO predicts more AI involvement in medical researches, solving problems such as confirmation of the target of specific medicines in developing vaccines. The development of brain-computer interface is another significant development trend. Brain-computer interface technology will help human to understand how the brain works.

DAMO said that AI, 5G and cloud computing will be used in various scenarios and industrial lines, which can help transform the decision-making process of the cities and suburban systems.