Japanese Government

The home of robotics technology plans to introduce robot attendants and self-driving cars to the streets of its capital in time for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, putting it far ahead of its more cautious fellow capitals.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

The discovery of quantum spin liquid – an entirely new state of matter – may have brought us closer than ever to practicable quantum computations. Oak Ridge’s research could transform computing over the next few years.

Xiaomi

With its increasingly recognisable smartphones, Xiaomi has the potential to be the first Chinese consumer brand to go global, stepping out of the iPhone’s shadow to become a true low-cost alternative.

Italian Red Cross

Red Cross workers led an initiative to unlock private Wi-Fi networks in order to help rescue efforts following the Italian earthquake in August. Both pioneering and truly noble, this set a new standard for disaster relief.

Ringing Bells

The Indian telecommunications company developed the Freedom 251. At around $4 per handset, it is by some distance the cheapest smartphone in the world, bringing connectivity to some of the world’s most deprived areas.

Supplements

2016

Japanese Government

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Xiaomi

Italian Red Cross