Every entrepreneur needs to be updated in the technological aspect of their industry. This article will show you the underrated advances in technology.

Everybody knows about the most famous innovations in tech — the iPhone can be found around the world now, and people everywhere use apps on their smartphones to do all kinds of things that seemed utterly unimaginable only a decade ago.

But what about the crucial but underrated advances in technology that deserve more attention than they get? There have been some really impressive new devices lately, and incredible new applications for old ones. Let’s take a look at some important tech advances that shouldn’t have gone under the radar.

1. Coordinate Measuring Machine Technology

Did you ever wonder how those artificial intelligence (AI) robots are able to replace human beings on the assembly line? A large part of that is due to the improvements made to Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMMs). There are many different kinds of these devices.

Basically, a CMM measures the co-ordinates of a part that has been produced to see whether or not it matches the blueprint. Some CMMs can use software that allows them to communicate errors to other machines, which allows them to respond in real time to mistakes that are being caught in the quality control stage. There’s a lot more to learn about these fascinating and increasingly common machines, so for a crash course in CMM machines click here.

2. 3D Metal Digital Printers

While 3D printers have been around for years now, they were mostly for hobbyists, and only printed small things in plastic. It was a very impressive achievement that held potential, but that potential is becoming realized now that 3-D printers are starting to print metal.

The implications of 3-D Metal Digital Printers are huge: imagine a car shop that doesn’t need to store any parts, because it can just print whatever it needs when it needs it. The point isn’t only that the technology exists, it has to be inexpensive enough for people to buy or it won’t be commonly used. The cost has already come down dramatically over the years.

3. Pixel Buds

Google’s Pixel Buds enable what has been imagined for centuries: translation between two people speaking different languages in near real-time. First, the person wearing the little earbuds gives their Google phone to somebody. The person with the earbuds speaks in English (that’s the default language), and the phone will translate what they’re saying into any desired language.

Then, that person responds in their language. The phone will automatically translate this response into English and play it to the ear buds. While English is spoken to some degree all around the world, now you can travel to far-flung places and talk to locals.

4. AI-Powered Micro-Cameras Helping Clean the World’s Water Supply

IBM has built a tiny, tiny AI-camera smaller than a fingernail that can detect shadows and light under water. This gives us enough data to know about which micro organisms are around, which in turn reveals important information about the cleanliness of the water. Many of these cameras would need to be dispatched, which is why they are purposefully low-tech to keep costs down. But what technology there is in them—the camera and the AI aspects—are enough to tell us meaningful information about something of tremendous global concern.

Technology is a fascinating topic that invites fevered speculation. While the latest high-profile inventions deserve the attention they get because they are indeed truly incredible, the quieter ones are important and dazzling too. Just think how much other promising technology must exist today that we still don’t know about because it’s being developed, and what kind of innovation is due to appear around the corner.