Deep in the research and development labs at many of the nations leading technology firms, engineers are working feverishly to try and make your IT systems more efficient. Solar powered cell phones and voice activated Web sites are a couple of the items that one research group thinks could move from its labs to your company in a few years.Through the years, IBM Labs has been known as one of the industrys leading think tanks. The company rounded up its leading researchers and had them identify five technologies that they think will emerge within the next five years. Solar powered devices, talking Web sites, more comprehensive medical reports, shopping help, and instant reminders topped the lists.

As prices rose during the summer, energy became an IT industry hot button. Consequently, vendors have been working on a variety of Green initiatives. IBM anticipates that vendors will soon deliver new thin-film solar cells that will be cost-effective and quite thin, allowing them to be deployed in a wide range of applications. Ideally, they will help small and medium businesses address the ongoing challenge of powering their companies cell phones and notebooks.

Even with the advent of texting, entering information on mobile devices can be time consuming and frustrating. Voice activated systems will make it simpler for users to enter data and receive responses to their inquiries. This enhancement should make it simpler for users to respond to items, such as their email messages.

IBMs research will not have an immediate impact on how small and medium businesses use technology. However, it does illustrate where the industry is heading and eventually could provide them with a few solutions to their current problems.