We are living in an era where technology is advancing at a rapid rate. It's getting harder and harder to keep up with all the new developments so we've aggregated ten of the most staggeringly impressive breakthroughs here for you. From male birth con to British towns getting WiFi paths, it's becoming clear that the future is now.

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A Vital Signs Monitor That You Can Swallow Technology created at MIT means that a doctor may one day be able to monitor your vital signs with an ingestible electronic device. Once swallowed, the device would measure your heart and breathing rate within your gastrointestinal tract. MIT report: 'This type of sensor could make it easier to assess trauma patients, monitor soldiers in battle, perform long-term evaluation of patients with chronic illnesses, or improve training for professional and amateur athletes, the researchers say.' The new sensor calculates heart and breathing rates from the distinctive sound waves produced by the beating of the heart and the inhalation and exhalation of the lungs. .Source: MIT Apple Pay Although the service hasn't been rolled out everywhere yet, it looks like digital wallets will definitely be a thing soon. The idea is that you add your payment cards to the service, the card details aren't even stored on your phone and you can use the service to make payments privately with just one tap. It's like contactless but the next level. Source: Forbes

Uber 

The car share app has been constantly innovating this year, adding lots of cool new features to the service.

Last year they launched UberHEALTH, a delivery service that lets people order flu shots and prevention packs through the app. They also launched a moving service UberCARGO in Hong Kong this January.(TechExec)

Scientists Growing Vocal Cords Researchers in America have successfully grown vocal cord tissue, reports Science Mag. This could be amazing news for the millions of people with vocal impairment around the world. Source: Drugs.com "For the first time, scientists have created vocal cord tissue starting with cells from human vocal cords. When tested in the lab, the bioengineered tissue vibrated—and even sounded—similar to the natural thing. The development could one day help those with severely damaged vocal cords regain their lost voices."   WiFi Paths "In the sleepy British town of Chesham, the footpaths are a little bit special. The very ground on which people walk is now providing respectably fast wifi to residents as they wander around the streets." Gizmodo reports Virgin Media have installed a series of submerged WiFi hotspots around the town centre, and the signal is open to anyone wandering around the streets. Say goodbye to crappy public WiFi reception! The Male Birth Control Pill These days, birth control most often falls to women, who have a variety of hormonal birth control medications available. Aside from condoms, there are few birth control options for men who don’t want a permanent vasectomy. Source: AskMen However, some advancements have been made this year that could make male birth control a reality in coming years. A product called Vasalgel which prevents the passage of sperm out of the vas deferens of the penis is currently seeking US government safety approval according to The Verge. Water On Mars This September, NASA scientists confirmed that there was indeed water flowing on the red planet. First New Antibiotic In 30 Years [caption id="attachment_271745" align="alignnone" width="594"] Image via Getty[/caption] A new antibiotic – the first in nearly 30 years – has been discovered by scientists who claim it appears to be as good, or even better, than many existing drugs with the potential to work against a broad range of fatal infections such as pneumonia and tuberculosis. Laboratory tests have shown the new antibiotic, called teixobactin, can kill some bacteria as quickly as established antibiotics and can cure laboratory mice suffering from bacterial infections with no toxic side-effects. Bionic Lens Fancy having sight better than 20/20? Well, it could soon be a possibility. Time Magazine reports: "A British Columbian optometrist has invented an artificial lens that he says not only corrects a patient’s sight, but offers a level of clarity three times greater than natural 20/20 vision. Garth Webb, an optometrist in British Columbia, has spent eight years and more than $3 million in funding to develop the Ocumetics Bionic Lens, CBC News reports. The bionic lens, which was designed to replace the eye’s natural lens, is surgically implanted in the eye in an eight-minute procedure." Lead Image via sabrinatheteenagewitch.wikia.com