2014, a year anticipated for big innovations across several fields, has arrived. The first tourist spacecraft, SpaceShip Two, is expected to launch later this year, and flexible screens are also expected to be included in several electronics being released this year. There are 5 events or innovations this year that will have the largest impact.

The first is with DARPA. The technology research division of the Department of Defense will conclude a robotics competition it has held since last year in December. This competition puts several robots, including two from Google and NASA, through tests designed to show how the robots can work as first responders in a disaster situation. This competition is expected to bring innovation to robotics development.

The second is from NASA. The spacecraft they have designed to replace the Space Shuttle, called the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, is expected to be launched on its first orbital test flight, in which it will be unmanned. This craft is designed for longer ranges than the Space Shuttle was, and can even fly further than the Apollo craft NASA used in the 1960s and 1970s. This test flight will demonstrate its orbital capabilities, and contribute to its development.

Google has an innovation of its own for 2014: the Google Glass. A well-known Google prototype since it was first revealed in 2012, the smart glasses will see its release in 2014. This is innovative in the emerging field of smart wear, as it gives you information through a small screen on the upper corner , including GPS, social networking, and photography.

At the Consumer Electronics Show, companies such as BMW, Ford and Audi showed off driverless cars, an innovation which has been several years in the making. Although this technology will not be fully released until around 2020, some parts of it are already being released in new cars. For example, Ford is releasing cars that automatically brake when they detect they are about to hit a car.

The biggest of all of 2014’s innovations, however, is that the Federal Aviation Administration will release regulations for Unmanned Aircraft operating domestically. This is the biggest of all, because it will address public surveillance concerns with UAVs, and also provide businesses with guidelines to work off of, allowing them to use them for deliveries, mapping, or just leisure.