A New Tech Wave Is Hitting The Cannabis Industry
By Steven M -
Mar 26, 2018
Marijuana technology
Technology continues to change the way that we go about our daily lives, affecting everything from communication to work and now, how we use cannabis?! That’s right, given that the market on cannabis has been increasing by quite a large amount over the past few years, many companies have sprung up to offer a tech side to an industry that has needed an update for quite a while. These new companies are helping to shape the way that we consume cannabis throughout the near future.
One of the newest pieces of tech in the industry continues to be that of augmented reality. At first, some might assume that the world of AI and cannabis do not have much in common, but the company Huxley is turning that right around. Huxley has been working on an augmented reality and artificial intelligence system that would help individuals through the process of cannabis growing.
Using a headset, the system builds data around growth of the plant for a wide variety of cannabis strains as well as fruits and vegetables. The tech allows farmers to be hands free while they tend to their plants, which is something that otherwise is not available. With new research being done into AR, the potential to help farmers grow their plants is quite large.
The introduction of cryptocurrency to the marijuana industry has also been in the headlines recently. Bitcoin and blockchain for those who don’t know are simply digitized financial systems that are open to use by anyone. Without a doubt, it is more complicated than that, but in simpler terms, individuals can use blockchain technology to send money without the need for banks or a middleman.
Since banking in the cannabis industry is incredibly tough due to the federal legislation, the potential with blockchain tech remains extremely high. IBM recently released a report detailing a utility that would allow for tracking cannabis from seed to sale. The system would use a decentralized ledger that would track ownership along the supply chain. This system would help to ensure safety, and reliable tracking throughout the industry.
One of the new advances that is closer to the actual cannabis plant is that of new concentrate extraction science. Concentrates are a large part of the industry on marijuana/hemp, and continue to grow in terms of market share and value. New methods of extracting the essential oils and chemicals from cannabis are helping to produce cleaner concentrates that are safer and healthier overall. Some of the ways that individuals have been producing these plants in the past include mechanical extraction.
This usually relies heavily on extreme temperatures which can often be difficult to attain when not in a laboratory setting. Other methods include using solvents such as CO2 and Butane. While this can be a very effective way to get the concentrate, it can often be extremely dangerous as well. As more research on the subject is being done, new methods and tech pieces are helping to ease this process to make it accessible to all. One of the fastest growing spaces in the cannabis industry continues to be that of vaping. Vaping is an extremely potent way to get a dose of cannabis as it only heats up the plant to a critical temperature, without burning the chemicals. Patients who use this method to get the medicine they need are often looking for ease of use and consistency in the dosing.
New vape companies are working towards new designs that would allow for interchangeable cartridges and consistent doses of cannabis. New designs in this part of the industry will undoubtedly help to add a mainstream component to cannabis that never before could be explored. The hopes are high that the growing market on cannabis can continue to invest money into research so that patients can get the medicine they need in the easiest way possible. HMPQ "ROCKET TIME"
