Table 1.

COVID-19 crisis short-term and long-term consequences.

Technology	Short-term consequences (1–18 months)	Long-term consequences (beyond 18 months)
1. 3D printing	-Fast production of medical equipment for hospitals and medical organizations including medical NGOs - New design of healthcare devices to allow for easier 3D printing	- Larger acquisition of 3D printers by hospitals to facilitate local production, if needed. - Increased adoption of 3D technology in automotive, robotics, and manufacturing industries because of faster prototyping and shorter series - Possible development from a B2B into a B2C market with the rise of personal 3D printers by affluent consumers who wish to make their own medical gear at home if needed
2. Flexible manufacturing systems	Fast adaptation of production process to manufacture urgently needed medical devices during epidemics (ventilation, hands sanitizers, etc.). - Repatriating of part of pharmaceutical laboratories and production From China and India to Europe and the US	- Redesign of medical devices so they can be manufactured faster and more easily - Redesign of global supply chains for many products and services to make them more resilient (agriculture, energy, etc.) and more geographically diversified
3. Big data analytics	- Contribution to the faster development and distribution of new vaccines - Increased use of AI and big data to better understand certain crucial diseases, identify the best treatment approaches for patients, and increase the personalization of healthcare treatment.	- Increased use of data monitoring by companies and governments (automatic tracking of people, goods, etc.) to prevent future epidemics with privacy and political consequences - Increasing demand for cyber-security software and solutions to fight “cyber-crimes” and offer a safer protection of business and personal data
4. Health care Wearables	- Accelerated incorporation of more healthcare features into smartphones, smartwatches and other wearable devices - Distance diagnostics, treatment, and monitoring (telehealth) of patients	- Smart health as part of health insurance. - increased adoption of “smart” clothing by consumers - development of virtual fitness and gyms
5. E-learning	Short-term option for teaching under quarantine.	- Substitution of in-person classes through digital offerings leading to an increased market share of online programs and curriculums vs. offline programs. - Strong implications on the length, the content, and the pedagogy for these online curriculums
6. E-gaming	Significant increase in e-gaming tournaments and participations modelled on offline sport (soccer, tennis, moto, regatta, etc.) instead of only existing games (e.g., Call of Duty, StarCraft2, or Dota2)	- Recognition of virtual games as similar to offline games with professional leagues, top salary star players, merchandising, etc.
7. Videoconferencing	Substitute of in-person meetings because of quarantine	- Full home-office working environments. - Reduced travel due to increased use of virtual meetings - Spread of the technology among private users who are usually technology averse (e.g., elderly people)
8. Internet Streaming	No opportunities to visit cinemas, etc., leading to dramatic loss of revenues for all sectors of the culture industry, notably live performances such as concerts, operas, etc., as well as the delayed launch of new artists and work (movies, books, albums)	- Tipping point in favor of the consumption of news and entertainment at home, leading to the near disappearance of traditional media (newspapers and movie theatres, for instance) - death of traditional broadcast TV, which will be replaced by streaming – but only if internet bandwidth can cope with increased demand; otherwise, the opposite trend will be seen
9. Cashless payment	Fall in the rate of infection through the reduced use of cash	- Online cashless systems retained - Probable domination of mobile payment methods using smartphones over plastic cards.
10. e-commerce and home delivery	Increased demand for e-commerce in all affected countries while physical stores are constrained or even shut.	- Strengthened market share of e-commerce in the retail industry. - Accelerated use of robots for packing and drones for delivery to clear the bottlenecks caused by lack of personnel.