Brain computers, feather-light cars and “screenless” 3D displays are all game-changing innovations set to reshape 2014 and beyond, according to a new list compiled by the World Economic Forum (WEF).

"2014 will be a crucial year for these technologies," said Martina Larkin, head of the Network of Global Agenda Councils at the World Economic Forum. "Close cooperation between governments, industry and academia is essential to harness their potential.”

The technologies (in no particular order) are as follows:

1. Brain-computer interfaces

It is already possible to type just by monitoring the electrical activity of your brain, but as the technology advances, it could be possible for people with disabilities to operate wheelchairs using only their thoughts.

2. Mining metals from desalination brine

Large-scale desalination is becoming economically feasible for the first time because of new chemical processes that enable the mining of metals from waste water, or brine.

3. Nanostructured carbon composites

Cars made from carbon-fibre reinforced composites are as much as 40% lighter than older models, stronger, and more easy to recycle, offering the prospect for huge energy savings.

4. Grid-scale electricity storage

A fundamental breakthrough is close that would allow the saving of surplus energy from fluctuating renewable sources such as sun and wind within the electricity grid.

5. Body-adapted wearable electronics

Whether worn on the body, embedded in clothes or even under the skin, these devices can track information, such as heart rate and stress levels, giving people real-time feedback about their health.

6. Nanowire lithium-ion batteries

New batteries based on silicon - using tiny silicon nanowires - could have a longer life, charge more quickly and hold up to three times the power of existing batteries.

7. Screenless display

A 3D image projected into space - a "screenless display" - can convey information that a 2D image presented on a screen cannot, and is close to becoming a practical reality.

8. Human microbiome therapeutics

Drawing on knowledge gained from the Human Microbiome Project in 2012 and other research, human microbiome technology is increasingly seen as an important source of treatment for serious diseases as well as for improving health.

9. RNA-based therapeutics

RNA, like DNA, plays a part in protein synthesis and, to a lesser extent, the transmission of genetic information. Scientific advances are combining to enable a new generation of targeted, RNA-based drugs that could help find new treatments for cancer and infectious diseases.

10. Quantified self (predictive analytics)

Using data and specialized machine-learning algorithms, we can now build detailed and predictive models about people and their behaviours, which can help in areas such as urban planning and medical diagnosis.