FutureForAll.org home page

Future Computers

 

An early Data General Nova computer

 

What Will Computers Look Like in 30 Years?

The picture above is the front panel from my very first computer, a 1982, Data General Nova 1200. It was the cat's pajamas because it allowed me to enter two characters (16 bits) at a time, instead of only eight bits (a byte). I was pleased as punchcards to enter my ten-letter name in under a minute in binary code. Today, I talk into my smart phone, and as quick as my kids, it talks back.

My point, (before I forget it), is that I went from toggle switches to voice recognition in just 30 years. From DOS to Windows. From the first Mac to the latest iPhone. From Pong to Angry Birds. What advancements will I, (yes, I mean me), see in the next 30 years? What changes in computers will you see in your lifetime? It's truly mind boggling.

Moore's Law

Before posting an article about the future of computers, any blogger worth their weight in silicon will research Moore's Law, the law named after Intel co-founder Gordon E. Moore.

Moore's Law, (more of an observation turned prediction that has more or less held up), is the observation that the number of transistors in a dense integrated circuit (IC) doubles about every two years - Wikipedia.

 

Every two years I have to buy a new computer and it costs me about the same.

 

Computers of Tomorrow

Today's computers operate using semiconductors, metals and electricity. Future computers might use atoms, dna or light. Moore's Law predicts doubling, but when computers go from quartz to quantum, the factor will be off the scale.

What would the world be like, if computers the size of molecules become a reality? These are the types of computers that could be everywhere, but never seen. Nano sized bio-computers that could target specific areas inside your body. Giant networks of computers, in your clothing, your house, your car. Entrenched in almost every aspect of our lives and yet you may never give them a single thought.

What will computers look like in 30 years? Trick question. You won't see them at all.

Ubiquitous computers, also known as pervasive computers, are embedded computing devices that are seamlessly integrated into the everyday objects and environments around us. Imagine a world where your clothes monitor your health, your fridge reorders groceries, and your walls display personalized information – that's the vision of ubiquitous computing.

Grasping the Technologies

Understanding the theories behind these future computer technologies is not for the meek. My research into quantum computers was made all the more difficult after I learned that in light of her constant interference, it is theoretically possible my mother-in-law could be in two places at once.

If you have the heart, take a gander at the most promising new computer technologies. If not, dare to imagine the ways that billions of tiny, powerful computers will change our society.

Quantum Computers

Optical Computers

DNA Computers

Data General Nova 1200 image from Wikipedia.

 

 

Future Computer Articles and Web Sites

I search the internet daily for new articles from around the world that interest me or I think will interest you. My hope is that it saves you time or helps students with their assignments. Listed by most recent first, dating back to 2005.

 

 

About

Future For All logo

 

FutureForAll.org aims to increase public awareness of rapidly advancing technologies, and to encourage students to consider careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM).