THE NEXT 50 YEARS - SOME LIKELY IMPACTS OF SOLID-STATE TECHNOLOGY

What does technology hold in store for us in the second half-century o f the transistor's existence? In an attempt to provide at least a part ial answer to this question, this paper projects twelve present day tr ends into the coming decades. Fueled by exponential growth in the capa bilities of electronic circuitry and the communications fabrics that i nterconnect them, the future promises a world of pervasive interconnec tion, customized products and services, much help with complexity, and exciting new appliances. Although this projection holds few individua l surprises, the totality of what looms likely just one human generati on from today amounts to little less than a fantasy world.