NCJ Number
193146
Date Published
2001
Length
87 pages
Annotation
This report presented technology-related trends, influenced by advances in biotechnology, nanotechnology, materials technology, and information technology, and their global effects across all dimensions of life by 2015.
Abstract
A broad multidisciplinary technology revolution is changing the world. Several significant technology-related trends appear ready to have major global effects by the year 2015. Technological trends are viewed as having been influenced by the advances in biotechnology, nanotechnology, materials technology, and information technology. In this report, the potential implications for 2015, as well as the potential scientific and technical advances, enabled applications, potential barriers, and global implications, regarding the first three technological areas were presented. Biotechnology is seen as revolutionizing living organisms by 2015. The most significant effects of biotechnology are that it may increase the quantity and quality of human life and potentially have the capability to use genetic engineering techniques to improve the human species and clone humans. Materials technology is seen as producing products, components, and systems that are smarter, smaller, multi-functional, environmentally compatible, more survivable, and customizable. It will have additional effects on manufacturing, logistics, and personal lifestyles. Nanotechology is seen as continuing a trend toward producing devices with ever-decreasing scale. The nanometer-scale devices are seen to bring significant scale reduction levels in the fields of microelectronics, MEMS, and quantum-switch-based computing. Concerns and tensions that may already exist or are growing were addressed and included: (1) the creation of class disparities; (2) a reduction in privacy; and (3) cultural threats may occur brought on by technology. However, these technologies are heavily connected making this technology revolution highly multidisciplinary and accelerating progress in each area. In addition, there were other trends identified as having the potential to become significant, including Novel Nanoscale computers, molecular manufacturing, and self-assembly. To truly understand the debates surrounding technology, citizens and decision makers need to be informed about technology, assembling, and analyzing these interactions. References