The Future of Computing

People all over the world put a great deal of work into trying to figure out exactly how the future might turn out.  They have been doing this for years- and with varying degrees of accuracy.  It turns out that the “pocket communicators” the futurists of the 1950’s envisioned have been realized- and are in fact more powerful than they dreamed.  However, flying cars are far from a reality.  Of all technological predictions, Moore’s Law has perhaps been one of the most shockingly accurate.  It predicted that the number of transistors cheaply manufacturable on an integrated circuit board would double every two years.  This trend has proved true over more than 30 years.  This trend has led directly to the rapid rise of computer power and speed, and enables the electronic gadgets we enjoy today.

However, Moore’s Law is beginning to run up against stiff physical laws that technology will not be able to power through.  Intel recently developed a method to reduce the size of 1 bit to 12 atoms.  Indeed, computing has taken such strides that before too long, there will be no more room to get any smaller with conventional computing, as we are starting to run into the size limit of the atom.  However, a new technology is beginning to emerge- quantum computing.  This technology utilizes the state of single electrons within atoms to carry information.  Such technology, if feasible on a large scale, will break Moore’s Law with astonishing results.  Not only will computers become remarkably faster, but other important implications will develop.  Cryptography will have to develop to match the increase in computing power.  Otherwise, Brute Force hacking techniques will overcome most common passwords within minutes.  Certainly, other computing applications will take great strides forward.  Only time will tell what will become “computable.”

The form factors of computers will change, but it is difficult to tell by what extent.  Currently, the trend toward tablets is mainly focused on recreational uses- watching videos, listening to music, and reading articles, for example.  However, interface improvements may soon allow tablets to compete with conventional workstations for productive use.  Furthermore, farther into the future, novel form factors will develop.  Flexible and transparent devices may become ubiquitous.  Advanced contact lenses may allow for in-eye screens, allowing the computer to overlay relevant information directly onto your visual field.  The future holds these developments, and more in stock.  We merely have to wait.