subject: The PCs of the Future [print this page] The PCs of the Future The PCs of the Future
Technology is increasing at incredible speeds. Motherboards and processors are constantly becoming smaller and covered with more transistors and capacitors. According to Moore's Law, which describes a long-term trend in computing technology, the number of transistors that can be put on a silicon chip inexpensively doubles approximately every two years.
Assuming processor manufacturers can continue to live up to this, the processing power of new Toshiba laptops should double every two years. That would mean a notebook 100 years from now would be over 1,125,906,842,624 times more powerful than current available models. Wow.
Moore stated in 2005 that once transistors reach the atomic scale, barriers may be encountered that are unable to be crossed. At that point, there would be no more room to put more transistors. Larger processor chips with even more transistors could be one way to get past that barrier. This creates a different problem, in that transistors create heat and overheated processors shut down or damage computers. An Acer notebook with a fast processor requires an effective cooling system to avoid this. Another possible way to get past that barrier is by switching to multi-core architecture, which uses multiple cores to handle calculations.
Computer of the future may use completely new technologies than the laptops of today. Fibre optic technology is already revolutionizing computers by creating ultra fast internet connections. There may be a chance to create computers that use light to transmit information through fibre optics. A major benefit from this would be a computer that generates less heat than traditional notebooks and other computers of today. Data would transmit much faster as well. The only problem is that engineers have yet to create a small optical transistor that is available for mass production. ETH Zurich scientists have been able to create an optical transistor one molecule in size, but required being cooled to -272 degrees Celsius, slightly warmer than space. This is entirely impractical for home users.
Teams of scientists are working with DNA to create computers. This combination of technology and biology may just lead the way to the next generation of computers. DNA computing has many possible advantages over today's computers. DNA is a cheap resource and if properly harnessed, it could revolutionize technology.
Computers of the future won't be different in terms of how they process and transmit information. User interface technology like today's HP monitors will also see a rapid evolution. There are advancing technologies that can recognize voice and eye movements to execute commands and many brain-computer interfaces are being developed that will let people control computers using thoughts alone.
The future of computing technology is difficult to determine. Technology develops in countless numbers of ways and any combination could lead to the next wave of computing. Whatever happens, we know that the machines of the future will be nothing like ones of today.
