Future Trend of Technological Research and Development and Its Potential Impact on Society

Abstract

Future technological research and development will be concentrated in the following three areas: (1) electronics, (2) new materials, and (3) biotechnology. Electronics will include the following items: micro-electronics (MS) centering on semiconductor circuit integration technology, mechatronics, (a combination of electronics with precision machinery engineering) and Optronics, (a combination of electronics with optical technology, such as laser beams). Typical mechatronic products includes NC machine tools, machining centers (MC), robots, and flexible manufacturing systems (FMS), etc. in the factory automation (FA) sector; small business computers, word processors, electronic photocopiers, and facsimile machines in the office automation (OA) sector; computer aided design (CAD) in the engineering office sector; and video tape recorders (VTR), video disks, and digital audio equipment, in the electronic video and audio sector. In addition, mechatronics technology has been applied to the automobile as well as to electronic games electronic desk-top calculators, digital watches, etc. Opto-electronics include optical fiber telecommunication, laser beam machining and surgical operation using laser equipment, solar battery, etc. In the biomedical field, electronics is essential in X-ray CT (computer tomography), supersonic CT, NMR, position emission scanners, etc. Typical new materials include fine ceramics, essential materials for electronics, carbon fiber, and a variety of composite materials, etc. Biotechnology includes gene manipulation, cellular fusion and in the broad sense, various artificial organs.