In Search Of The Next Disruptive Technology | Interconnects content from Electronic Design

In Search Of The Next Disruptive Technology via @ElectronicDesgn cc @NewWorkTrends

Megatrends don’t simply happen on their own. They start with disruptive technologies that completely change the status quo, like gunpowder, the airplane, and the microprocessor. The trick lies in identifying potential disruptive technologies early on and then predicting where they might lead. Back in 1976, I was part of a group at Tektronix tasked with retraining oscilloscope sales and field engineers to sell microprocessor development systems for the Intel 8008 microcontroller. Part of the challenge was to point to potential applications. After much head scratching, we told those engineers that perhaps these strange chips could be used to control elevators or washing machines. Obviously, we hadn’t quite put our fingers on what effect they would have. So how many new technologies have the potential to similarly change the electronics we use every day? WEARABLE COMPUTERS On...

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