Ready or not... MG ----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, November 16, 1999 9:47 AM Subject: Bell Labs Predictions for 2025 > For more information on this item please visit the CANARIE CA*net 3 Optical > Internet program web site at http://www.canet3.net > ------------------------------------------- > > From Dave Farber's IPer list > > Date: Sun, 14 Nov 1999 00:51:52 -0500 > From: The Old Bear <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Bell Labs Predictions For 2025 > > Bell Labs predicts a "Global Communications Skin" by 2025 > MURRAY HILL, NEW JERSEY, U.S.A., 1999 NOV 12 (NB) -- By Steven > Bonisteel, Newsbytes. If you think you are plugged in now - with > your Internet connection, your wireless phone and your Palm Pilot - > just wait until 2025. By then, say experts at Bell Labs, the > research arm of Lucent Technologies Inc. [NYSE:LU], you'll be wired > into a global communications network through devices as small as a > lapel pin. > What's more, they say, that global network will be more like a > "communications skin" capable of sensing everything from weather > patterns to how much milk is in your refrigerator. > "We are already building the first layer of a mega-network that > will cover the entire planet like a skin," Bell Labs President Arun > Netravali said today in a document loaded with prognostications > from lab staff. "As communication continues to become faster, > smaller, cheaper and smarter in the next millennium, this skin, fed > by a constant stream of information, will grow larger and more > useful." > Netravali said that "skin" will include millions of electronic > measuring devices - thermostats, pressure gauges, pollution > detectors, cameras, microphones - all monitoring cities, roadways, > and the environment. > "All of these will transmit data directly into the network, just > as our skin transmits a constant stream of sensory data to our > brains," he said. "Such systems might be used for anything from > constantly monitoring the traffic on a local road, water level in a > river to the temperature at the beach or the supply of food in a > refrigerator." > Bell Labs spokeswoman Wendy Zajack told Newsbytes that the > predictions for the future of communications technology were > released, in part, to mark the approaching Millennium. In addition, > she said, with Bell Labs facing its 75th anniversary, the > prognostications underscore the organization's reputation for > "brain power." > And that's no idle boast. Bell Labs researchers have garnered at > least two Nobel Prizes in physics (including one in 1956 for the > 1947 discovery of the laser). Zajack notes that Bell Labs, bundled > with Lucent when that company was spun off from AT&T Corp. [NYSE:T] > in 1996, files applications for more than three patents a day and > has more than 30,000 inventions to it credit since it was formed 75 > years ago. > Netravali said some recent breakthroughs at Bell Labs, particularly > in areas that are boosting bandwidth and reducing the size of > electronic components, will help bring about their vision of > communications in the new Millennium. > Noting that Bell Labs researchers recently demonstrated the first > long-distance (300 kilometer) transmission of data at a trillion > bits per second over a single strand of optical fiber, Netravali > said that, in 10 years, a single fiber will carry a quadrillion > bits per second. > "This will put nearly limitless amounts of bandwidth at users' > fingertips," the document stated. "It is this plentiful and > inexpensive bandwidth that will enable high-quality > videoconferencing and faster, 'always-on' Internet connections in > the next century." > Netravali said the huge bandwidth will be able to support the > massive amount of data required for all the devices wired to the > global communication "skin" to communicate as machine-to-machine > and object-to-object communication increases. By 2010, he said, the > volume of this "infrachatter" will actually surpass communication > between humans. > "At home, your dishwasher will be able to call its manufacturer > when it is malfunctioning and the manufacturer will run diagnostics > remotely," Netravali said. "Or your lawn sprinkler could check the > Web site of the National Weather Service before turning itself on, > to make sure the forecast doesn't call for rain." > The Bell Labs researchers said waiting by the phone, surfing the > Internet, and face-to-face business meetings will go the way of > eight-track tapes. > "Software-driven intelligent networks and wireless technology will > enable people to be reached wherever they are and will give the > consumer the power to choose if a message will be an e-mail, voice > mail or video clip," said Rich Howard, wireless research director. > Joseph Olive, director of language modeling, said system-on-a-chip > technology that will lead to communications devices - "metaphones" > - the size of jewelry that will be voice operated. > "Dialing a phone will be a concept learned only in history > classes," he said. "Placing a call to mom will be as simple as > saying 'Mom.' The small metaphones on your lapel will be able to > read Web sites and e-mail to you." > Raju Rishi, strategy director of product management, said advances > in videoconferencing and high-speed networking will lead to a rise > in telecommuting to virtual offices and to virtual business travel > as well. > "Combined with directional microphones, surround-sound audio, and > 3-D (three-dimensional) images, the effect is much closer to that > of a face-to-face meeting," Rishi said, adding that, as the > technology grows more immersive, there will be no need for business > colleagues to gather in one place. > Kenan Sahin, Bell Labs vice-president of software technology, said > the Internet will be transformed from a cache of data to a smarter > "HiQNet" in which personal "cyberclones" will anticipate humans' > information requirements. > "This HiQNet, which will be as immediate as dial tone is today, > will be so integral to our lives it will become practically > invisible," the document said. "People will use anything from a TV > to a wireless lapel phone for access." > Said Sahin: "The first communication revolution of the 20th Century > gave us telephone-based communications. The second gave us > computer-based communications like e-mail and the Internet. The 21st > Century will bring us a knowledge-based communications revolution. > "We will be able to get expert help for everything from sending > baby photos to our family to finding the perfect job. That same > network intelligence may also save people money. You'll be able to > say to your communications device, 'I want to talk to Bob in > Chicago,' and the device will get you the best deal on the > connection. > "The Internet will evolve from being a complexity in our lives that > we have to spend time mastering, to a behind-the-scenes tool that > will improve our quality of life," Sahin said. "In the end, (it > will) make us more human, not less." > > Reported by Newsbytes.com, http://www.newsbytes.com > > > > ------------------------------------- > To subscribe or unsubscribe to the CANARIE-NEWS list please send e-mail to: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > In the body of the e-mail: > > subscribe testnet > end > > ------------------------------------- > > > Bill St. Arnaud > Senior Director Network Projects > CANARIE > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > +1 613 785-0426 >
