COMMUNICATION GOALS

1 Discuss the feasibility of future technologies

2 Evaluate applications of innovative technologies
3 Discuss how to protect our future environment
4 Examine future social and demographic trends

What Lies Ahead?

Which of the following predictions do you think will come true by the end of the 21st century? Which are just too
wild to come true? Check your responses on a scale of probability from unlikely to definitely. Add your own
predictions if you have any.

MEDICINE AND HEALTH

1 The majority of surgeries will be performed by robots.

2 Scientists will have discovered effective cures for cancer and heart disease.
3 Eyeglasses will have become
4 Most people will live to be over 100
5 Your prediction:

TRANSPORTATION
1 Petroleum will no longer be used as an energy source.
2 Most vehicles will not require a driver.
3 Commercial space travel will be available to anyone who can afford it.
4 Digital technology will have replaced the traditional paper passport.

HOME AND WORK

1 People will be living on another planet.
2 Agricultural work will no longer require human workers.
3 The majority of homes will have a robot to do household chores.
4 Most people will work and make a living from their own homes.

1 Say something “is catching on”( to indicate that something is becoming popular.
2 Say “It’ll open a can of worms”( to express concern about possible problems in the future.
3 Say “Before you know it”( to suggest that something is going to happen soon.
4 Say “Come to think of it” (to indicate you suddenly realize or remember something.
5 Say “It’s just scratching the surface”( to suggest that it provides only a small piece of the total picture.
6 Say “It isn’t a question of if but when ”( to state that something is certain to happen.
7 Say “The bad outweighs the good” (to suggest that there are more disadvantages than advantages.

Lena: I just read that packages are going to be delivered to people’s homes using drones. Is that cool or what?
Nate: Well, it’s shocking how much they seem to be catching on . You never know where you’re going to see them
next.
Lena: That’s true.
Nate: Unfortunately, no matter how you look at it, it’s just going to open a can of worms .
Lena: Really? In what way?
Nate: I just think the more drones, the more unintended consequences.
Lena: Sorry. I don’t get it. Drones seem pretty harmless to me.
Nate: Well, think about it. Imagine thousands of drones flying all over the place. Who’s going to make sure they
don’t crash into each other? Before you know it , somebody’s going to get hurt.
Lena: Come to think of it, I read last week that some have already crashed into cars … and even people!
Nate :And from what I understand, that ’s just scratching the surface . It gets worse. Pilots have been reporting
sightings of drones during takeoffs and landings.
Lena: Wow! That’s no joke!
Nate: Exactly. At some point there’s going to be a collision—it isn’t a question of if but when.
Lena: Well, this is definitely a case in which the bad outweighs the good.

In the 1960s, only large institutions, such as banks, corporations, and the military, had computers. They were expensive,
slow, and very large requiring a special air-conditioned room—and access to them was limited to only a few people. In
the 1970s, computer prices came down and then small businesses began to use them. Nevertheless, in 1977, the CEO and
founder of Digital Equipment, Kenneth Olsen, predicted that computers would never be used in the home.

In the early 1980s, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates introduced the personal computer—the Macintosh and the IBM PC, respectively— which made
computing at home possible. In 1983, Jobs gave a speech about the future, in which he predicted that, for most people, a great deal of time would be
spent interacting with personal computers. He also predicted that, within ten years, computers in the office and at home would be connected so
people would be able to use them to communicate.

In 1999, Gates predicted that small devices would be carried around by everyone so that they could get instant information and stay in touch with
others. He also claimed that, by the early 21st century, Internet communities would have been formed, based on one’s interests or to connect with
friends and family.

Small devices will be carried around by everyone to get information and stay in touch. And in the early 21st century, Internet communities will have been
formed.

In the future, a great amount of our time is going to be spent interacting with our personal computers. And in ten years, home and office computers will have
been connected to each other so people can use them to communicate and keep in touch.