Welcometotheunit.docx

Unit1Livingwithtechnology
[来源:学科网]

InJanuary1912,theUnitedStatesemergedfromatwo-yearrecession.Nineteenmorefollowed─alongwithacenturyofphenomenaleconomicgrowth.Americansinrealtermsare700%wealthiertoday.
Devicesandproductsarealreadyappearingbasedoncomputationallyengineeredmaterialsthatliterallydidnotexistafewyearsago:novelmetalalloys,grapheneinsteadofsilicontransistors(grapheneandcarbonenablearadicallynewclassofelectronicandstructuralmaterials),andmeta-materialsthatpossesspropertiesnotpossibleinnature;e.g.,renderinganobjectinvisible─speculationaboutwhichreceivedunderstandablerecentpublicity.
Thiseraofnewmaterialswillbeeconomicallyexplosivewhencombinedwith3-Dprinting,alsoknownasdirect-digitalmanufacturing─literally'printing'partsanddevicesusingcomputationalpower,lasersandbasicpowderedmetalsandplastics.Alreadyemergingareprintedpartsforhigh-valueapplicationslikepatient-specificimplantsforhipjointsorteeth,orlighterandstrongeraircraftparts.Thenoneday,theHolyGrail:'desktop'printingofentirefinalproductsfromwheelstoevenwashingmachines.
Theeraofnear-perfectcomputationaldesignandproductionwillunleashasbigachangeinhowwemakethingsastheagriculturalrevolutiondidinhowwegrewthings.Anditwillbedefinedbyhightalentnotcheaplabor.
Finally,thereistheunfoldingcommunicationsrevolutionwheresoonmosthumansontheplanetwillbeconnectedwirelessly.Neverbeforehaveabillionpeople─soonbillionsmore─beenabletocommunicate,socializeandtradeinrealtime.
Theimplicationsoftheradicalcollapseinthecostofwirelessconnectivityareasbigasthosefollowingthedawnoftelegraphy/telephony.Coupledwiththecloud,thewirelessworldprovidescheapconnectivity,informationandprocessing[来源:Zxxk.Com]
1912年1月，美国摆脱了一场为期两年的衰退。在接下来一个世纪的惊人经济增长过程中又出现了19次衰退。扣除特价因素，今天的美国人比当初富裕700%。

相关报道有些设备和产品已经在利用几年前根本不存在的、以计算方式设计的材料来生产，比如新型合金、石墨烯晶体管（而不是硅晶体管；石墨烯和碳能够生成一类全新的电子材料和结构材料）和超材料。超材料拥有天然材料不可能具备的属性，比如可以生成一种不可见的物体──这方面的猜测最近引起了可以理解的轰动。

[来源:学*科*网]
[来源:Z|xx|k.Com][来源:Zxxk.Com]
这个新材料时代与三维打印结合在一起，将产生爆炸性的经济影响。三维打印也叫“直接数字化制造”，也就是利用计算能力、激光，以及基本的粉末状金属和塑料，把零部件和设备“