Abstract
Information technology is experiencing a particularly significant growth and impact on society, but it is nevertheless inspired by and built upon convergences with other technologies. This chapter focuses on the interdependencies between information technology and nanotechnology, especially in electronics, visualization and simulation of data, and computational tools; it notes connections of information technology to biotechnology as well, and also gives attention to the connections between information technology and cognitive and social sciences. Examples of societal impacts are “creative disruption” in economy and society, the gradual democratization of the Internet via open-source software and the expansion of “citizen science”; the broadening of the global information infrastructure built of participatory communities of users of shared content; evolution of “consumer robotics,” and conceptualization of computing as services and thus dependent upon the co-evolution of information technology with “rules”—with impacts on future policymaking and governance. The focus is on improving human quality of life through convergence of information technology with other technologies. Equity of access between communities and nations is an ongoing area of concern.
Corresponding editors M.C. Roco (mroco@nsf.gov) and W.S. Bainbridge (wbainbri@nsf.gov).
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MacGregor, D. et al. (2013). Convergence Platforms: Human-Scale Convergence and the Quality of Life. In: Roco, M., Bainbridge, W., Tonn, B., Whitesides, G. (eds) Convergence of Knowledge, Technology and Society. Science Policy Reports. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02204-8_2
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