Intel's Computing Continuum Conference Explores Next 20 Years Of Computing

Dr. David Tennenhouse Urges Research Community to Advance Focus from Human-Centric to Human-Supervised Computing

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., March 15, 2000 - Intel Corporation's Dr. David Tennenhouse, vice president and director of research, today delivered the opening keynote speech at Intel's Computing Continuum Conference, a landmark gathering of 500 attendees from research, academia and industry who met to present and exchange ideas about the future of computing.

In his keynote speech, Tennenhouse explained that the computing industry is approaching the point at which the number of networked interactive computers will surpass the number of people in the world. Tennenhouse urged the research community to lift its sights toward the next quantum leap in capability, which will occur once networked computers outnumber human beings by hundreds or thousands to one, and craft a research agenda that can lead to increased human productivity and quality of life.

Tennenhouse predicted that information technology, which is transitioning from computer-centric to human-centric, will ultimately evolve to become human-supervised computing - creating a future in which computers place fewer demands on the people who depend on them. Tennenhouse explained that billions of computers will blend into everyday objects, where they will automatically provide us with the information, communication and services we need. Ubiquitous connectivity and adaptive software will enable systems to be self-organizing and self-configuring, creating a pervasive and largely invisible computing paradigm.

"At every level and in every conceivable environment, computing will be fully integrated into our daily lives and public infrastructure," Tennenhouse said. "As Mark Weiser predicted, computation will become so ubiquitous that we would no longer be conscious of its every application, instead drawing on it as frequently and reflexively as when we reach for a light switch."

Tennenhouse projected that in 2000 the industry will produce eight billion microcomputers, more than 95 percent of which will be embedded into objects such as equipment, buildings, machinery, cars and clothing. The opportunity, said Tennenhouse, is to evolve the research community's focus from networking the 150 million computers shipped each year, to empowering the eight billion microcomputers shipped with network connectivity and adaptive software.

"The research community has no choice but to follow the numbers of microcomputers shipped and invest a larger fraction of its intellectual capital in this space. By doing this, we'll be moving from an environment in which our sources of information are largely human-mediated to an environment in which computers tap directly into a tremendous volume of information concerning the world around us," said Tennenhouse.

Some of the groundbreaking computing devices that will help bridge today's computing world with a new vision of the future include: a shoe computer, a wireless digital input pen that writes on any surface, and a mobile computer smaller than a bar of soap that consumes 1.5 watts and weighs 230 grams.

The Computer Continuum Conference will explore the defining concepts of the new digital era in a unique way that addresses issues from the widest possible perspective in order to find solutions that will have the broadest possible consensus. Thirty-nine distinguished speakers will be featured throughout the conference including:

• Dr. Andrew Berlin, Researcher, Xerox PARC
• Dr. Jean Scholtz, Ubiquitous Program Manager, DARPA
• Dr. David Nagel, President, AT&T Laboratories, and AT&T CTO
• Dr. Victor Zue, Senior Research Scientist, MIT Laboratory for Computer Science
• Nadine Strossen, President, ACLU
• Dr. Linda Roberts, Special Advisor for Technology to the U.S. Secretary of Education
• Dr. Turner Whitted, Senior Researcher, Microsoft
• Prof. Deborah Estrin, University of Southern California
• Dr. Vern Paxson, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab

In addition, attendees will have access to a fully networked laptop computer that allows them to interact with the presenters and their fellow attendees in real time. Each participant will provide a distinct intellectual resource and help build a unique knowledge base addressing the future of computing and society. Moderated chat rooms will enable conference attendees to actively contribute rather than passively listen to the sessions.

The Computer Continuum Conference is a direct outcome of Intel's Technology for Education program. In 1997, Intel distributed $90 million worth of computer equipment to 26 leading universities to enable their most creative ideas on the use of computer technology. Many of the university demos, all the poster papers and four of the six session chairs are Technology for Education participants.

The Computer Continuum Conference is sponsored by Intel in association with the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).

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