A handful of somewhat futuristic technologies manifested themselves during discussions at the Emerging Technologies Conference last week at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Mass.
Specifically, what Intel referred to as proactive systems, wireless mesh networks, and the convergence of wireless devices garnered the most attention. David Tennenhouse, director of research at Intel, described proactive computing as a scenario in which computers anticipate people"s needs and, in some instances, act on a person"s behalf.
Tennenhouse explained that to achieve proactive computing the industry needs to create sensors, make computing and data ubiquitous, distribute systems, equip machines for learning, and make systems personal.
"The ability to infer cause and effect from data is going to change the way we do things. It"s going to be difficult; however, it"s a change we need to make," Tennenhouse said.