Common English abbreviations

Ed./Eds. – Editor(s); edited by; edition

ff. – and the following pages, lines, etc.

l./ll. – line(s)

ms./mss. – manuscript(s)

no./nos. – number(s)

p./pp. – page(s)

para./paras. – paragraph(s)

ref./refs. – reference(s)

vol./vols. – volume(s)

3.16. In a recent issue of the Technology Review from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology the editors listed areas of emerging technology that they believe will have the greatest impact during the next decade. Read the passages below and:

● rephrase the words in bold

● summarise each part in one sentence

● give your comments

1. BRAIN-MACHINE INTERFACES

Implanting sensors in the cortex will open the way to the interpretation of electrical activity so that thought processes can be converted into actions.

RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS

● Improved algorithms for interpreting electrical activity in the brain.

● Progress also depends on the development of reliable and safe implant techniques

POTENTIAL USES – Brain-machine interfaces would allow disabled or paralysed people to control wheel-chairs, write e-mails, etc. In the long term, accurate control of artificial arms should be possible.

2. MICROPHOTONICS

Photonic crystals and photons can be compared to semiconductors and electrons. Depending on the wavelengths and the design of the crystal, they can be used to bend, to split or to reunite photons. As these crystals do not scatter or absorb light, they are significantly faster and more efficient.

RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS

● Identification and cheap synthesis of electro-optical polymers which have the appropriate physical properties.

● Improved amplification and signal regeneration techniques will also be required.

POTENTIAL USES – The fibre optics network for telecommunications is on the point of saturation. Transmitting data at speeds approaching that of light means that a 1,000 times as much data could be transmitted.

3. BIOMETRICS

Biometrics is concerned with developing systems that can recognise unique biological features so that individuals can be reliably identified.

RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS

● More sophisticated search algorithms and pattern recognition software will be needed.

● Huge data bases will have to be set upand storage capacity developed.

POTENTIAL USES – Current identification methods are not secure for electronic transactions. Biometric software can already identify finger prints, retinal patterns, voice patterns, and facial features. In the near future, digital codes and other passwords could be replaced by biometric identification.

4. MICROFLUIDICS

This field is concerned with research at the level of the nano or picolitre. Once understanding has been attained at a micro-scale, many basic functions of analysis, synthesis and diagnosis could be done automatically.

RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS - The main prerequisites for progress in this area are :

● Improved interfaces.

● A breakthrough in chip miniaturisation.

POTENTIAL USES – High speed analysis of DNA, automatic analysis and synthesis, detection of gene mutation and drug-delivery techniques.

3.17. Discuss with your partner the answers to the following questions and share your ideas with the group.

1. What is your guess for the future?

2. Can you suggest one or two interesting social changes resulting from new technology in the next 20 or 30 years?

3. How do science and technology influence people?

4. What are the potential dangers of scientific discoveries?

5. What problems worry the world today?

6. How can scientists so confidently predict what will occur in the next 100 years when we can’t even predict the weather for tomorrow?

7. Can you speak about the founder in your field of science?

8. What are the major unsolved problems in the branch of science you deal with?

9. Do you know the most popular works of your scientific supervisor?

10. Can you recall some scientists of the past whose fundamental discoveries were epoch-making in the science they worked in?

11. Do you know Russian scientists who were awarded Nobel Prizes in Physics (10), Chemistry (1), Physiology and Medicine (2), Economics (1)?

12. What is your idea of an educated person?