www.pcworld.com/article/150209/intels_future_real_trans -
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Published on: 8/24/2008
Last Visited: 8/24/2008
Jason Campbell, a senior researcher at Intel, said in an interview that the development and use of catoms will change the way people interact with computers and other devices in significant ways.
"Think of a mobile device," Campbell said."My cell phone is too big to fit comfortably in my pocket and too small for my fingers.It's worse if I try to watch movies or do my e-mail.But if I had 200 to 300 milliliters of catoms, I could have it take on the shape of the device that I need at that moment."For example, the catoms could be manipulated to create a larger keypad for text messaging.And when the device wasn't being used, Campbell said, he could command it "to form its smallest shape or even be a little squishy, so I can just drop it in my pocket."
Campbell envisions that each catom would have a computer processor and some form of memory.Four years ago, he thought it would take 30 to 50 years for this kind of technology to be realized.Now, though, he estimates that the time it will take is much closer to 10 years.