It would accelerate production while minimizing inventories and allow manufacturers to produce customized goods at mass-production costs. Custom apparel would be a good example of this capability, which I like to call mass individualized production.
Predictor: Dertouzos, Michael
Prediction, in context:In a 1991 article for Technology Review, MIT researcher/administrator Michael Dertouzos writes: ”Once a manufacturer received a customer order for a product, the company’s computers would immediately request the needed subassemblies via the NII [National Information Infrastructure]. The suppliers’ computer, in turn, would do the same, ordering the necessary parts. The cascade of orders would reach full bloom within seconds. It would accelerate production while minimizing inventories and allow manufacturers to produce customized goods at mass-production costs. Custom apparel would be a good example of this capability, which I like to call mass individualized production.”
Biography:Michael Dertouzos was director of the MIT Laboratory for Computer Science and the author of “The Unfinished Revolution.” He led a project intended to make computers adapt to people. He outlined a comprehensive proposal for a national information “infrastructure” in a 1991 article for Technology Review. (Research Scientist/Illuminator.)
Date of prediction: January 1, 1991
Topic of prediction: Economic structures
Subtopic: Shopping
Name of publication: Technology Review
Title, headline, chapter name: Building the Information Marketplace
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://web2.infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/infomark/599/939/33335322w2/plur=rcl
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Dube, Kristin