The prediction, in brief:

The boundary that has traditionally been drawn by the edge of the computer screen will be eroded … You will be able to immerse yourself in simulated environments instead of just looking at them through a small rectangular window. This is a crucial difference: you become an inhabitant, a participant, not merely a spectator.

Predictor: Mitchell, William J.

Prediction, in context:

In his 1994 book “City of Bits,” MIT computer scientist William J. Mitchell writes:”With higher bandwidths, ever-greater processing power, and more sophisticated input/output devices designed to take advantage of these capabilities, the boundary that has traditionally been drawn by the edge of the computer screen will be eroded. Through head-mounted stereo displays (an old idea of Morton Heilig’s, which was first implemented by Ivan Sutherland in the 1960s and is now finally being popularized) or through holographic television (it’s coming), you will be able to immerse yourself in simulated environments instead of just looking at them through a small rectangular window. This is a crucial difference: you become an inhabitant, a participant, not merely a spectator.”

Biography:

William J. Mitchell was a professor and dean of architecture at MIT and the author of the predictive book “City of Bits: Space, Place and the Infobahn” (1994). He also taught at Harvard, Yale, Carnegie-Mellon and Cambridge Universities. (Research Scientist/Illuminator.)

Date of prediction: January 1, 1994

Topic of prediction: Getting, Sharing Information

Subtopic: Virtual Reality

Name of publication: City of Bits

Title, headline, chapter name: Voyerism/Engagement

Quote Type: Direct quote

Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://mitpress2.mit.edu/e-books/City_of_Bits/Electronic_Agoras/VoyeurismEngagement.html

This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Allen, Crystal N.