Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1299286
18 PCB007 MAGAZINE I OCTOBER 2020 Predicting the future is always dangerous. Happily, those predictions are rarely held to much scrutiny—perhaps because we all know that whatever is shared will, at least in some aspect, be wrong. There is much value in an ever-evolving conversation, enabling us to see and observe trends as well as the data that points to those trends. There are some paths that seem very likely, but the tricky bit is the timing. That being said, let me dip my toe into the world of prognostication for a little bit, but realize I know that nothing is certain. There are several very exciting, game-chang- ing electronics industry technologies at the forefront. Any one of these would merit days of exploration, but out of necessity, I will just barely scratch the surface of each. As Dr. Humphries, my EE professor, used to say, "I will leave the details of that problem up to the interested and dedicated student." The development of true 5G communica- tions, additive manufacturing, artificial intel- ligence, new materials (graphene and other nanomaterials), quantum computing, and oth- ers is happening as you read this. Any one of these areas individually has the potential to greatly impact the future of electronics, the economy, and how we live our daily lives. However, the combination of two or more of these technologies could have awe-inspiring, and potentially fundamental, shifts in the way electronics are both used and made. As much as I am sure we would like to spend some time geeking out over what some of those potentials are, I only have so many words available, and we also have to discuss Navigating Around the Future One World, One Industry Feature Column by Dr. John Mitchell, IPC—ASSOCIATION CONNECTING ELECTRONICS INDUSTRIES