Bits Experts Should Get To Know Atoms Experts

I have been blogging this week about the role of IT in the economy and I wanted to address one concrete thought that has been in my head for a while.

It seems to me that one of the most important things that experts in bits can do is become expert in, or partner with someone, who is an expert in atoms. This might mean mechanical engineers, or physicists, or chemists, or civil engineers, or heck even chefs.

In my view, the growth curve potential of moving bits around is shrinking. This not to say there is not growth yet to come, but the truly more open and explosive playing field is in using bits to help us move and organize atoms.

I guess you could say, atoms are the new bits. Cross discipline use of computing technology is where the next revolution will occur. We are just at the beginning of a world where we have devices that can "print" physical stuff. They are called 3D printers. Its new, and its not broadly useful yet, but I do believe we are close to an inflection that will make 3D printing mainstream. Another similar area that I think is coming is the ability to "print" clothing. Imagine taking raw cotton, putting it in a device, downloading a pattern, and printing a finished fitted pair of jeans.

The key to achieving these kinds of innovations involves cross disciplinary training. And though we now have extraordinary CAD tools for modeling physical things, that modeling needs to get much better to allow us to innovate in the physical realm in the same way we are innovating in the virtual realm.

My point with all of this is we need to broaden our perspective on what is possible and what is useful. The realm of the atoms should be our next frontier. Think of it as World 2.0 instead of Web 2.0.