Impact of very-large-scale integration (v.l.s.i) on systems and people

Abstract

The impact of semiconductor technology on systems and on people is substantial, and increases with further increasing scales of integration. This is mainly the result of further cost reductions and therefore of a growing penetration of highly integrated silicon chips into a wide variety of applications. In the first part of the paper, the impact of v.l.s.i. on systems will be discussed, dealing especially with the following topics: benefits from integration, differentiated cost reductions, new applications, regular arrays and random logic, performance implications, system size, and interface problems. The second part of the paper deals with people-oriented topics: dimensions of knowledge, `remote engineering', simulation and modelling, changing careers, numeracy, productivity impact, and technology: no end in itself.