The Evolution and Future Trends of Technology and Information Sciences

Technology is evolving and being transformed. Many boundaries among science, engineering and social systems are cross-linked in the face of combinations of knowledge and tools. It is the time we look at how things work at a system level from past, present to future with great precision. It is the time when the physical, biological and social sciences are joining forces with information sciences and technology. It is the time when we will make extraordinary advances in the history of mankind through information sciences and technologies. Recently the system view of technologies is emerging. In this paper, we classify technology and information sciences into three main domains: (1) physical technology and information science (non-organic/nonliving material-based); (2) biological technology and information science (organic/living material-based); and (3) societal technology and information science (language/mind-based). Furthermore we exam each branch of technologies and information sciences and establish a system-based model of technology and information sciences and discuss the evolution and future trends of technology and information sciences.