low enough to cause a significant change in the pattern of consumption, perhaps even mass substitution, or to the moment something unique becomes common.²

This report is the first of two on the topic requested by the sponsors. In this first report, the committee discusses how technology forecasts are made, assesses the various systems investigated by the committee, and identifies the attributes of a persistent, long-term disruptive technology forecasting system. Chapter 2 of this report outlines the history of technology forecasting and describes current forecasting methodologies and approaches; it also helps to further define and provide metrics for a successful forecast. Chapter 3 describes the nature of disruptive technologies, suggests sectors where disruptive technology is likely to take place, and identifies disciplines of interest for future study. Chapter 4 discusses bias and other factors that can affect the validity of a forecast. Chapter 5 proposes an approach to developing an ideal persistent disruptive technology forecast. In Chapter 6, existing forecasting systems (including those specified in this report’s statement of task) are benchmarked against the ideal system. Finally, the conclusion (Chapter 7) suggests a process to build a persistent forecasting system and lists its potential applications.

In the second report, the committee plans to summarize the results of a workshop that will have assembled experts on forecasting, system architecture, and visualization. The experts will have been asked to envision a system that meets the sponsor’s requirements while incorporating the suggestions in this report.

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