Table of contents

The author discusses his concern for the maintenance and strengthening of democratic control over science and technology, especially in the fields of military and nuclear high technology

Systems to make cars safer, more efficient and easier to drive are described: These include engine management systems, electronic instrumentation, traffic and road information systems, multiplex ring-main distribution, transmission control, anti-skid brakes and minor systems

The author looks at the ultimate, fundamental limitations to miniaturisation of electronic circuits and discusses aspects including the minimum spot size in integrated-circuit patterns, the minimum dimension in patterns, multiple-element circuit patterns, and consequences of using a physical-statistical model

The types of hostile environments are examined together with a few specific problems that have arisen in particular fields. These include the use of transducers in steel-making, instrumentation used in electricity generation, and measurements in offshore engineering

The author describes the basis of the technique and outlines some examples of applications in practical situations

The author describes and reviews the optoelectronic devices used for optical fibre systems-the semiconductor light-emitting diodes, injection lasers and photodiodes and other optical devices

Report on Meeting today's planning challenges, 28 November 1978 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York.

Report on Applications of rare earth materials, 17 November 1978 at the International Press Centre, London.

Report on Preparation and assessment of semiconductors, Institute of Physics and British Association for Crystal Growth, 13 December 1978 at Imperial College, London.

Report on Surface contamination: its genesis, detection and control, International Committee of Contamination Control Societies, and the Institute of Environmental Sciences (USA), 10-13 September 1978 at the Capitol Hilton Hotel, Washington DC, USA.

Report on Materials in a marine environment, Institute of Physics (Materials and Testing Group), 19 December 1978 at Imperial College, London.