82 Electricity and Magnetism
scientific research are examples. Computers have become indispensable in physics laboratories, and high-performance computers are also heavily used in industry, particularly in computer-aided design (CAD). Most of today’s technology is so complex that devices would be impossible or prohibitively expensive to design without CAD programs. Consider trying to design by hand Intel’s Itanium 2 processor with its 410,000,000 transistors. Manufacturers can use computer programs to test a new type of automobile or aircraft without actually building the vehicle, saving a huge amount of time and money. Other computer applications include virtual reality, in which the interaction between human and computer is richer and more human-oriented than it is with a simple keyboard, mouse, and monitor. Most computers get their input from a human operating the keyboard or mouse. The computer performs some sort of calculation and displays the result for the human operator on a screen or monitor. Virtual reality immerses the human operator in an environment that has more of a real-world feel. For instance, the physics of molecular forces can be simulated such that the human
Advances in electronics and computers allow the lifelike simulation of many situations, including aerial combat. (U.S. Air Force/1st Lt. Nathan D. Broshear)