ngs in order to
permit the most comfortable and efficient functioning within them.

The noise aspect of human engineering, as it may develop from the
problems of astronauts operating in a silent world, could lead to a
variety of innovations for improving the performance of workers or even
the general attitude of people living in urban areas. In today's world,
where humans are subjected to so many different kinds, degrees, and
sources of noise, psychologists consider the matter to be of no small
importance.

_High speed-light weight computers_

Space vehicles now need electronic computers for determining the
moment of launch, for fixing orbits, for navigation, and for
processing collected data. Computers will precede man into space.
They will take over guidance and decision functions beyond limits
of human physiology, psychology, versatility, and reaction
time.[40]

The trend in this direction is marked and space exploration is
accelerating it. Because of weight and size limitations, and due to the
genius of research, the giant electronic brain of today will soon
disappear and be replaced with an apparatus only a small fraction of its
present size. The implications for the business and professional world
are great. And a not inconsiderable side effect, according to many
modern technicians, will be the flood of brainpower released from
time-consuming chores and thus made available for more basic, creative
thought.

[Illustration: FIGURE 8.--The needs of tomorrow's spacemen will
lead to marked advances in human engineering and psychology.]

_Solid state physics_

Few areas of effort are advancing this extremely promising art faster
than space exploration, which places a premium on light weight and small
size. The miniaturization of equipment being placed in U.S. satellites,
for example, has been one of the contemporary wonders of the world of
science.

A big part of this march toward tiny equipment is in the field of
electronics, where the process is called microminiaturization, molecular
electronics, micromodular engineering or a number of other terms. In
essence it refers to the greatly reduced size of equipment through
"integrated circuits," coupled functions, the building of complicated
components into a single molecular design and so on.

The art has proceeded to the point where complete radios can be reduced
to the size of a lump of sugar.

Clearly, this trend holds alm