IEE Control & Automation Division: Chairman´s address. The microprocessor in control

The microprocessor is an integrated circuit which functions as the central processor of a digital computer. Since its appearance seven years ago, it has been the subject of considerable development and is now used extensively in electronic systems. The key to its success is its universal applicability, using special-purpose software implemented in general-purpose mass-produced hardware. In control and automation, the microprocessor has been used as a component to replace both hard-wired logic systems and minicomputers. As costs have decreased, it has become the most economic controller for most domestic and industrial applications, providing widespread automation down to very low levels. The implication for the engineer is that software will play an increasing part in electronic-system design, and is therefore to be regarded as an important engineering tool to be fully understood and mastered. The implication for society is that the microprocessor will influence what we make, and how we make it, and is therefore to be incorporated into our products and production processes without delay. A social challenge is to provide the support required for this, to ensure that Britain survives as a high-technology nation, while at the same time maintaining a balance between work and leisure in a society where most routine tasks are automated.