Th: A New Kind of Intelligence

"Nolte makes a convincing case that light can act as both Mercury and Apollo - messenger and diviner - through the development of new nonlinear optical materials... He provides a fairly complete picture for the student and interested amateur of why the technology works the way it does, describes the roadblocks to improving system performance, and discusses the effects on telecommunications and data processing..."

I am a layman- no physical science degree or job, but I have an interest in new technology applications, particularly light. Nolte's book is great for both the layman as well as the expert- the difference being how fast you will be able to read and absorb the building blocks of knowledge he stacks up (e.g; the physics of how humans see). His focus is a new paradigm of computer intelligence based on photons, not electrons- with implications of quantum leaps in computing power/intelligence and speed. If you have an interest in the power of "light" versus electricity (the 20ieth century paradigm), you will enjoy this thought provoking book. 'Mind at the Speed of Light' compliments recent best sellers like 'Telecosm'(opto-electronics), 'The City of Light' (history of fiber optics). It avoids hype but gets the reader intrigued about the future which is within reach. My only criticism is that the book and its lay readers would benefit greatly from more pictures or diagrams.