As manager of BT's research laboratories, Peter Cochrane is already living in the year 2050.

BT, he says, is no longer just a telecoms operator.

Intelligent agents, virtual reality and artificial intelligence are all at the heart of BT's operations.

Switching, transmission, multimedia, interactive services and ATM: these are the pièces de résistance on the menu of the research centres of all the major public operators. BT (the fifth largest service provider in the world) is no exception. In the labs, however, there are many other topics on British researchers' lips. "BT is no longer just a telecoms operator," explains Peter Cochrane, research manager at BT. "In fact, we are working towards the year 2050." Indeed, the scope of research at BT covers many other fields including, in particular, anything and everything related to Mankind, virtual reality and artificial intelligence. Peter Cochrane's justification of this strategy is that "when the telephone system was wire-based, our universe was ordered. Today, with mobile communications, interactive technology and improved bandwidth, everything's in turmoil. The way we work and the tools we use are set to change."

MACHINES WILL BE VOICE-OPERATED
According to Professor Cochrane, one of the most significant examples is the micro-computer. Today, computers are extremely complex autonomous machines. Certain people see them evolving into simple terminals which could be connected to the network and which would then download those applications required by the user. "This is a development which, incidentally, is of great interest to me as a public telecoms operator," comments Peter Cochrane, with a keen look in his eye. "This will have profound repercussions on network architecture." Networks are currently cumbersome and extremely hierarchical. "Tomorrow," predicts Peter Cochrane, "networks will be on a single level and everyone will have direct access to everyone else." According to him, the terminal itself will alter considerably. For many applications, the keyboard will disappear: machines will be voice-operated. As regards the screen, at BT they are also working on a system of small lenses, similar to glasses, which would project images directly into the eye.

But enough of the hardware side. "The most significant revolution will undoubtedly take place in the software sector, particularly with the development of intelligent agents. And these will be much needed," highlights Peter Cochrane. He sees them being used everywhere. For example, they could sort information from the ever rising sea of data. Furthermore, they will not just be simple programs: these agents will have the ability to teach themselves. Or better still, by observing our behaviour and habits, they will even be able to adapt data to our needs. Others will constantly monitor systems and detect the causes of a fault before it occurs. And then there is artificial intelligence. "In the future, education will be through networks and computer systems," suggests Peter Cochrane. From your computer terminal, you will be able to put questions to an eminent professor and the system will be able to reply, even in his absence. You could even take it one stage further, "and imagine benefiting from the knowledge of a past scientist by reproducing his thought processes and then continue with his research" thinks Peter Cochrane. "We are delving into a virtual world and it's in this domain that we are working."

Nevertheless, though it may be a key link in the chain, research has to extend into the industrial sector. According to Peter Cochrane's line of thinking, "it is not enough for a few research centres across Europe to work in these fields. The governments of Great Britain, Germany, France and elsewhere should be taking stock of these developments and the issues at stake." And he went on to illustrate his argument with a very pertinent anecdote. "Today, when I buy a CD-ROM on the National Gallery, the money doesn't end up in the gallery's coffers, but in the USA. It is time we reviewed our education system and instead of training our leaders for a disappearing world, they should be trained for the world of the future."

Since 1993, Peter Cochrane has been head of the research department at BTL (BT Laboratories), BT's research centre, which is located in Martlesham (eastern England). He joined the General Post Office in 1962 and moved to BTL in 1973. BT invests nearly FF 2.5 billion in research and development and employs 6 500 staff.