Mature technology

For a related concept in software, see Capability Maturity Model.

A mature technology is a technology that has been in use for long enough that most of its initial faults and inherent problems have been removed or reduced by further development. In some contexts, it may also refer to technology which has not seen widespread use, but whose scientific background is well understood.¹

One of the key indicators of a mature technology is the ease of use for both non-experts and professionals. Another indicator is a reduction in the rate of new breakthrough advances related to it—whereas inventions related to a (popular) immature technology are usually rapid and diverse,² and may change the whole use paradigm—advances to a mature technology are usually incremental improvements only.

Examples

Mature technologies

Farming, most advances are in slight improvements of breeds or in pest reduction
Motor vehicle, widely used by non-experts, the general principles have not changed for decades
Telephone, though considered mature, mobile phones showed a rare potential for substantial changes even in such technologies
Firearm, typified by assault rifle technology, most advances are slight improvements as manufacturers alter balances between weight, firepower, range, and accuracy

Technologies not yet fully mature

Internet, with still partly conflicting technological standards³
Computers (becoming more mature due to advances in user-friendly operating systems)
Economic models (still showing high failure rates in economic prediction)

Immature technologies

Nanotechnology, actual industrial applications limited so far
Manned space flight, limited, failure-prone and uneconomic
Quantum computers, so far mostly a theoretical concept
Nuclear fusion power, mainly theoretical in practice as containment energy expenditure thus far outweighs yielded energy