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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 that has not seen widespread use, but whose scientific background is well understood.[1] Its performance characteristics are also expected to be well understood with well-established design specifications.[2]
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,[3] and may change the whole use paradigm—advances to a mature technology are usually incremental improvements only.
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The QWERTY keyboard design is an example of mature technology because its performance characteristics such as typing speeds and error rates have been established in various describable situations.[2] Additionally, the basic key organization of this technology has remained the same over the last century.[2] Another example is the barcode, a technology that also satisfies all the previously cited indicators. It is widely used since when it was first introduced it was an open technology made available in the public domain where anyone had access.[4]
Other mature technologies include the following:
