Future technologies for optical and infrared telescopes and instruments

The theme of this conference is the evolution of telescopes over the last 400 years. I present my view on what the major leaps of technology have been, and attempt to predict what new technologies could come along in the next 50 years to change the way we do astronomy and help us make new discoveries. Are we approaching a peak of innovation and discovery, and will this be followed by a slow decline? Or are there prospects for even further technology leaps and consequent new discoveries? Will global resource and financial crises bring an end to our great ambitions, or will we continue with bigger telescopes and more ambitious space observatories?