Real-time
An operation within a larger dynamic system is called a real-time operation if the combined reaction- and operation-time of a task is shorter than the maximum delay that is allowed, in view of circumstances outside the operation. The task must also occur before the system to be controlled becomes unstable. A real-time operation is not necessarily fast, as slow systems can allow slow real-time operations. This applies for all types of dynamically changing systems. The opposite of a real-time operation is a batch job.
A typical example could be a computer-controlled braking system in a car. If the driver can stop a car before it hits a wall, the operation was in real-time; if the car hits the wall it was not. Many machines require real-time controllers to avoid "instability", which could lead to the accidental damage or destruction of the system, people, or objects.
In the economy real-time-systems are information technologies, which provide real-time access to information or data. The ability of a company to processes its data in real-time increases the competitiveness of the company. Real-time processing systems are new technologies and will improve during the next decades. Gartner forcasts a fast increase and use of these real-time systems.