Far out technology for the geek in all of us
Kirk and Spock wield their phasers
(Credit: www.phasers.net)Like many of you, I'm a geek, and it extends well beyond my interest in technology. I still read an occasional science fiction novel and look forward to the release of superhero and James Bond movies.
Lately, I've been wondering how close we are to achieving some of the scientific "miracles" that had previously belonged solely to the realm of science fiction. Advances in nanotechnology, biotechnology, and other fields are certainly making lots of exciting things possible in the laboratory, but that's just the beginning.
What I'm interested in is early academic, defense, medical, or even hobbyist applications. Remember, that's where computing and communications started, and look where we are now.
Here are six off the top of my head. And yes, some of them are out there, but my goal was to leapfrog all the usual stuff, like virtual reality, robotics, and the like, which I've written about previously. Some of it may surprise you.
Invisibility. On August 11, researchers at the University of California at Berkeley reported a giant leap forward in invisibility cloaking. Using newly developed nanomaterials, scientists were able to successfully bend light around 3D objects, albeit not quite at visible wavelengths yet, though they're getting much closer. The first application for this technology is in telecommunications, so Harry Potter and the Klingons may have to wait a bit.
U.S. Air Force Capt. Drew Goettler demonstrates prototype laser weapon
(Credit: U.S. Air Force)Handheld laser weapons. In late 2005, the U.S. Air Force demonstrated a prototype nonlethal, green-laser weapon. It's big and heavy, and intended to be used for crowd control or to temporarily blind an enemy, but hey, it's a start. And yes, I know there are lots of lasers in use out there; I'm talking specifically about handheld weapons. Why? Because, I believe this inevitable transition will drive advances in energy beam technology that might be used for who-knows-what applications.
Human bionics. In April, I wrote a post about Bluetooth implants that got some attention. My half-serious thinking at the time was more along the lines of implantable gadgets, but now I'm wondering about human bionics such as electromechanical organs. The first applications already exist in the form of artificial hearts and bionic ears, and there's a long way to go, but I see this as a field that will explode over the coming years.
Colonizing a second planet. I watched a special on the History Channel the other day called "The Universe: Colonizing Space." It was both encouraging and discouraging. The good news is that NASA is working on a program to send humans to Mars for an extended stay and eventual colonization. The bad news is that they want to test everything out on the moon first, which means it's not going to happen for a long, long time.
Commercial human space travel. Richard Branson's Virgin Group and Paul Allen's Mojave Aerospace Ventures recently announced a joint venture to take tourists up into space for about $200,000 apiece. I guess that'd be fun, but I'm thinking more along the lines of mining asteroids and stuff like that. You know, commercial business. Perhaps the technology developed for colonizing Mars could help in that endeavor, as well.
Time travel. Come on, Einstein, get real. Seriously, I read a paper in Scientific American the other day about a new approach to quantum relativity that, unlike prior attempts, does a decent job of predicting the observed characteristics of our universe on both quantum and cosmic scales. And they did it by introducing causality into the equations. So much for the laws of physics being indifferent to time travel. That doesn't mean it's impossible, but it does take some of the wind out of its sails.
Well, those are a few that came to mind. If you're like me, you read about this stuff from time to time and wonder why we're not further along. What's your pet fantasy technology, and where is it today?
Steve Tobak is managing partner of Invisor Consulting LLC. He is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure.
I want to unroll it and wirelessly downlink whatever newspaper I want.
An article Named "Eye-Shaped Camera Could Lead to Prosthetic Eyes" on eweek's Health Network
http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Enterprise-Networking/EyeShaped-Camera-Could-Lead-to-Prosthetic-Eyes/?kc=EWKNLHCR08132008STR1
Examples about: for instance, CNET and other tech magazines in 2005 had said that "methanol fuel cells for laptops" would be available that year. Where are they?
There are many problems in bringing technologies to market that require detailed work, pricing, and so on. I'm not saying we won't get all these goodies, I just think it should be the job of good technical reporting to actually make judgments, not just Xerox press releases.
I think one of the most practical forms of sci-fi tech would be transporter technology. I personally think the Asgard transporter beams in Stargate are cooler than Star Trek's (definitely faster, that's for sure), but that's beside the point. Being able to "beam" stuff from one place to another instantly could have a very positive effect on the world economy. Think of all the costs associated with transportation that could be reduced or eliminated entirely. Airports, trucking and shipping lines, package delivery services, all become a thing of the past, and depending on how much (and what kind of) energy the transporters use, our consumption of energy could be greatly reduced. Space stations would be much easier to maintain by being able beam personnel and supplies up and down, without all the messy launching and re-entry stuff. Of course, there would be a vast number of problems to deal with as well, one being security. Still, the potential for great things is there.
Oh, and for those of you that can't wait for the famous tricorder, I don't think you'll have to wait long. Handheld devices are getting more and more powerful all the time. If you really stop and look, the beginnings of such a device are all around us. Now if we could only solve the battery life issue. XD
What? why??? why would this be the 1st need? i would think milatary or anything else but the Tele business. what are their plans for it?
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by KingofContempt
September 9, 2008 7:59 AM PDT
- i'm surprised you don't know about the current time machine project (using lazers to accellerate a particle faster and faster in a circle until it breaks the speed of like, ******* up time or whatever). also: what about darpa's proto II?
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