Nanotechnology

Mort · Post by **Mort** » January 3, 2003, 1:26 pm

Starting to read Michael Crichton's book "Prey". Pretty wild stuff. I think I remember a long post about this on the old VNBoards.

Anyone else think this is complete fucking madness?!?!?

Hayley · Post by **Hayley** » January 3, 2003, 1:44 pm

I just started reading that book too and as with most all of Crichton's books, I'm hooked right off the start. Nanotechnology is here, AI is here, now we just wait for people to come up with the ability to combine the two together. I think that that time is really close.

So is the wife really cheating? No...no, don't tell me. *sigh*

Fallanthas · Post by **Fallanthas** » January 3, 2003, 1:54 pm

Some cool stuff, some very scary stuff, and some totally off the wall stuff goin on with nanotechnology.

This branch of science could free us from pesticides, prolong the life and health of our circulatory systems, be the ultimate in home and fashion design and end the PITA that is automobile repair.

So many possibilities....

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » January 3, 2003, 2:18 pm

MEMS technology (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) is also worth keeping an eye on. Very cool stuff.

Here's a link with a brief explanation of MEMS from Microvision:

http://www.mvis.com/tech_more_mems.htm

This company is also working on Retinal Scanning Displays (projecting images directly onto the retina so a screen isn't necessary)

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » January 3, 2003, 2:24 pm

the idea of machines that operate at the molecular scale is a rapidly approaching reality. it is super cool =).

Pahreyia · Post by **Pahreyia** » January 3, 2003, 2:26 pm

I was lucky enough to get a critic's edition of that book about 2 months ago. I enjoyed it, for the most part. I found that the suspension of disbelief was a little too grand towards the end, but overall, it seemed to be well written, if nothing else.

On the topic of nanotech tho, a good friend of mine recently graduated from Cal Tech and got a job with a biotech firm in Ventura, California. He's helping to engineer some sort of remote nano drug delivery system that will be utilized in patients who suffer from chronic circulatory/coronary disorders. The "bug" will provide either electrical stimulation to specific areas of the system or in the case of coronary disorders, small doses of steroroids to the heart to stimulate normal cardio rhtyhms.

Really interesting stuff, if I could only understand more of it.

Cotto · Post by **Cotto** » January 3, 2003, 2:35 pm

Thats supposed to be one of the theories on how the world will end.
Dispite many other possibilities, Nano machines could actually restructure the actomic make up of the earth itself and turn it into..like a gas cloud or something. I cant remember exactly what it was.

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » January 3, 2003, 2:53 pm

Cotto wrote:Thats supposed to be one of the theories on how the world will end.
Dispite many other possibilities, Nano machines could actually restructure the actomic make up of the earth itself and turn it into..like a gas cloud or something. I cant remember exactly what it was.

whoever thought that up doesnt know much about physics, chemistry, or nanomachines

KilornCloudwalker · Post by **KilornCloudwalker** » January 3, 2003, 3:14 pm

Maybe not, but I bet they've seen Terminator 2 a thousand times...

Neroon · Post by **Neroon** » January 3, 2003, 3:26 pm

MEMS are definitely neat, the company I work for has been making them for a while now. We primarily make the normal IC's, but these are proving to be quite a hot seller.

The first time I looked at one of these under a scope, I almost didn't believe it

Karae · Post by **Karae** » January 3, 2003, 8:06 pm

Those pants that don't stain use nanotechnology...

Adex_Xeda · Post by **Adex_Xeda** » January 3, 2003, 8:15 pm

Deus Ex,

nano enhanced super beings all wrapped up into a fun little game on par with Half Life.

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » January 3, 2003, 8:19 pm

i saw a sweater that uses nanotechnology at a science and technology open here in vancouver last year, that can change color to like almost any color in the spectrum using a computer. it was pretty weird.

its like polyester for the new millenium!

the major drawback was the sweater cost more than prada's entire 2001 summer lineup, and probably a house.

Adex_Xeda · Post by **Adex_Xeda** » January 3, 2003, 8:35 pm

Heh I'm sure wearing that sweater is an electrifying experience in a rain storm.

kurzweil · Post by **kurzweil** » January 3, 2003, 8:39 pm

If you hit the sweater with an electromagnetic pulse, would it go invisible?

Millie · Post by **Millie** » January 3, 2003, 8:54 pm

Improvements in nanotechnology will allow for the easier assimilation of new CT members.

(It was a cheap shot, but someone had to take it).

emmer · Post by **emmer** » January 4, 2003, 6:23 am

Cotto wrote:Thats supposed to be one of the theories on how the world will end.
Dispite many other possibilities, Nano machines could actually restructure the actomic make up of the earth itself and turn it into..like a gas cloud or something. I cant remember exactly what it was.

I could be wrong but I think you may be referring to the "grey goo" problem. I wonder if it would hurt being reassembled on a molecular level into a pile of starbucks cups...

but guess we'll find out soon enough!

Cotto · Post by **Cotto** » January 4, 2003, 9:30 am

I think that might be it Emmer. I cant remember where I read it (think it was last week newspaper), there was a section on all possible ways the world could end. Alien Invasion, Earthquakes, etc etc.
The nano thing kinda stuck in my head, I'd rather die quickly than wake up on moreing to find both my legs combined at the molecular level with my bed.

Animale · Post by **Animale** » January 4, 2003, 10:15 am

Machines on the molecular level? Hehe, LONG way away, if it can even happen (and, coming from a synthetic chemist, I hope it NEVER happens, would put me out of a job for sure)

Biggest problem for machines on this scale is that quantum effects start to become important once you get below about 10 nanometers, and dominate on the molecular scale (under 1 nanometer). We currently don't know how to approach this problem, much less solve it. Most of the science on these scales is done by chemists and physicists, precisely because the problem is beyond engineering at this point. Since molecular machines are a buzzword term now in the community and get you money, you'll be reading lots about how chemists have made parts for the future molecular machines <laugh>. The day we come up with a working quantum computing device is the day we can start seriously thinking about "true" molecular machines, until then it is all idle talk from the minds of dreamers- or somebody trying to make a buck.

Animale

Krimson Klaw · Post by **Krimson Klaw** » January 4, 2003, 10:18 am

kyoukan type-R wrote:i saw a sweater that uses nanotechnology at a science and technology open here in vancouver last year, that can change color to like almost any color in the spectrum using a computer. it was pretty weird.

its like polyester for the new millenium!

the major drawback was the sweater cost more than prada's entire 2001 summer lineup, and probably a house.

US military has uniforms similar to this material that allows them to blend into their surroundings. I spoke to one of the Naval Captains that worked on the project a few years ago when I was still in the Navy, and he said it was inspired by the predator movie. Pretty cool.

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » January 4, 2003, 10:22 am

i thought the predator refracted light.

you mean the US navy has nanotech predator suits that make them invisible and I haven't heard about this once? are we all going to be assassinated now because you are giving up government secrets?

IS THIS HOW XANUPOX GOT IN AND OUT OF HIS AIR FORCE SNIPER KILL SPOTS SO SILENTLY?

Redklaw · Post by **Redklaw** » January 4, 2003, 10:52 am

Nah, the military's predator suite is suposably gonna use little Hex LCD screens and tiny fibreoptic camera's all over it to sorta make a soldier blend in better. Sounds cool, but in real life operation the damn thing would probably break every couple days. A gillie suit makes you about as invisible as you need to be anyways.

Krimson Klaw · Post by **Krimson Klaw** » January 4, 2003, 11:03 am

kyoukan type-R wrote:i thought the predator refracted light.

you mean the US navy has nanotech predator suits that make them invisible and I haven't heard about this once? are we all going to be assassinated now because you are giving up government secrets?

IS THIS HOW XANUPOX GOT IN AND OUT OF HIS AIR FORCE SNIPER KILL SPOTS SO SILENTLY?

I said it was INSPIRED by the movie, I did not say it refracted light. And don't worry Kyoukan, no, the US does not have seckrit technology that you have never heard of. Heaven forbid that.

Basically the entire suit is sort of like a huge LCD and you just program in your pattern/color to match your surroundings

Millie · Post by **Millie** » January 4, 2003, 4:44 pm

I read about a sweater that uses a "bio-fiber" type material to repair itself if torn or otherwise damaged. Not surprisingly, this material had been developed for military application.

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » January 4, 2003, 6:06 pm

well if it was inspired by a movie where a guy had a suit that refracted light i assumed that it was going to be a suit that refracted light.

*shrug*

Krimson Klaw · Post by **Krimson Klaw** » January 4, 2003, 7:17 pm

kyoukan type-R wrote:well if it was inspired by a movie where a guy had a suit that refracted light i assumed that it was going to be a suit that refracted light.

*shrug*

Don't assume...you know how the rest of that saying goes.

Aruman · Post by **Aruman** » January 5, 2003, 4:15 am

Animale wrote:The day we come up with a working quantum computing device is the day we can start seriously thinking about "true" molecular machines, until then it is all idle talk from the minds of dreamers- or somebody trying to make a buck.
Animale

Not sure if this is related to what you are talking about. I recalled hearing about this in school.

http://www.internetnews.com/dev-news/ar ... /10_943731

http://www.eetimes.com/at/news/OEG20020806S0030

Interesting stuff...

Souldinkou Soulfury · Post by **Souldinkou Soulfury** » January 5, 2003, 4:23 am

Infrared will own even more then.

Abelard · Post by **Abelard** » January 5, 2003, 8:39 pm

Soul is all about the guns.

Soreali · Post by **Soreali** » January 5, 2003, 8:40 pm

Souldinkou sucks.. Abelard sucks as well.

Boogahz · Post by **Boogahz** » January 6, 2003, 1:23 am

Lots more Nanotech fun here!

Kylere · Post by **Kylere** » January 6, 2003, 1:05 pm

Nanotech becoming a daily item will be the single biggest tech leap mankind could pull off.

Launch rocket to moon, lander lands, releases prep bugs, then the diggers, and the convertors, presto a few months/years later we have a ready to go moonbase with water and air stocks.

Launch rocket to Venus, land, release bugs, terraforming begins. Wait a few decades/centuries and inhabit.

Drop a crumb on the carpet, it is gathered, broken to component atoms, restocked in household inventory.

Go camping, unscrew bottle, release bugs, kick back and enjoy the view while they build you a tent, a campfire pit and a comfy bunk.

Shake Kyoukans hand, transfer a small amount of nanobugs activated by warm water, wait for Kyoukan to bath or wash hands, enjoy screams.

Take my knee, inject nanomachines into the proper areas, let them reform little amount of remaining cartilage into proper areas, form new cartilage and replace sugical steel with bone tissue.

Drop nanites onto city dumps, wait for sorted piles of raw materials to form.

Really the ability to build and control machines at the atomic level allows for endless possibilities.

Fallanthas · Post by **Fallanthas** » January 6, 2003, 1:30 pm

Couple of the more interesting ones I saw were;

An injection of robots designed to scrape plaque from your arteries.

A home with all interior walls, wiring etc made up of simple nanobots. If you decide you need a little more room, just program a central computer and watch the wall, complete with wiring and plumbing reposition itself over the course of a couple hours.

Nanobots released in crop fields to destroy specific types of parasites, eliminating the need for pesticides. Goodbye runoff.

vn_Tanc · Post by **vn_Tanc** » January 6, 2003, 2:50 pm

I reckon we'll see this kind of thing within 50 years of cracking sustainable fusion as a source of energy.
Real soon now!!!
/cough

The technology and AI required for this kind of thing is a looooong way off.

Dexail · Post by **Dexail** » January 6, 2003, 5:35 pm

that's probably what they said about Star Trek's "communicators" when the TV series first came out 30 years ago. Now we all have one.

Souldinkou Soulfury · Post by **Souldinkou Soulfury** » January 6, 2003, 8:59 pm

Abelardo wrote:

Soul is all about the guns.

http://www.airsoftretreat.com/forums/cl ... .asp?id=49

stp

sore sucks 8>