sci-fi today, Science Fact tomorrow (crash, transfer, converting, hardware)

[crystalblue]

Originally Posted by Bail_Khan

A few years ago you could buy desructive lasers that were small enough to be carried by a person for 2 or 3 three thousand dollars or kits to make them of the internet(openly). I think these could for all intents and purposes could be considered laser "guns", even if a little crude.
I think there may be new laws to prevent this today probably because of the stink caused by people pointing green lasers at airplanes.
Basically laser guns do exist there just isn't a big demand for them. Firearms are still much more affordable and practical I guess.

still out there.

Laser Pointer Forum ::Video Album :: Laser Community

imagine how powerful they will be in a few years...

[nightbird47]

Originally Posted by crystalblue

what things do you see coming to fruition (great word) over the next couple of decades?

I imagine that a pill that took care of everything would be a great success. Hiking and outdoor activites, travel, emergency supplies...

And dieters ofcourse. I imagine the pill would not have the equivilant of a gallon of icecream with chocolate surup lol

[Bail_Khan]

Originally Posted by nightbird47

I imagine that a pill that took care of everything would be a great success. Hiking and outdoor activites, travel, emergency supplies...

And dieters ofcourse. I imagine the pill would not have the equivilant of a gallon of icecream with chocolate surup lol

How exactly would a pill take care of hiking and outdoor activities?

Oh wait I think we already have those, you take them and you no longer feel the need to go hiking, you just want to chill and stare at the wall.

[crystalblue]

MSN Tech & Gadgets - Consumer Electronics Show 2009 - Video

I have been waiting for this for years!

def will make the world more interesting...

Johnny, what are you watching?!?!?!

[justalicious6989]

Originally Posted by Tek_Freek

An article in today's paper said that by 2030 the U. S. could supply 20% of it's power using wind energy. The article said it will take "visionaries" in the government to make it happen, but that it can be done with the technology in use today.

So if we use the wind in the center of the country for 20%, and the oceans on the coasts for another 20% we can have almost half our energy needs met without the use of oil, coal, or nuclear.

Not too tacky. The only problem I see is the "visionaries" in government.

I could, where I live now, supply my electrical needs with a wind generator, but the city I live in would never let me mount one on my roof. This is the type of attitude that needs to change in this country.

right that is the problem, who cares if it looks tacky? if it saves money, and energy in the long run then be my guest, jsut like here in chicago, our building downtown can have wind turbines, i could not imagine how much energy the sears tower uses, since it stands 1400 something feet tall i think theres plenty of wind.

[crystalblue]

for any electrical/chemical/other engineers out there

how long til we have batteries powerful enough to power something like a lightsaber (if we could build such a thing)?

[thecoalman]

Just happened upon watching parts of "Octopussy" from 1983 yesterday and when the meeting with Q took place one object he showed was a watch with a "liquid crystal TV"... thought that was interesting considering all the small devices that use it today.

[soahc]

Self driving cars- We have self parking cars. Soon we will have cars that avoid collision by sensing eachother (necessary especially when all cars go electric, they will be silent)


C3PO type Robots - Eventually we will have robots doing all menial tasks to free up humans for more worthwhile endeavors. What work humans do will be as a hobby, there will still be niche craftsmen who make jewelry, woodworkers, etc, as a personal hobby but all unskilled labor will be robots, and eventually matter buildersd will be able to create anything. Hand made goods will be a high luxury for the rich, while middle income and poor will all have matter built nano manufactured.

a Matrix - eventually we will all be online, all the time. Out hard drives will be our cell phones. There will be hologramatic computer screens. As far as keyboards, I don't see the mechanical kind yielding to touchscreen/holo keys, so i can not prerdict the future of keyboards. But all will be online, all the time, to specifically answer your question.

nano molecular manufacturers - This will be cool, but I think we will have fully automated robotic factories first, then we go nano.

nuclear fusion - The future of humanity, our progress, is entirely dependent on nuclear energy. Fusion is very much a realistic prospect. Wind/solar will never supply enough energy, even if we get more efficient, unless we somehow keep the third world living in the dark ages. As more people become middle class, our energy consumption is going to have net increase/

FTL Space travel - Eventually we muct colonize space. Our far future has us becoming world builders, creating new earths from planets that have the building blocks, eventually creating the building blocks, harnessing the power of the Sun's fusion, etc.

Laser Guns- More likely most weaponry will still be projectile based, but it will be railguns. Elecrically powered guns.

cool robotic arms/legs/etc - Of course, eventually we must make those who can not walk walk, it is the only humane thing to do. Basically someone in a wheelchair will have two options. They will either be able to jack into an online scenario role play where they are virtually living as a walkign human being, or they will have mechanical robotic limbs

cure for all diseases - There is no panacea. As one problem is solved, another is created. No utopia, at least no permanent utopia. This law applies to everything. Technology solves the problems technology creates.


Sgtar trek "food pills" that meet all your daily requirements. - I believe that eventually eating will be for the act of enjoyment only, not for survival. Everything will be art in the future. I am hoping for one of theose food matter builder things from Trek Next Gen.

a flying car you can fold into a briefcase - More likely we will chaieve teleportation first.

a suit of Iron Man Armor. woot woot! - Yes. We will have mechs but whether these will be remotely controlled or AI or have human pilots is debatable. That's oneof the things I didnt like about Iron Man. With all that technology, it seems he would have just made it remote controled. War will become an art, so participation will be for hobbyists only. Perhaps all war will be virtual with no deathc, to the winner go the spoils in a symbolic battle that both parties agreed upon the rules.

[TrekRockStar]

This is really over the top. Some of the technologies you guys have described compeltly destroy the essence of the human being. The willingness to create things, manfacture.

[crystalblue]

Originally Posted by TrekRockStar

This is really over the top. Some of the technologies you guys have described compeltly destroy the essence of the human being. The willingness to create things, manfacture.

that is the future...