Inventions which may become part of our lives
Discussion
A long time ago, almost as if from a galazy far far away, I heard about a few engineering feats which would be making their way to the shelves.
I expected them to happen upon us in the same manner as the CD, and DVD... everyone has to have one, and in a matter of time surely will. But nothing has happened and its been a looong time.
The first was the microwave that freezes food in about as much time as our current microwaves heat food up.
The second, more excitingly, was a something i dreamed of owning as a kid. Stick an object into a compartment-scanner, close the door, and lazers scan the object building up a 3 dimensional image of the object.
Then, using hot wax which solidifies into a plastic like substance, spray jets build the image in the other compartment.
Meaning non-valuable plastic items can be created. Cups, plastic toys, accessories, not exactly high tech but I would enjoy having one of those.
Anyone heard anything? What of other inventions, whats on the not to distant horizon, whats possible, what might we see in the next 30 years?
I expected them to happen upon us in the same manner as the CD, and DVD... everyone has to have one, and in a matter of time surely will. But nothing has happened and its been a looong time.
The first was the microwave that freezes food in about as much time as our current microwaves heat food up.
The second, more excitingly, was a something i dreamed of owning as a kid. Stick an object into a compartment-scanner, close the door, and lazers scan the object building up a 3 dimensional image of the object.
Then, using hot wax which solidifies into a plastic like substance, spray jets build the image in the other compartment.
Meaning non-valuable plastic items can be created. Cups, plastic toys, accessories, not exactly high tech but I would enjoy having one of those.
Anyone heard anything? What of other inventions, whats on the not to distant horizon, whats possible, what might we see in the next 30 years?
UKBob said:
A long time ago, almost as if from a galazy far far away, I heard about a few engineering feats which would be making their way to the shelves.
I expected them to happen upon us in the same manner as the CD, and DVD... everyone has to have one, and in a matter of time surely will. But nothing has happened and its been a looong time.
The first was the microwave that freezes food in about as much time as our current microwaves heat food up.
The second, more excitingly, was a something i dreamed of owning as a kid. Stick an object into a compartment-scanner, close the door, and lazers scan the object building up a 3 dimensional image of the object.
Then, using hot wax which solidifies into a plastic like substance, spray jets build the image in the other compartment.
Meaning non-valuable plastic items can be created. Cups, plastic toys, accessories, not exactly high tech but I would enjoy having one of those.
Anyone heard anything? What of other inventions, whats on the not to distant horizon, whats possible, what might we see in the next 30 years?
First - microwaves can't by definition reduce the temperature of food.
Second - the machine you describe already exists. It is used for rapid prototyping. It was in part developed for use on spacecraft so they don't have to carry lots of components, just a data file.
I have seen one working - it is amazing as it builds intricate items from a form of powder resin.
>> Edited by alexkp on Thursday 31st March 23:39
I earn my living doing rapid prottypes. I have a one of these www.stratasys.com/INTL/sys_prodigy.html and quite a few cnc machines.
UKBob said:
Heh I dont see the duplicating thingymabob on the shelves, I meant as something we all have and use, or know about and want though.
No, they are about a million quid each.
What would you actually want to make Bob?
As for the Microwave - it must be something else. Microwaves operate by agitating the molecules within food using high intensity microwaves. To freeze food the device would have to reverse the process....
Hang on Bob - maybe you're thinking of "Freezers"? They're usually a bit bigger than microwaves but they have been around for years. Most people already have one in their homes. I recommend a visit to Comet -ask a salesman and I'm sure he'll show you some.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Obviously it isnt a microwave 
but I gathered it would be the same size and affect the temperature of foods in the same short space of time 
As for the duplicating machine, regardless of the commercial industrial price, in time they will make their way into households of the 'average-family'
Its just a matter of time.
UKBob said:State-of-the-art in affordability is a price of under €40k per unit. It doesn't work with laser, but it creates 3D models.
As for the duplicating machine, regardless of the commercial industrial price, in time they will make their way into households of the 'average-family'
Its just a matter of time.
www.zcorp.com/products/printersdetail.asp?ID=1
wendyg said:And I can remember totally falling for it too! Rushing to the kitchen to tell my mum what a great idea and how we have to get one. Boy did I feel stupid.
Yes, I saw that one on TV. It was on a Tomorrows World type program, about three years ago TO THE DAY!
IIRC the program was aired about 10 years ago though, so perhaps nowadays they really can do such a thing?
A paralysed guy has been fitted with an implant in the motor control area of his brain which picks up nerve signals and operates stuff by remote control. There are also experimental non-implanted versions which work from a bunch of scalp electrodes in a cap. I can see this technology taking off commercially in a big way. Might cause some interesting consequences when two or more colocated implant-wearing television watchers have strongly differing views on what to watch...
Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff