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Unforseen tech

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Unforseen tech
Post by Daryl   » Tue Apr 05, 2016 7:40 am

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History is full of technical advances that came totally unexpectedly, and some that SF authors predicted long before the general population even imagined them.
I'm sticking my neck out to make suggestions.

Obviously the two main holy grails at present are fusion power and an electrical storage system (battery) that equals or exceeds the power per KG (or litre) of petrochemicals (eg a battery that stores more energy but is smaller and lighter than a car petrol tank).

I'd like to add a synthetic photosynthesis cell, similar to current solar electricity panels, that can be tuned to provide simple compounds from sunlight, water and air. An industrial complex with these producing compounds like ethanol, methanol, ethylene, benzene, and the like; could then pass these as feed stocks to chemical stacks that in turn combine then to make compounds that are used by industrial 3d printers.

Others would include room temperature superconductors, monofilaments (carbon or others), linear motors, and stuff we are currently clueless about coming from quantum effects, entanglements (ansible?) and the Unified Field Theory.

I'd love to hear other's dreams on this.
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Re: Unforseen tech
Post by Annachie   » Tue Apr 05, 2016 9:26 am

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I'd just like a battery powered 12 seat bus that has solar panels on the roof.

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Re: Unforseen tech
Post by thinkstoomuch   » Tue Apr 05, 2016 9:28 am

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An efficient and econ0mic method to convert heat differentials to electricity.

Good topic,
T2M
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Q: “How can something be worth more than it costs? Isn’t everything ‘worth’ what it costs?”
A: “No. That’s just the price. ...
Christopher Anvil from Top Line in "War Games"
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Re: Unforseen tech
Post by MadAmos   » Tue Apr 05, 2016 4:16 pm

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Daryl wrote:...I'd like to add a synthetic photosynthesis cell, similar to current solar electricity panels, that can be tuned to provide simple compounds from sunlight, water and air. An industrial complex with these producing compounds like ethanol, methanol, ethylene, benzene, and the like; could then pass these as feed stocks to chemical stacks that in turn combine then to make compounds that are used by industrial 3d printers.


I'd think an engineered plant would be on the horizon sooner to produce polymers that could be sent to printers.

If we're going to go with a carbon/water/air/sun synthesis system, I'd love to have it start producing sugars and amino acids for 3d printers to build food products. You've got all the basic elements needed.

I think it would be more interesting in a story at least though if it were consumer tech.
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Re: Unforseen tech
Post by Michael Everett   » Tue Apr 05, 2016 5:36 pm

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...Hydrofuzers?

Or would that plateau development?
Taken from the anthology book "The Trouble With Humans"

The problem with trying to forecast tech is that it doesn't turn out how you expect, usually due to tiny details people overlook or societal issues. Tech changes society which in turn alters how people can think about progressing tech. Rocket packs do exist, but when they were actually created, people started thinking about all the legal/societal issues such as mid-air collisions (splash!), fueling costs, range, control etc. End results, rockets are pretty much a dead-end tech-tree unless something major changes.

Tech also leads to odd side-effects that can only be recognized in hindsight. For instance, the old-style Valve Radios led to the use of the internet for porn. The route is Valves replaced by transistors -> Transistors make personal computers a viable proposition -> Scientists wanting to exchange data create way of sending messages between computers via phones -> use of e-mail leads to advanced concepts and development of internet -> lack of over-riding legal authority of internet attracts those seeking easy money -> people start trading -> pictures become commodity -> Porn.

If I had to predict future-tech, though, I'd say that with so many scientists trying to figure out how the human body works (and all the things that can go wrong with it), actual neural linkages leading to Anne McCaffrey-style Shellpeople might be viable within the next century or so.
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Re: Unforseen tech
Post by DDHvi   » Wed Apr 06, 2016 10:35 pm

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Given the political, etc. situations worldwide, the primary problem is going to be preventing wreckers of one or another persuasion from destroying the things we can do.

Automation is greatly decreasing labor costs while increasing capital needs, but most people don't work at the only job that can't be automated from under them for the probable future: the work of devising new jobs that fit the current needs and opportunities.

Calling all entrepreneurs
:!:
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Smart mistakes go on forever
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Re: Unforseen tech
Post by biochem   » Mon Apr 11, 2016 9:27 am

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Near term I'd like to see non-fossil fuel hydrocarbons. Fracking has brought us some breathing room but so much of the oil wealth is still in the hands of people who hate us (us being the western world not just the USA).

Long term - teleportation. I'd like to be able to work in a major city but live where-ever I want (which wouldn't be anywhere near a major city!) I don't see that one within the next 100 years. Although who in 1876 could have possibly imagined ANYTHING remotely like the personal computer could have existed!
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Re: Unforseen tech
Post by Howard T. Map-addict   » Mon Apr 11, 2016 4:35 pm

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The computers are already bringing your job to you.
They are bringing the whole city to you!
All of the cities in the world!!

HTM

biochem wrote:
{snip - htm}
Long term - teleportation. I'd like to be able to work in a major city but live where-ever I want (which wouldn't be anywhere near a major city!) I don't see that one within the next 100 years. Although who in 1876 could have possibly imagined ANYTHING remotely like the personal computer could have existed!
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Re: Unforseen tech
Post by DDHvi   » Thu Apr 14, 2016 9:42 pm

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Howard T. Map-addict wrote:The computers are already bringing your job to you.
They are bringing the whole city to you!
All of the cities in the world!!

HTM

biochem wrote:
{snip - htm}
Long term - teleportation. I'd like to be able to work in a major city but live where-ever I want (which wouldn't be anywhere near a major city!) I don't see that one within the next 100 years. Although who in 1876 could have possibly imagined ANYTHING remotely like the personal computer could have existed!


Whenever it involves information, rather than physical movement, at least. Of course there are some problems - and solutions :arrow:

https://fundooprofessor.wordpress.com/2 ... straction/
;)
Douglas Hvistendahl
Retired technical nerd
ddhviste@drtel.net

Dumb mistakes are very irritating.
Smart mistakes go on forever
Unless you test your assumptions!
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Re: Unforseen tech
Post by thinkstoomuch   » Fri Apr 15, 2016 7:29 am

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Howard T. Map-addict wrote:The computers are already bringing your job to you.
They are bringing the whole city to you!
All of the cities in the world!!

HTM


Just my opinion of course but the computer not even close to the same thing as being there. Though even in 1974 the Spokane Worlds Fair had a good Movie of the Grand Canyon.

Arches National Park they have some seriously awesome pictures. But hiking around the various trails is entirely a different experience. Much less the Skywalk over the Grand Canyon. Did I mention I have issues with height? Can't say much for cities as I generally avoid them like the plague.

That said I am reminded of an Asimov story where each house door was a teleportation device. Someone was abnormal because once they started walking around in "nature" they kept wanting to do it more. Including the "bad" parts rain and such. For most people outside really didn't exist. Not remembering the title right now. Read it a long time ago.

So this like most technologies teleportation has upsides and downsides. Though it made a good feature in the "Looking Glass" series.

Have fun,
T2M
-----------------------
Q: “How can something be worth more than it costs? Isn’t everything ‘worth’ what it costs?”
A: “No. That’s just the price. ...
Christopher Anvil from Top Line in "War Games"
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