Crazy technology ideas! Mad scientists welcome! [Archive]

druid91

2011-01-23, 01:19 PM

Well, Being me I occasionally come up with some insane idea for a gizmo.

Also being me I never have an idea whether they are feasible, until after I've drawn up some sort of design.

Thus has ended the electrohammer, the magnetic levitator...

Some of these seem like they might work.

The ball wheel car. I got the idea for this one after seeing I, robot.

And the pack. Basically something that replaces food, by using electricity to replace the energy you would get from food, along with some vitamin packs to inject the other things you need into your blood stream.

So Am I the only one who comes up with these crazy ideas? Come in and discuss yours!

Dragon queen

2011-01-23, 02:04 PM

I have had quite a few crazy ideas in the past but the two craziest are:

1. I had this totally crazy idea I came up with awhile back with the idea of a solar- powered rocket ship. You could put the solar panels on the rocket ship then just leave it to absorb energy for like a year, then, Blast off!

2. If you could but all the food you need in a day in to a chew-able pill that comes in almost every flavor on earth. Not only would it help a lot of starving people, it would taste good! Like for instance raspberry jam, or chocolate. Yum!

Crazy, huh?:smalltongue:

Eloel

2011-01-23, 03:30 PM

I'm currently trying to figure out how I'd synchronize a pen with my computer.

I have it pretty much planned in my mind, though done nothing till now. So, yeah...

Mina Kobold

2011-01-23, 03:56 PM

I'm currently trying to figure out how I'd synchronize a pen with my computer.

I have it pretty much planned in my mind, though done nothing till now. So, yeah...

You mean a tablet?

I am wondering if I could build a robot, then work my way up to higher goals.

Only other idea I have is a gun that shoots compressed air which hits like a punch but is non-lethal.

ut I don't know if physics work like that.

Saposhiente

2011-01-23, 04:00 PM

It could theoretically work, but for it to feel like a punch (especially at long ranges) you'd need to squish a lot of air...

Lord Raziere

2011-01-23, 04:27 PM

:smallbiggrin:

I came up with the idea of Icefire. It freezes things completely while at the same time burning them to a cinder. and I came up with organic steel, I call it Biosteel, its a metal that can regenerate.

I am also the one who has made Pseudomatter, matter completely susceptible to manipulation by the mind, but only exists as long your will and focus holds, if your will falters, it disperses back into energy. of course from Pseudomatter I have discovered various extra-dimensional elements of which I can use, including things that are technically energy.

From Icefire I came up with the Ever-Burning Steam Engine to power anything eternally, for if you simply modify one dimension of Icefire, it goes from paradoxical freezing and burning weapon, to a self consuming and producing thing which can burn forever.

thubby

2011-01-23, 05:20 PM

since i was young i had an idea akin to a paintball gun that shot "glue" to incapacitate people.
several years later, they were working on it. i was thrilled.

Ravens_cry

2011-01-23, 07:39 PM

You know those propane fridges you see in RV?
I had an idea for one that was solar thermal powered, for use by doctors in 3rd world countries and other places without reliable electricity for keeping medicines cool.
When I was small I drew up plans for a remote controlled 'robot' powered by electromagnets, with literally foil switches as the control system.
I also have an idea for a system for retrieving ore from the Venusian surface for processing by a oxygen filled balloon colony. I also drew up plans for the balloon colony itself at an altitude on Venus comfortable both temperature and pressure wise. Why oxygen?
Oxygen is a lifting gas in a CO² atmosphere, dramatically increasing living space in an aerostat.

Traab

2011-01-23, 09:59 PM

When I was a kid, I built a "robotic arm" I was so proud, I came up with something new! Hey, I was in grade school and had no idea they already existed. I built it so people in wheelchairs could reach stuff on high shelves. I made it out of a bicycle brake, a car radio telescoping antenna, and some motor gizmo I got from my dad who owned his own autobody shop. I had it setup to extend I think 2 and a half feet, have a grip capable of holding onto a box of cereal, and could grip as tightly as you wanted so it could hold a raw egg without breaking it. Only downside is it couldnt support anything heavier than that box of cereal at full extension. Even that was pushing it.

This is my current idea. Automatic driving. Basically, every car gets a highly sensitive gps device installed, those little reflector posts on the highway are replaced by sensors, and by using them both, your car is able to drive itself, obey all traffic laws, and avoid any collisions. Those road sensors are able to detect where every car is currently so they can tell if an impact is imminent and adjust speed to compensate. That should cover for those who dont yet HAVE this setup for their car driving whatever random way they do. Even if it can only be done on highways it would still be a stress saving device, and really helpful for public safety.

Saposhiente

2011-01-23, 10:06 PM

Actually, that's being worked on as we type. It would allow the speed limits to increase to the range of, say... 200 mph-ish

Ravens_cry

2011-01-23, 10:13 PM

Yeah, we are getting pretty advanced in that department. What scares me if something in a very complex machine breaks or malfunctions. Going down the autobahn at 200MPH is NOT when you want a crash because a bug got splattered on a sensor. Or hitting a deer. It's bad enough at speeds nowadays, but at 200 MPH? *shudder*
I hope passenger trains make a revival in North America. Some experimental maglev designs are almost as fast as jets and much more energy efficient. I took one train trip with my biological father to Manitoba and it was glorious.

Traab

2011-01-23, 10:14 PM

Actually, that's being worked on as we type. It would allow the speed limits to increase to the range of, say... 200 mph-ish

Heh, I have had that idea in my head for years. Ever since I first heard about gps devices. Only issue is being able to make absolutely CERTAIN they are perfectly updated and accurate. Ive had times when mine tells me to turn left now.... and the nearest left turn is about 300 feet up the road. Id hate to see what happened to me if I wasnt in control of my car.

Mechanical gills. An underwater breathing device that sucks in water, extracts the oxygen, and lets you breathe it. Further modification uses the hydrogen for propulsion udnerwater. Not constant, it has to build up, but every now and then you release a jet of hydrogen behind you to propel yourself along for a little while. Think of it like a hybrid car. You still need to use your body to swim, this just lets you travel that much farther before you get exausted.

Joran

2011-01-23, 10:19 PM

You mean a tablet?

I am wondering if I could build a robot, then work my way up to higher goals.

Only other idea I have is a gun that shoots compressed air which hits like a punch but is non-lethal.

ut I don't know if physics work like that.

The Mythbusters have sort of made that:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_G5TlG7rvQ

Jaime built a compressed air gun that fired soda cans... It's lethal at short range, but you can load it with something a little less hard and have it "punch" someone.

A hard foam or gelatin stuffed inside a sabot should do it.

Orzel

2011-01-23, 10:40 PM

Drinkable steak (broke a blender on this one... twas a bad blender anyway, free)...
With potatoes you can inhale
and smokable spinach.

If someone invent that
OH YEAH!

Traab

2011-01-23, 10:41 PM

I GOT IT! A new method for space travel! Mounted on the front of the ship is a device that creates a gravity well. Essentially, your craft is constantly falling towards the well that is always right in front of it. The more intense the well, the faster the speed. Theoretically, you could approach sigularity levels of speed that way, but realistically, you would have to leave it at a setting that DOESNT stretch rocket ships into wire thin strips 5 million miles long. Wouldnt give us faster than light technology, but its one hell of alot faster than our current setups!

Saposhiente

2011-01-23, 11:20 PM

Heh, I have had that idea in my head for years. Ever since I first heard about gps devices. Only issue is being able to make absolutely CERTAIN they are perfectly updated and accurate. Ive had times when mine tells me to turn left now.... and the nearest left turn is about 300 feet up the road. Id hate to see what happened to me if I wasnt in control of my car.

Part of that is government paranoia. All GPS satellites have a certain hard coded inaccuracy so that terrorists can't use them to guide missiles and stuff.

absolmorph

2011-01-23, 11:44 PM

HalfTangible

2011-01-23, 11:45 PM

...
:smallconfused:
What the boop.
That's one of the most absurd things I've ever heard.

Especially since the margin of error is (EDIT: Usually) too small to make a difference for a missile =/

Dr.Epic

2011-01-23, 11:48 PM

Oh! I'm welcomed in this thread!

Ravens_cry

2011-01-24, 12:42 AM

Actually, I think they removed the civilian limitations, at least most of them anyway, in 2000. One thing that makes the whole thing especially wonderful is they have to compensate for relativity (http://www.astronomy.ohio-state.edu/~pogge/Ast162/Unit5/gps.html) to get the timing right.

Joran

2011-01-24, 12:43 AM

Part of that is government paranoia. All GPS satellites have a certain hard coded inaccuracy so that terrorists can't use them to guide missiles and stuff.

...
:smallconfused:
What the boop.
That's one of the most absurd things I've ever heard.

That WAS true.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selective_Availability#Selective_availability

Selective Availability, a random error that the government USED to put into GPS, was lifted in 2000.

This is my current idea. Automatic driving. Basically, every car gets a highly sensitive gps device installed, those little reflector posts on the highway are replaced by sensors, and by using them both, your car is able to drive itself, obey all traffic laws, and avoid any collisions. Those road sensors are able to detect where every car is currently so they can tell if an impact is imminent and adjust speed to compensate. That should cover for those who dont yet HAVE this setup for their car driving whatever random way they do. Even if it can only be done on highways it would still be a stress saving device, and really helpful for public safety.

There's a ton of research going on in automated driving. Here's Google's version:

http://www.botjunkie.com/2010/10/12/googles-autonomous-car-takes-to-the-streets/

I've seen a couple other versions. One of the more interesting versions I saw was a "flock" of cars, where a line of cars follow one driven by a real driver. Has the capability of being implemented faster and with less infrastructure than some of the other versions, albeit with massive limitations.

golentan

2011-01-24, 01:35 AM

I've been drawing designs for a suit of clockwork power armor since forever. Sadly, I lack the metallurgy facilities to begin construction. :/

factotum

2011-01-24, 02:31 AM

2. If you could but all the food you need in a day in to a chew-able pill that comes in almost every flavor on earth. Not only would it help a lot of starving people, it would taste good! Like for instance raspberry jam, or chocolate.

There's no theoretical problem with making a pill that contains all the nutrients you need to get through a day, I think...the problem is that you'll still feel hungry all day because that reflex is partially down to how full your stomach is, not how well-nourished you are.

Joran

2011-01-24, 02:48 AM

There's no theoretical problem with making a pill that contains all the nutrients you need to get through a day, I think...the problem is that you'll still feel hungry all day because that reflex is partially down to how full your stomach is, not how well-nourished you are.

Actually, the limitation is the amount of energy in the pill. Essentially your body converts that mass into energy. You need 2000 Calories per day and there's no way to cram that into pill size.

Prime32

2011-01-24, 06:08 AM

You know those propane fridges you see in RV?
I had an idea for one that was solar thermal powered, for use by doctors in 3rd world countries and other places without reliable electricity for keeping medicines cool.IIRC fridges which require no power were invented before the current models, by Einstein, but were deemed inefficient.

I GOT IT! A new method for space travel! Mounted on the front of the ship is a device that creates a gravity well. Essentially, your craft is constantly falling towards the well that is always right in front of it. The more intense the well, the faster the speed. Theoretically, you could approach sigularity levels of speed that way, but realistically, you would have to leave it at a setting that DOESNT stretch rocket ships into wire thin strips 5 million miles long. Wouldnt give us faster than light technology, but its one hell of alot faster than our current setups!Sounds an awful lot like that Troll Physics thing with the magnets. :smalltongue: The gravity well couldn't pull itself. Actually, it would move towards the ship.

Xefas

2011-01-24, 06:22 AM

I want a laptop that hooks the internet into my veins. I don't care what it does; I just want it in my veins.

Also, I want an ear-bud that can selectively noise-cancel. It picks up a certain pitch, figures out "oh, that's a child screaming", and then blocks me from hearing sounds of exactly that pitch until it stops detecting that sound.

I don't hear children screaming very often, but I would pay a hefty sum of money to reduce that frequency to zero.

Nidogg

2011-01-24, 07:24 AM

A brilliant money making sceme would be to make a poker playing robot that would have no tell! Therefore no one would be able to call it's bluff so it could analyze peoples tells at will and bluff with impunity ! Could that work?

Mina Kobold

2011-01-24, 09:43 AM

Also, I want an ear-bud that can selectively noise-cancel. It picks up a certain pitch, figures out "oh, that's a child screaming", and then blocks me from hearing sounds of exactly that pitch until it stops detecting that sound.

I don't hear children screaming very often, but I would pay a hefty sum of money to reduce that frequency to zero.

I think they had a similar idea in Artemis Fowl, essentially it was a fungus that closed of to anything too loud.

But that would indeed be very useful, especially if you could adjust it.

Would fix my hearing problem.

AsteriskAmp

2011-01-24, 09:48 AM

Also, I want an ear-bud that can selectively noise-cancel. It picks up a certain pitch, figures out "oh, that's a child screaming", and then blocks me from hearing sounds of exactly that pitch until it stops detecting that sound.

I don't hear children screaming very often, but I would pay a hefty sum of money to reduce that frequency to zero.
I would be happy with one that works properly in the presence of music and doesn't distort it like the actual ones do. It's annoying to get asked to play softer because they decide to put the old man with the hearing aid near the piano.

Kislath

2011-01-24, 11:35 AM

I'd like to see a network of super-highspeed mag-lev trains going though underground tunnels at speeds of Mach 3 or so. Zoom-tubes, we'd call them.

I'd also like a global satellite telephone network making ALL calls local ones.

Admiral Squish

2011-01-24, 12:15 PM

Artificial womb to protect my genetic experiments while they matured.

Air-conditioned jacket to keep the heat off in hot climes.

Airships. Imagine a semi-truck that didn't need to follow winding mountain roads, could carry more, move faster, and land anywhere, no need for access roads. Personal-sized balloons that could inflate and collapse within minutes, and when collapsed could store in the same amount of space as a normal car. GPS directions all become a straight line.

Stacked aquatic housing. Massive seaborne 'floats', with quadruple-chains of bubble-houses descending into the ocean. The float features an airship lander pad, air purifiers, water filtration systems, tidal power-generators, even their own greenhouse-farms to produce perishables. Each bubble has it's own backup life support and power. Commuters either take a lift to the surface, mass transport to another string, and then another lift down, or skip the whole thing and just take a scuba-suit and a personal propeller over to your buddy's bubble.

Traab

2011-01-24, 12:58 PM

IIRC fridges which require no power were invented before the current models, by Einstein, but were deemed inefficient.

Sounds an awful lot like that Troll Physics thing with the magnets. :smalltongue: The gravity well couldn't pull itself. Actually, it would move towards the ship.

I dunno, basically, im picturing what amounts to a carrot on a stick in front of a horse. It is held a rigid distance away from the horse, but still close enough to get him to keep moving and try to grab it. The gravity well is maintained a set distance from the space ship, enough to pull it towards the bottom of the well, or whatever the hell the proper term would be for this, but always staying ahead of it. So a constant state of free fall. Terminal velocity would be easy to figure out mathmatically, and thats how we would know how to adjust the level of gravity to reach the speed desired. For instance, if in normal earth gravity the ship would fall at say, 150 mph, being able to produce a field 10x that of earth would give the ship a constant speed of 1500 mph. 100x would be 15000, etc. Obviously the lack of enviroment would be an issue as friction and wind resistance wouldnt exist in outer space, but im sure there are formulas that could be used to figure this out accuratly.

Necro_EX

2011-01-24, 02:14 PM

Only other idea I have is a gun that shoots compressed air which hits like a punch but is non-lethal.

Blue Beetle's BB gun?

The only thing I'm working on myself is a plasma weapon. Ever do the 'grapes in the microwave' experiment? Think that, but in a tube.

The problem is finding a way to guide the plasma.
Also, that whole radiation thing...I don't want to become sterile or get cancer or anything. :/

Ravens_cry

2011-01-24, 02:17 PM

Blue Beetle's BB gun?

The only thing I'm working on myself is a plasma weapon. Ever do the 'grapes in the microwave' experiment? Think that, but in a tube.

The problem is finding a way to guide the plasma.
Also, that whole radiation thing...I don't want to become sterile or get cancer or anything. :/Magnets will work as long as it is in the tube.

Mina Kobold

2011-01-24, 02:21 PM

Eloel

2011-01-24, 02:27 PM

You mean a tablet?

No, a pen. So you could actually draw/write on a paper AND have it register on your laptop/pc.

leakingpen

2011-01-24, 02:28 PM

You mean a tablet?

I am wondering if I could build a robot, then work my way up to higher goals.

Only other idea I have is a gun that shoots compressed air which hits like a punch but is non-lethal.

ut I don't know if physics work like that.

Look up wham-o air cannons and vortex cannons.

I GOT IT! A new method for space travel! Mounted on the front of the ship is a device that creates a gravity well. Essentially, your craft is constantly falling towards the well that is always right in front of it. The more intense the well, the faster the speed. Theoretically, you could approach sigularity levels of speed that way, but realistically, you would have to leave it at a setting that DOESNT stretch rocket ships into wire thin strips 5 million miles long. Wouldnt give us faster than light technology, but its one hell of alot faster than our current setups!

You'd lose all the force in pushing the singularity, wouldnt you?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Keveak View Post
You mean a tablet?
No, a pen. So you could actually draw/write on a paper AND have it register on your laptop/pc.

I own this one. http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-io-Personal-Digital-Pen/dp/B00006JP23

unfortunatley, they take special paper, and the paper for my pen is no longer produced, and wasn't cheap when it was.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Necro_EX View Post
The only thing I'm working on myself is a plasma weapon. Ever do the 'grapes in the microwave' experiment? Think that, but in a tube.

The problem is finding a way to guide the plasma.
Also, that whole radiation thing...I don't want to become sterile or get cancer or anything. :/
Hmm. If you create the plasma, then pass a relatively slow-moving magnetized rod through the plasma cloud... The charged gasses could, in theory, be pulled along on the magnetic field. The only problem is that if the rod moves too fast, the plasma would just get left behind, though if you used larger or more powerful magnets, the gas would adhere better.

What about a high powered laser to ionize the air in a line? Create a ball of plasma using a vortex ring (mentioned above) of an easily plasma-ed gas, fired along the laser beam. Since the air is ionized and conducting electricity, you could then run a charge down that line to keep the plasma ball hot and energized. of course, it would require keeping a straightline going the entire traverse time of the plasma ball... Dunno how effective it would be.
Honestly, for the armor melting aspect, a projectile that erupts into a ball of plasma shortly before impact would be better.

Admiral Squish

2011-01-24, 02:31 PM

The only thing I'm working on myself is a plasma weapon. Ever do the 'grapes in the microwave' experiment? Think that, but in a tube.

The problem is finding a way to guide the plasma.
Also, that whole radiation thing...I don't want to become sterile or get cancer or anything. :/

Hmm. If you create the plasma, then pass a relatively slow-moving magnetized rod through the plasma cloud... The charged gasses could, in theory, be pulled along on the magnetic field. The only problem is that if the rod moves too fast, the plasma would just get left behind, though if you used larger or more powerful magnets, the gas would adhere better.

Mina Kobold

2011-01-24, 02:32 PM

No, a pen. So you could actually draw/write on a paper AND have it register on your laptop/pc.

Couldn't you just add a compartment in the tablet pen for the lead/ink?

My tablet can register the pen through paper just fine so all it need is something to impress onto the paper.

...

That might actually work! You could sell teh idea to Bamboo! :D

Prime32

2011-01-24, 02:53 PM

I have a pen which records its motions to my computer. I find it inconvenient.

I dunno, basically, im picturing what amounts to a carrot on a stick in front of a horse. It is held a rigid distance away from the horse, but still close enough to get him to keep moving and try to grab it. The gravity well is maintained a set distance from the space ship, enough to pull it towards the bottom of the well, or whatever the hell the proper term would be for this, but always staying ahead of it. So a constant state of free fall. Terminal velocity would be easy to figure out mathmatically, and thats how we would know how to adjust the level of gravity to reach the speed desired. For instance, if in normal earth gravity the ship would fall at say, 150 mph, being able to produce a field 10x that of earth would give the ship a constant speed of 1500 mph. 100x would be 15000, etc. Obviously the lack of enviroment would be an issue as friction and wind resistance wouldnt exist in outer space, but im sure there are formulas that could be used to figure this out accuratly.That does not work.

Imagine a massive gravity well at the front of your ship. Say, one the size of the earth. What do you know, we have one of those already, the Earth itself. Connect the front of your ship to the ground, pointing down, and wait for it to start travelling forward. :smallamused:

Newton's Third Law: Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. The ship is drawn towards the gravity well, and the gravity well is drawn towards the ship with equal force. You cannot gain momentum in one direction from two objects travelling towards each other.

This is the same thing as grabbing yourself by the collar and throwing yourself, or the Troll car propelled by holding a magnet in front of it. Your propulsion system amounts to "make the front of the ship heavy".

shawnhcorey

2011-01-24, 02:54 PM

1. I had this totally crazy idea I came up with awhile back with the idea of a solar- powered rocket ship. You could put the solar panels on the rocket ship then just leave it to absorb energy for like a year, then, Blast off!

Search the web for solarsail spacecraft, magsail spacecraft, and ion rocket.

2. If you could but all the food you need in a day in to a chew-able pill that comes in almost every flavor on earth. Not only would it help a lot of starving people, it would taste good! Like for instance raspberry jam, or chocolate. Yum!

Not possible. First, it wouldn't have all the fibre you need. Second, it wouldn't have favinoids, compounds found in fresh fruits and vegetables that your body needs.. You can't put them in pill form since they break down in a few days.

I GOT IT! A new method for space travel! Mounted on the front of the ship is a device that creates a gravity well. Essentially, your craft is constantly falling towards the well that is always right in front of it. The more intense the well, the faster the speed. Theoretically, you could approach sigularity levels of speed that way, but realistically, you would have to leave it at a setting that DOESNT stretch rocket ships into wire thin strips 5 million miles long. Wouldnt give us faster than light technology, but its one hell of alot faster than our current setups!

Search the web for reverse Casimir effect. This one looks like the real deal: anti-gravity.

Moff Chumley

2011-01-24, 02:58 PM

One word:

Knifewrench. :smallamused:

Traab

2011-01-24, 03:09 PM

I have a pen which records its motions to my computer. I find it inconvenient.
That does not work.

Imagine a massive gravity well at the front of your ship. Say, one the size of the earth. What do you know, we have one of those already, the Earth itself. Connect the front of your ship to the ground, pointing down, and wait for it to start travelling forward. :smallamused:

Newton's Third Law: Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. The ship is drawn towards the gravity well, and the gravity well is drawn towards the ship with equal force. You cannot gain momentum in one direction from two objects travelling towards each other.

This is the same thing as grabbing yourself by the collar and throwing yourself, or the Troll car propelled by holding a magnet in front of it. Your propulsion system amounts to "make the front of the ship heavy".

Well then the problem is to find a way to secure the gravity well so that it cant pull itself towards you. Sort of like, being on a boat, grabbing a line attached to a dock, and pulling your boat towards the dock. The dock doesnt move because its anchored despite the equal and opposite reaction. In my space travel theory, the artificial gravity well is the dock, the gravity is the man pulling a rope, and the ship..... is the ship. Find a way to anchor that well so that it cant move towards you. Then it would be more like any item in outer space suddenly hitting our gravitational field. It gets yanked down in a fiery ball of death till ti either burns up or smashes into something.

leakingpen

2011-01-24, 03:14 PM

Well then the problem is to find a way to secure the gravity well so that it cant pull itself towards you. Sort of like, being on a boat, grabbing a line attached to a dock, and pulling your boat towards the dock. The dock doesnt move because its anchored despite the equal and opposite reaction. In my space travel theory, the artificial gravity well is the dock, the gravity is the man pulling a rope, and the ship..... is the ship. Find a way to anchor that well so that it cant move towards you. Then it would be more like any item in outer space suddenly hitting our gravitational field. It gets yanked down in a fiery ball of death till ti either burns up or smashes into something.

what would you anchor it to? It would have to be a distance aways, anchored at your destination point. at which time, due to inverse square, its useless.

Traab

2011-01-24, 03:31 PM

what would you anchor it to? It would have to be a distance aways, anchored at your destination point. at which time, due to inverse square, its useless.

Hmm, there has to be a way to make it work. Going back to my ship and dock suggestion, if we reverse it, say im standing on the dock trying to pull in a cruise ship by hand, im going to fail because its too massive for the force I can produce to effect it significantly. In fact, it would yank ME off the dock instead. Earth doesnt get yanked off its axis by the satalites we place around it, so maybe the secret is to create a gravity well thats too massive to be pulled towards the ship instead of the other way around. The trick would be a way to isolate it so it isnt tearing stars off course as we fly by them, and only effects the ship. A directional gravity well perhaps? Im picturing a cone that projects the gravity so it only covers the ship and nothing around it.

Ravens_cry

2011-01-24, 03:36 PM

One word:

Knifewrench. :smallamused:
For kids!
Seriously though, if done better ,like making it like a pocket knife that folds into the handle of the wrench, it might be a workable idea. It is still ungainly though with the heavy wrench head.

Admiral Squish

2011-01-24, 03:42 PM

For kids!
Seriously though, if done better ,like making it like a pocket knife that folds into the handle of the wrench, it might be a workable idea. It is still ungainly though with the heavy wrench head.

My dad's got this sorta swiss army wrench thing. It fold opens like a butterfly knife to expose the wrench bit, and both sides of the handle are filled with typical Swiss army knife tool, including a relatively impressive blade.

shawnhcorey

2011-01-24, 03:58 PM

My dad's got this sorta swiss army wrench thing. It fold opens like a butterfly knife to expose the wrench bit, and both sides of the handle are filled with typical Swiss army knife tool, including a relatively impressive blade.

I do believe that's called a MutliTool (http://www.multitool.org/).

Gorgondantess

2011-01-24, 04:00 PM

Airships. Imagine a semi-truck that didn't need to follow winding mountain roads, could carry more, move faster, and land anywhere, no need for access roads.

It's called a zeppelin. They just fell out of vogue after the Hindenburg- people suddenly thought they were suuuuuper dangerous. Kindof like nuclear power plants.:smallsigh:
Anyways, the only thing is they're inefficient, but I know of an oil company that use them to transport oil over mountains & bad terrain & such.

Moff Chumley

2011-01-24, 04:03 PM

Hmmm...

Drillfork?

Asta Kask

2011-01-24, 04:11 PM

Prime32

2011-01-24, 04:11 PM

Hmm, there has to be a way to make it work. Going back to my ship and dock suggestion, if we reverse it, say im standing on the dock trying to pull in a cruise ship by hand, im going to fail because its too massive for the force I can produce to effect it significantly. In fact, it would yank ME off the dock instead. Earth doesnt get yanked off its axis by the satalites we place around it, so maybe the secret is to create a gravity well thats too massive to be pulled towards the ship instead of the other way around. The trick would be a way to isolate it so it isnt tearing stars off course as we fly by them, and only effects the ship. A directional gravity well perhaps? Im picturing a cone that projects the gravity so it only covers the ship and nothing around it.
The earth does get yanked off its axis. It's just that it's so massive we wouldn't notice even if it was yanked off by a kilometer. And you could easily* pull in a cruise ship by hand if there's nothing pulling it away from you.

And that still wouldn't work. Even if you could somehow prevent the gravity well from moving, that would prevent it from moving forward.

A "gravity well" is just something heavy. There's no special kind of gravity energy that's only emitted by sciency things, everything in the universe pulls other things towards it by gravity in proportion to its mass. Again, your idea consists entirely of making the front of the ship heavy and relying on this:
http://knowyourmeme.com/i/000/074/256/original/1285770302993.jpg?1285772817

*Okay, I'm not sure exactly how much friction would get in the way here, but fairly large boats can be pulled by hand.

Mina Kobold

2011-01-24, 04:21 PM

A "gravity well" is just something heavy. There's no special kind of gravity energy that's only emitted by sciency things, everything in the universe pulls other things towards it by gravity in proportion to its mass. Again, your idea consists entirely of making the front of the ship heavy and relying on this:
-Scary snip-

Unless you collect the mass in one point, in which case you'd probably travel dimensions or blow up the planet.

Both of which I consider viable methods of transportation. :smalltongue:

Also, butterfly robots with water pistol weaponry.

Want.

shawnhcorey

2011-01-24, 04:27 PM

It's called a zeppelin. They just fell out of vogue after the Hindenburg- people suddenly thought they were suuuuuper dangerous. Kindof like nuclear power plants.:smallsigh:
Anyways, the only thing is they're inefficient, but I know of an oil company that use them to transport oil over mountains & bad terrain & such.

The strange thing about the Hindenburg is that most of the passengers survived. When the gondola reached the ground, they jumped out and ran away.

I heard one proposal to use blimps for logging in mountains. Their inefficiency is made up by the fact that they wouldn't have to build logging roads to get the lumber out.

AsteriskAmp

2011-01-24, 04:31 PM

The strange thing about the Hindenburg is that most of the passengers survived. When the gondola reached the ground, they jumped out and ran away.

I heard one proposal to use blimps for logging in mountains. Their inefficiency is made up by the fact that they wouldn't have to build logging roads to get the lumber out.

Try landing a blimp on a forest, it's not easy, even with large extensions of cleared flat land it's damn hard if there is wind.

The inefficiency also comes from the fact that you have a gigant Helium Balloon with a heavy load floating along. If there is strong wind - Heavy Delay, If VERY strong wind - You are in serious troubles.

Finally, they are not particularly fast.

shawnhcorey

2011-01-24, 04:39 PM

Try landing a blimp on a forest, it's not easy, even with large extensions of cleared flat land it's damn hard if there is wind.

The inefficiency also comes from the fact that you have a gigant Helium Balloon with a heavy load floating along. If there is strong wind - Heavy Delay, If VERY strong wind - You are in serious troubles.

Finally, they are not particularly fast.

The proposal wasn't to land the blimp; they would simply lower a cable and drag the logs down the mountain. It wouldn't even lift the logs entirely off the ground. And, of course, it couldn't be used on windy days.

eidreff

2011-01-24, 04:41 PM

I came up with an idea for creating a RAID array using USB memory sticks.

the idea being that using four USB flash memory sticks you create a Striped and Mirrored RAID array which is also heavily encrypted. The way that this would work is as follows... Two of the sticks are virtual or non removable sticks, and are in effect a base station. This base station can be synched with another station, say at another office or branch of a company. This way when mobile workers travel between sites the loss of a USB device is far less likely to cause a breach of security if the data they are carrying is sensitive in any way. Obviously a back up of the pens being carried would also be needed.

I have tried to make a basic raid array with USB memory sticks to no avail however :smallfrown: And in reality its not really the most practical of ideas i guess.

Bhu

2011-01-24, 05:11 PM

I would personally like a cat portable death ray.

Wardog

2011-01-24, 05:18 PM

That WAS true.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selective_Availability#Selective_availability

Selective Availability, a random error that the government USED to put into GPS, was lifted in 2000.

Because it turned out there was a REALLY simply fix for it: just set up a second GPS reciever in a precisely known location, calculate the difference between the position it claims to be at and the position you know it really is at, and then radio the correction to your first GPS. As long as you are not too far away, it negates not only the Selective Availability error, but a big chunk of the natural error as well.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Differential_GPS

IIRC, GPS with SA was accurate to about 100m. GPS without SA is accurate to about 10m. And DGPS (regardless of if SA was being used) is accurate to 1-2m. There are even some more advanced GPS systems that have an accuracy of about a centimetre.

Xefas

2011-01-24, 05:29 PM

Once we get that whole "ubiquitous computing" thing down, I want a program for my ocular implants that creates a virtual pet that only I, and the people who request to join my pet feed and are accepted, can see and interact with.

If this could replace actual pets, there'd be a number of benefits. For one, I could choose to stop seeing cats, which would greatly increase my attention span (see this graph for more info (http://xkcd.com/231/)) in my day to day life. No more walking into someone's house and having their dog shove its gigantic nose into my crotch. And, best of all, I could have a swarm of a thousand baby bunnies following me around 24/7 without freaking anyone out (or having to clean up after them).

Oh and I could be like "Yeah, join my feed, I downloaded this awesome turtle that is totally just in my hand right now" and then they join, and it's like SWARM OF BABY BUNNIES COVERING THEIR ENTIRE BODY AAAAAAARRRRGH.

Actually, I'm just going to point out that the sooner we wipe out all life on the planet and replace it with robots with downloaded consciousnesses and virtual simulacrums of plants and animals, the better. Life is very inconvenient.

Traab

2011-01-24, 05:44 PM

Necro_EX

2011-01-24, 06:01 PM

Hmm. If you create the plasma, then pass a relatively slow-moving magnetized rod through the plasma cloud... The charged gasses could, in theory, be pulled along on the magnetic field. The only problem is that if the rod moves too fast, the plasma would just get left behind, though if you used larger or more powerful magnets, the gas would adhere better.

Also the rod could burn up. :/

We are talking about plasma, after all. Though, that would be a good way to get to look at plasma a little better, experiment with it more.

Definitely not a weapons-sort of solution, though.
See, I'm thinking plasma-thrower. :D

Though, I suppose that might be do-able...Have it shoot out some prongs on a wire like a tazer and have that magnetized...hmmm...

Well, I've got a shopping list, now.
1. new microwave.
2. tazer
3. grapes. Lots of grapes.

shawnhcorey

2011-01-24, 06:09 PM

Hmm, so there is no way short of creating neutron stars in front of you, only to instantly destroy and replace them further down the line, to create a gravity well in front of your ship that would work? Ok, heres an outer space question. IS there a terminal velocity in outer space? I know that here on earth terminal veloicity is dependant on weight and resistance, but IS there any resistance to movement in space? Or would you keep accelerating so long as some force keeps pushing you? Or does F = m * a still apply, there are just different values for it in the vaccum of space?

Yes, but it would be very fast. Scientists estimate that there is one proton per cubic centimetre in space between galaxies. Eventually, you would reach a terminal velocity. Something 99.99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999% of the speed of light.

Dvandemon

2011-01-24, 06:13 PM

You mean a tablet?

No, that's computer with paper :smalltongue: Yet, they kind of have that already.

Thanks to XKCD, I'm currently brainstorming on how to build that pet robot (http://xkcd.com/413/) and multiple models. Then there's the clockwork gardens...
:smallbiggrin:
I came up with the idea of Icefire. It freezes things completely while at the same time burning them to a cinder. and I came up with organic steel, I call it Biosteel, its a metal that can regenerate.
They did genetically engineer bacteriophages to build batteries. On biological, I thought of a virus that only affects fat cells; A bacteria that's harmless as you saturate the target town and then introduce a virus that turns said bacteria into a deadly plague :smallamused: :sabine::belkar:

From Icefire I came up with the Ever-Burning Steam Engine to power anything eternally, for if you simply modify one dimension of Icefire, it goes from paradoxical freezing and burning weapon, to a self consuming and producing thing which can burn forever.

Oh, look, you made Mr. Physics Professor cry
One word:

Knifewrench. :smallamused: For kids!
Yussssss :smallamused:
Once we get that whole "ubiquitous computing" thing down, I want a program for my ocular implants that creates a virtual pet that only I, and the people who request to join my pet feed and are accepted, can see and interact with.

If this could replace actual pets, there'd be a number of benefits. For one, I could choose to stop seeing cats, which would greatly increase my attention span (see this graph for more info (http://xkcd.com/231/)) in my day to day life. No more walking into someone's house and having their dog shove its gigantic nose into my crotch. And, best of all, I could have a swarm of a thousand baby bunnies following me around 24/7 without freaking anyone out (or having to clean up after them).

Oh and I could be like "Yeah, join my feed, I downloaded this awesome turtle that is totally just in my hand right now" and then they join, and it's like SWARM OF BABY BUNNIES COVERING THEIR ENTIRE BODY AAAAAAARRRRGH.

Actually, I'm just going to point out that the sooner we wipe out all life on the planet and replace it with robots with downloaded consciousnesses and virtual simulacrums of plants and animals, the better. Life is very inconvenient. That's essentially Dennou Coil

TenRedCats

2011-01-24, 06:16 PM

Traab-

Unfortunately, matter cannot be created or destroyed, so accelerating towards a block of matter that massive enough to accelerate you to those speeds is a Very Bad Thing.

It can, however, be dispersed. Though given the vacuum of space it will be dispersed uniformly, which means you run the risk of some of the released matter/energy from hitting you in the face. And given the quantity involved, that would also be a Bad Thing.

Although, since you can't actually generate matter from nothing to begin with to create a gravity well, you're pretty safe with how you're describing things.

Traab

2011-01-24, 06:38 PM

Ok, so gravity drives arent going to happen, hmm, if it wasnt for the fact that space is already a vaccum, id suggest using that as a method of travel, basically creating a vaccuum in front of you, your ship gets sucked into that vaccum, then you create another one, and keep repeating the process. With the ability to basically accelerate until you reach just below the speed of light, you could use this process until you hit whatever speed you are after, then just work to maintain it. But that wont work in space travel.... dammit.

I want interstellar travel, and I want ideas on how to make it happen! I dont know enough about space, dimensions beyond third and fourth, or any other theoretical ideas that work well in sci fi, but are low on supporting facts. Somehow being able to form a field of gravity around your ship that is constantly moving you in whatever direction you are after would have been so perfect! If only we could come up with a way for it to happen. Vaccuum travel also has potential, if space wasnt already a vaccuum. Lets try this from another angle. If a space ship will continue to accelerate for as long as force is pushing it in that direction, then what we need is a renewable source of fuel to provide that push. Or at least one that lasts a long time.

Nuclear power would have the long lasting aspect of it, the issue is finding a way to turn nuclear power into outer space propulsion. Its not like we can have it turn a propellar as if we were driving an outer space airplane. I know that there were plans to do this with the Orion projects but they fell through due to fallout worries. Basically through contained nuclear explosions to provide thrust. Not sure just how realistic the danger of fallout would be, if they only used this method while already in outer space. Just how dangerous WOULD an atomic bomb be, if it bursts in outer space?

shawnhcorey

2011-01-24, 06:44 PM

...

Vacuums don't suck, black holes do. I already mentioned the reverse Casimir effect (http://scienceblog.com/cms/scientists-reverse-casimir-effect-13866.html) that looks like an anti-gravity device that might be able to push against the Heisenberg fuzz which would create a propellant-less space drive.

Traab

2011-01-24, 06:55 PM

Vacuums don't suck, black holes do. I already mentioned the reverse Casimir effect (http://scienceblog.com/cms/scientists-reverse-casimir-effect-13866.html) that looks like an anti-gravity device that might be able to push against the Heisenberg fuzz which would create a propellant-less space drive.

No, but they want to be filled. Make certain that its YOU that goes into that vaccum and you have movement. It would probably suck, if youll pardon the pun, here on earth to try it, but since any movement tends to cause momentum, it might work in space, if it wasnt already a vaccum. So many good ideas get dismissed simply because they dont work. :p

Popertop

2011-01-24, 07:19 PM

2. If you could but all the food you need in a day in to a chew-able pill that comes in almost every flavor on earth. Not only would it help a lot of starving people, it would taste good! Like for instance raspberry jam, or chocolate. Yum!

The problem with this is, we need mastication to feel satisfied.
Why do you think so many people "snack" when they aren't hungry?

druid91

2011-01-24, 07:45 PM

Actually, I'm just going to point out that the sooner we wipe out all life on the planet and replace it with robots with downloaded consciousnesses and virtual simulacrums of plants and animals, the better. Life is very inconvenient.

Xefas... You are now officially awesome*. *High-five*

*Druids declarations of awesomeness may or may not be valid and redeemable by all.

Ravens_cry

2011-01-24, 07:46 PM

Actually, I'm just going to point out that the sooner we wipe out all life on the planet and replace it with robots with downloaded consciousnesses and virtual simulacrums of plants and animals, the better. Life is very inconvenient.
So are computer bugs.
And all those bazillion mhz machines aren't going to run and repair themselves. Someone will have to be left out of "paradise" to run things, keep the infrastructure running.

Trekkin

2011-01-24, 07:48 PM

Wow...crazy technology ideas are what got me to choose bioinformatics as my major. Most of these are from when I was around 13:

1. Bacteria that sequester metals out of groundwater and chemotactically congregate, joining into colonies to combine the metal content into particles large enough to settle out and be recovered.

2. a circuit-to-cerebrum interface organism; i wanted it to have electrically sensitive receptors growing on those areas of its cell membrane contacting copper, linked to faux neural tissue via a series of cytoskeletally switched membrane receptors. It's kind of like an adapter for cyborging.

3. this one's a bit gruesome, but I wanted assembleable organisms; sheets of various types of pseudotissue (actually tissue-specific bacteria embedded in a stress-sensitive sheet)that could be rolled, folded, and combined into a functioning mockup of the desired organism, at which point the embedded transgenic bacteria would establish a chemical awareness of their immediate neighbors and recursively assemble a genome with a homeobox that would allow that mockup to grow from a zygote as an actual functioning organism.

4. programmable cosmetic retroviruses. I wanted what would effectively be an implanted DNA synthesizer and retroviral assembly plant that could be programmed from a library of possible cosmetic changes to produce retroviruses capable of transfecting the genetic material necessary to effect them. You type "I want green eyes" into your laptop and it emails your implant to start turning your eyes green.

I was a strange child.

druid91

2011-01-24, 07:53 PM

So are computer bugs.
And all those bazillion mhz machines aren't going to run and repair themselves. Someone will have to be left out of "paradise" to run things, keep the infrastructure running.

And why won't the people benefiting from said paradise be able to do it?:smallconfused:

Ravens_cry

2011-01-24, 07:58 PM

And why won't the people benefiting from said paradise be able to do it?:smallconfused:
Because they are dead. The uploaded personalities may be able to look out a camera and operate some waldos, but those also have the potential to break down. Not to mention the computers running said personalities.

Ted_Stryker

2011-01-24, 08:05 PM

Vacuums don't suck, black holes do. I already mentioned the reverse Casimir effect (http://scienceblog.com/cms/scientists-reverse-casimir-effect-13866.html) that looks like an anti-gravity device that might be able to push against the Heisenberg fuzz which would create a propellant-less space drive.
All you're really doing is describing the troll car posted earlier again, except with the magnets repelling each other instead of attracting. I guarantee you a single shiny object in a vacuum won't get pushed anywhere, you really need the second object (and a lens, apparently), at which point you're talking about the repulsive magnet-pair troll car.

druid91

2011-01-24, 08:14 PM

Because they are dead. The uploaded personalities may be able to look out a camera and operate some waldos, but those also have the potential to break down. Not to mention the computers running said personalities.

I believe that he said the personalities would be uploaded into humanoid robots. And if they are still aware how are they dead?

Not to mention, the chances of everyone breaking at the exact same time would be like everyone on the planet breaking their legs all on the same day.

shawnhcorey

2011-01-24, 08:18 PM

All you're really doing is describing the troll car posted earlier again, except with the magnets repelling each other instead of attracting. I guarantee you a single shiny object in a vacuum won't get pushed anywhere, you really need the second object (and a lens, apparently), at which point you're talking about the repulsive magnet-pair troll car.

Not really. The Casimir effect works because it removes the energy of a vacuum between two plates. It is the energy of the vacuum outside of the plates that push them together. The reverse Casimir effect would create more energy in the vacuum just behind the spacecraft and as it disperses, would push the spacecraft forward.

Ravens_cry

2011-01-24, 08:34 PM

I believe that he said the personalities would be uploaded into humanoid robots. And if they are still aware how are they dead?

Not to mention, the chances of everyone breaking at the exact same time would be like everyone on the planet breaking their legs all on the same day.
Ah, I was imagineing abig matrix type situation, like the ultimate MMORPG. Still m if your going to have humanoid robots, why not have actual humanoids? If the infrastructure dies, you die too. Imagine someone set off a nuclear bomb in the upper atmosphere. Boom, massive EMP. If this happened now, it would mean the end if civilisation as we know it, but humanity would survive to rebuild. Same situation with an uploaded mind society? Extinction. There is also occasionally really powerful solar flares that can harm electronics. Again, this causes some potential deaths, but nothing compared to the havoc on a people that not only depends on technology but literally uses it to live.

druid91

2011-01-24, 08:45 PM

Ravens_cry

2011-01-24, 08:53 PM

Which is why you take the time to develop EMP shielding and countermeasures for your new body. Simple really.

And there is one other consideration. If we get to the point where personalities and the intelligence behind them are downloadable what's stopping you from copying yourself? Keeping a backup stored somewhere that updates when you recharge.

Oh massive EMP wipes everyone out on the surface? Ok the subterranean backups wake up, find out what happened and see if it's safe to return.
There is still the infrastructure to think of. If all civilisation ended becauseo f some catastrophe, we, as humanity, would still survive. The same thing happening to a robot civilisation, unless said robots were self repairing, self reproducing entities able to survive off chemical energy and molocules from other similar machines, i.e. life as we know it, would be destroyed. On a smaller scale, what if the factory that makes the part you need goes out of business, what if the file formats you use go obsolete?
And then there is the ethics and morals of destroying all the plants and animals.

Bhu

2011-01-24, 08:54 PM

Actually, I'm just going to point out that the sooner we wipe out all life on the planet and replace it with robots with downloaded consciousnesses and virtual simulacrums of plants and animals, the better. Life is very inconvenient.

And if someone will kindly make me a cat portable death ray I will see to it this happens

*fusses*

druid91

2011-01-24, 09:01 PM

There is still the infrastructure to think of. If all civilisation ended becauseo f some catastrophe, we, as humanity, would still survive. The same thing happening to a robot civilisation, unless said robots were self repairing, self reproducing entities able to survive off chemical energy and molocules from other similar machines, i.e. life as we know it, would be destroyed. On a smaller scale, what if the factory that makes the part you need goes out of business, what if the file formats you use go obsolete?
And then there is the ethics and morals of destroying all the plants and animals.

Or... Say civilization ends, The robots factories shut down. They make a workshop and Make the parts themselves You seem to be assuming something not quite right, if the robot breaks why can't it fix itself? I mean yeah if their internal computer breaks they'll need someone else to fix them. And who cares if the file formats are obsolete? I use obsolete stuff all the time. I have a ton of vhs tapes, and I watch them more than dvds.

Fixing a robot is a lot easier than fixing a person.

And if someone will kindly make me a cat portable death ray I will see to it this happens

*fusses*

Hmm, reminds me of the time I wanted to give my cat an armoured suit with rocket launchers, and a miniaturized minigun.

Ravens_cry

2011-01-24, 09:31 PM

Or... Say civilization ends, The robots factories shut down. They make a workshop and Make the parts themselves You seem to be assuming something not quite right, if the robot breaks why can't it fix itself? I mean yeah if their internal computer breaks they'll need someone else to fix them. And who cares if the file formats are obsolete? I use obsolete stuff all the time. I have a ton of vhs tapes, and I watch them more than dvds.

You need a bit better then workshop to repair an extremely complex robot capable of holding a conciousness. Look what it takes to make a barely mobile humanoid robot now. Even if we brought the costs down, the complexity remains.
As for file formats, its a bit different when the obsolete format holds your MIND. If your VHS player breaks down and you can't find another one, eh, it sucks, but you'll live. Not so much if the computing standard your memories and mind are encoded in is no longer supported.

druid91

2011-01-24, 09:35 PM

Ravens_cry

2011-01-24, 09:37 PM

Now, The question is... Who is upgrading these files? Why can't you simply use the alternate version that is already supported?

If the world is ended who is making the upgraded files in enough quantity that it becomes an issue?
I was mentioning both global and personal level drawbacks to the the idea of a mind upload society. The file format and parts issue was mentioned as a personal drawback.

druid91

2011-01-24, 09:41 PM

Well if the world hasn't ended, you pop along to the store and get yourself upgraded to the new file format.

Traab

2011-01-24, 09:42 PM

Ravens_cry

2011-01-24, 09:46 PM

Well if the world hasn't ended, you pop along to the store and get yourself upgraded to the new file format.
I doubt it would be that easy. I have computer games on 5 1/4 inch floppies. I have no means of transferring said files and they are PC games.

druid91

2011-01-24, 09:51 PM

Of course, they want you to buy new games. Not update old ones.

IF the content was your mind they would be stupid to not implement an upgrade program.

Ravens_cry

2011-01-24, 09:55 PM

Of course, they want you to buy new games. Not update old ones.

IF the content was your mind they would be stupid to not implement an upgrade program.
Ok, another example.Amiga verses PC verses Apple II verses Macintosh.
Porting is hardly an exact science.

Trekkin

2011-01-24, 09:55 PM

This, or at least a version of this, may exist, but I want to say it anyway.
All garbage is brought to giant incinerators and dropped on a belt that constantly feeds in new garbage. The heat produced from the burning trash is used to turn gigantic turbines and produce electricity. This supplemental energy is used to power however much of the city it can. This lets us empty out our landfills, reduces our ever increasing masses of slowly degrading trash, and provides additional energy without overburdening our current power plants. Obviously the filters would have to be fairly robust to handle the various chemicals and other byproducts released by the burning trash, but im sure it could be handled. And it couldnt smell any worse than the landfills already do, so the whole nimby issue is already solved. Think of it as an extension of the reduse reuse recycle thing. And ash takes up a HELL of alot less room than the trash it used to be.

Ah, the waste-to-energy incinerator concept. It works best if you assume all garbage is flammable--but since a lot of that is also biodegradeable, landfills just draw off the methane (as a precaution against gas pockets) and burn that for power; it avoids having a lot of the pollutants that most nations will stop you from burning ever enter the incinerator, and doesn't leave you with a problem of where you store the filters that catch it all. It's a good idea, though.
Actually, considerably faster bacteria would be nice, if potentially unsafe.

Traab

2011-01-24, 10:22 PM

Ah, the waste-to-energy incinerator concept. It works best if you assume all garbage is flammable--but since a lot of that is also biodegradeable, landfills just draw off the methane (as a precaution against gas pockets) and burn that for power; it avoids having a lot of the pollutants that most nations will stop you from burning ever enter the incinerator, and doesn't leave you with a problem of where you store the filters that catch it all. It's a good idea, though.
Actually, considerably faster bacteria would be nice, if potentially unsafe.

I have this mental image of the bacteria mutating and turning into ebola on steroids as it tears through the world.

TheThan

2011-01-24, 10:27 PM

BACON INFUSED BEER!

It needed to be capitalized and enlarged, because the idea is too awesome to ignore. :smallcool:

Bhu

2011-01-24, 11:29 PM

they do have bacon flavored vodka

The Vorpal Tribble

2011-01-24, 11:57 PM

I'm currently working on an idea for a crazy technology for my A Dying Ember campaign that involves volunteers from a feudal-japanese/steampunk (drugpunk?) culture becoming addicted to a mind-altering pollen their brains to go haywire. You hook them to psionically fed special machines that allow them to produce a sort of cold fusion and produce enormous power. They then die in about a year after addiction by being totally burnt out (and batsnot scary insane).

Saposhiente

2011-01-25, 02:14 AM

they do have bacon flavored vodka
Yes, but it doesn't have the pretentiousness power of "infused"

weeping eagle

2011-01-25, 03:39 AM

BACON INFUSED BEER! BEER INFUSED BACON!

Prime32

2011-01-25, 04:43 AM

BACON INFUSED BEER!

It needed to be capitalized and enlarged, because the idea is too awesome to ignore. :smallcool:I misread this as "bacon infused bear".

Xefas

2011-01-25, 05:39 AM

That's essentially Dennou Coil

What?! There's already a show about this? Hot damn, I'll have to go watch it in the immediate future.

BEER INFUSED BACON!

This would actually be incredibly simple to make. As a current connoisseur and purveyor of tempura-fried bacon with hollandaise sauce, it would also be far below my moral threshold to make such a thing.

stuff

I think a lot of these problems can be solved using the same technology that would be almost certainly a prerequisite for developing the ability to transfer a human mind into a machine.

Basically, you create a series of computers that are sapient, but not sentient. It can take in data and extrapolate upon it, but is incapable of awareness of the self. Several computers are responsible for each task in maintaining the new world order, with plenty of redundancy, backups, and additional sapients on hand to fix those that go awry.

If maintaining robot bodies proves to be too difficult or resource intensive, it wouldn't be a large leap to simply have no physical body whatsoever, which is probably the route I would prefer anyway. Live in a hard drive; have plenty of frequently updated backups. At that point, in which one can simply program sensations and experiences into one's self, there's no reason to have "upgrades" of any kind, if any were even possible in the first place.

I imagine, even with other possible pitfalls, we'd still last longer in our hard-drive bunkers safe and secure beneath the earth's crust than if we stayed squishy humans, one good meteor or well-placed nuke away from extinction.

leakingpen

2011-01-25, 10:02 AM

Dvandemon

2011-01-25, 11:41 AM

BACON INFUSED BEER!

It needed to be capitalized and enlarged, because the idea is too awesome to ignore. :smallcool:

Well there's this (http://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/experiment-log-914) at the very bottom

Name: Dr. Bridge
Date: ██/█/20██
Total Items: 1x laser pointer, 1x container █████-brand simulated bacon bits.

Input: One (1) 200mw laser pointer pen, one (1) container █████-brand simulated bacon bits.
Setting: Very Fine
Output: Resultant instrument weighed 99% the combined weight of both Input objects; when activated, produces a ray that caused affected foodstuffs to carry a strong hint of bacon flavour. If aimed at a living object, target will produce a strong bacon scent for approximately four and a half hours.

Mina Kobold

2011-01-25, 12:22 PM

What?! There's already a show about this? Hot damn, I'll have to go watch it in the immediate future.

This would actually be incredibly simple to make. As a current connoisseur and purveyor of tempura-fried bacon with hollandaise sauce, it would also be far below my moral threshold to make such a thing.

I think a lot of these problems can be solved using the same technology that would be almost certainly a prerequisite for developing the ability to transfer a human mind into a machine.

Basically, you create a series of computers that are sapient, but not sentient. It can take in data and extrapolate upon it, but is incapable of awareness of the self. Several computers are responsible for each task in maintaining the new world order, with plenty of redundancy, backups, and additional sapients on hand to fix those that go awry.

If maintaining robot bodies proves to be too difficult or resource intensive, it wouldn't be a large leap to simply have no physical body whatsoever, which is probably the route I would prefer anyway. Live in a hard drive; have plenty of frequently updated backups. At that point, in which one can simply program sensations and experiences into one's self, there's no reason to have "upgrades" of any kind, if any were even possible in the first place.

I imagine, even with other possible pitfalls, we'd still last longer in our hard-drive bunkers safe and secure beneath the earth's crust than if we stayed squishing humans, one good meteor or well-placed nuke away from extinction.

Why not regenerating robots as well?

It's pretty much what a human is anyway but if we tried we could probably build robot bodies capable of transferring our minds, being made of harder materials, capable of doing what we can't and regenerate faster than Wolverine.

It's just a matter of mimicking nature and adding rocket boots.

Though, if we do it I want somewhere to be a live MMORPG. We'd have specific robot abilities activated as we rise in level, an automatic landscape mimicking a fantasy world and all kinds of fun stuff.

Then we'd forget there was ever anything else and turn into a Fantasy world powered by science!

Xefas

2011-01-25, 05:23 PM

Then we'd forget there was ever anything else and turn into a Fantasy world powered by science!

Not a bad path to take.

AsteriskAmp

2011-01-25, 05:30 PM

Not a bad path to take.

Until we run out of Henchmen to repair and upgrade the stuff, and eventually when an upgrade induces a crash everything spirals downward.

Saposhiente

2011-01-25, 06:35 PM

My best are biological-
1. Bacteria that eats ethanol and lactic acid. Infect your muscles, don't get sore from anaerobic exercise (weightlifting and such still causes the soreness-causing microdamage, tho)
2. Get cells to store three copies of their genome and be self-correcting: Solve 95% of again and cancer among other things

Mina Kobold

2011-01-26, 03:26 AM

Until we run out of Henchmen to repair and upgrade the stuff, and eventually when an upgrade induces a crash everything spirals downward.

That's why it is self-regenerating.

We are essenially robots made of organic compounds (or whatever the English term, organic butterflies?) anyway and already run on electricity.

Evolution is similar to automatic updates if you think about it like that.

So essentially we don't need any henchmen as long as we can mimic the cell structure close enough. Cells break down allthe time and we are still here. :smallsmile:

Thus, magical robots!

Nidogg

2011-01-30, 04:58 PM

Ravens_cry

2011-01-30, 05:17 PM

That's why it is self-regenerating.

We are essenially robots made of organic compounds (or whatever the English term, organic butterflies?) anyway and already run on electricity.

Evolution is similar to automatic updates if you think about it like that.

So essentially we don't need any henchmen as long as we can mimic the cell structure close enough. Cells break down allthe time and we are still here. :smallsmile:

Thus, magical robots!
Or, save all that effort, not to not doing mention the appalling crime of destroying all other life on Earth, and remain Homo sapiens .
To be the place where the falling angel meets the rising ape.

Trekkin

2011-01-30, 08:58 PM

A grenade that releases flammable gas then breaks the seal on a negative pressure chamber.this causes compression of the gas as it rushes into the space causing an extremely hot point cracking open anything! Also a satelliteoumounted microwave beam which bounces the deadly rays of other satellite solar pannels this leave it vertially untraceable as the beam will come from a random part of space! The beam could be replaced by any EM radiation. For fun rainbow attack!

Have you ever heard of the proposed WWII superweapon the Sun Gun? It is a lot like your satellite idea, only solar-powered, manned, and capable of truly daunting levels of energy output when modernized.