A team including scientists from the DOE demonstrated an "Accelerator on a Chip" that is 10 times more efficient in accelerating electrons than the current method used in the SLAC accelerator.
Not sure if those two articles fit here or in that real aerospace thread. However, as they are about nuclear batteries, their safety and plutonium, I think its more fitting to post them here.
Arioch wrote:I'm not sure what practical use this would have, but it's cool.
(video)
By all that's holy, we've invented REPLICATORS!!!
Nah, but it's an interesting concept. Maybe they can be used in construction somehow? Self-building cranes and whatnot
Re: The Technology News Thread
Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2013 8:03 am
by Charlie
I remember theses, the History Channel`s The Universe speculates that that a more advanced version of these will one day be Humanity`s explorers, when they can be made to build more of themselves.
Re: The Technology News Thread
Posted: Tue Oct 08, 2013 2:08 am
by Karst45
Arioch wrote:I'm not sure what practical use this would have, but it's cool.
Portal room?
Charlie wrote:I remember theses, the History Channel`s The Universe speculates that that a more advanced version of these will one day be Humanity`s explorers, when they can be made to build more of themselves.
Isnt that the main plot of X3:reunions? Humanity send those ship to explore and build jump gate, but they keep replicating and went to war with other species who saw them as treat, with a reason, disassembling a ship full of people to replicate yourself is quite a diplomatic faux pas.
But are that how borg cube are born?
Re: The Technology News Thread
Posted: Wed Oct 09, 2013 8:51 pm
by Mikk
Let's not confuse modular robotics (individual robots assebling a bigger unit) with self-replication (most likely to implemented using 3D printing as a major technology), shall we? Creepy critter cubes those.
Edit: typo
Re: The Technology News Thread
Posted: Wed Oct 09, 2013 9:34 pm
by Arioch
It irritates me when they mention self-replication in these articles, as that has absolutely nothing to do with this particular example.
Re: The Technology News Thread
Posted: Wed Oct 09, 2013 9:53 pm
by Jakelope13
I wonder if you can use this modular, reconfigurable concept with sensors? It'd cut down on the number of probes we'd have to deploy (unless the area we want to explore is just too far out of range of previous probe launches).
Re: The Technology News Thread
Posted: Fri Oct 11, 2013 4:46 am
by Absalom
Jakelope13 wrote:I wonder if you can use this modular, reconfigurable concept with sensors? It'd cut down on the number of probes we'd have to deploy (unless the area we want to explore is just too far out of range of previous probe launches).
The number of probes? What kind of probes are you even talking about? Satellites are usually launched when an old one dies/is likely to die, or coverage needs to be increased. Units that travel beyond geosynchronous orbit are relatively few, often unique, and aren't likely to have the ability to go anywhere other than where they've been shot off towards. Were you talking about interstellar probes? Those will either be crewed, "one-time use", or include automatic factories and refineries.
Re: The Technology News Thread
Posted: Fri Oct 18, 2013 7:22 pm
by Arioch
Nothing mind-blowing, but I thought the presentation was cute.
Re: The Astronomy and Physics Thread
Posted: Sun May 25, 2014 3:10 am
by Arioch
A cute demonstration of quantum levitation.
Re: The Physics & Technology News Thread
Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 1:52 pm
by Grayhome
Hey check it out, bio suits might be coming online in the next decade or so.