Re: Sticky ideas needed

From: Eugen Leitl (eugen@leitl.org)
Date: Tue May 14 2002 - 03:59:31 MDT


On Tue, 14 May 2002, Darin Sunley wrote:

> Babylon 5 uses low-grade nanotech, keyed to the wearer's DNA, to make
> the communicator stick to the owner's hand. (And only the owner's

Thanks for reminding me why I never watch Star Drek. What an absurdly
inconsistent (nevermind in this case idiotic -- biometrics instead of
crypto) application of advanced technology, leaving everything else a
constant.

> The Borg stuff divides into two clases, surface mounts, which probably
> use a similar process, and implants that actually break the skin. (A
> bad idea, we've found in real life. Implants that break the skin tend
> to get infected easily, real life research has shown. Presumably the
> Borg have enhanced immune systems to deal with this :))

What Star Drek script writers apparently don't understand is that in the
case of invasive nanoware the human *body* very rapidly becomes an
atavistic appendage to the supposed implants it houses. The ex machinas
have to be really raining down thick and hard in any encounters depicted,
as even minorly augmented Borg would have kicked humanity's butt very hard
indeed.



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