From: EvMick@aol.com
Date: Thu Jul 31 1997 - 08:22:56 MDT
In a message dated 97-07-29 14:01:30 EDT, you write:
<<
"the technology necessary for constructing a 'smart dust particle' may
be within reach in 5 years, says Berlin."
"By merging sensing and actuation with computation and communication,
MEMS [microelectriomechanical systems] devices can be distributed
throughout the environment, coated on surfaces, or embedded within
everyday objects to create distributed systems for sensing, reasoning
about, and responding to events in the physical world on a scale never
before possible", wrote Berlin & Gabriel in their IEEE article.
>>
Now that I've got a little bit more time let me try to expand upon the idea I
so frenticly sketched ealier.
Imagine:
A (corn,maize,cotton,bean,you-name-it)field.....one of the big midwestern
ones...one of the small new england ones....even a garden. From a central
location there arises a tower...tall and slender...a communication
antenna...designed for high band width...multiple simultaneous two-way
communications...within the confines of the field...connected to...the
internet.
Enter our hero. Call him Johnny Our intreped adventurer is that most
bloodthirsty of earths creatures...a young male human. Johnny walks into his
bedroom...and dons telelprescense gear...and dials THE number. He accesses
his account...selects a "droid" and enters the fray.
>From the base of the above mentioned tower a small flier (bug size or
slightly larger) emerges. It is data-linked to the tower and thence to
Johnny. Johnny controls it as would a fighter pilot controls his craft. As
far as Johnny is concerned his is IN the craft...in some models he may BE the
craft. It may be equipped with weapons (laser,sonic,maser) or merely have
fangs, claws or talons (or the mechanical equivalent) depending upon Johnny's
choice and skill level.
It is in search of insectual blood! (Ichor? )
Johnny ( and billy, and sammy and jimmy and maybe Janie and judy ....in their
milllions across america..or perhaps the entire world ) engage the killer
bee...the atrocious aphid...the boll-wevil, the corn-borer,- the
mosquito...etc...in mortal combat. And pay what the market will bear for the
thrill of the chase....combat...and the kill.
Meanwhile while farmer brown no longer pays an astronomical sum to have his
crops de-bugged chemically. The enviroment no longer suffers assault from
toxic concoctions. The water supply is not threatened...The farmer pays
(or...or...IS PAID a fee for having the tower on his property.
Farmer Brown's fields are bug free...his crops are uneaten....his profit is
larger.
Millions of vicious little killers turn their attention to
.......bugs......instead of each other...or vandalism.
Someone...the company which provides the "droids" and the service....makes a
LOT of money.
EvMick
Ohio
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