From: Ross A. Finlayson (RAF@tomco.net)
Date: Mon Apr 12 1999 - 11:17:34 MDT
I think one proof-of-concept machine that makes carbon steel structural I-beams out of sand on-site will be plenty to kickstart plenty of investment.
Michael S. Lorrey wrote:
> One thing I haven't noticed with nanotech research is that nobody has yet developed a normal scale universal assembler, not to mention one that can replicate itself. From what I've seen, all nanotech companies are trying to build the final generation at the nanoscale first, which seems awfully bassackwards to me. Thats tantamount to having an R&D project during WWII to build a Pentium III chip. I say build a human scale assembler, that you can program to create any item wanted (especially items larger than itself), and then develop an assembler that can not only do that but replicate itself. Once this is achieved, work on making successive generations smaller until you get to the nano scale.
>
> Mike Lorrey
Also, you're right.
There are many, many, cool new technologies, nanotech being eventually one of the most powerful, flexible, and efficient.
What I would like to see are simple networking components for the home that are just plugged into wall sockets or not (radio fequency), they already have some of those, too.
Anyways, back to nanotechnology, miniature solid state computers are going to be great! It's like a supercomputer mainframe on your desktop or, wherever.
Ross
-- Ross Andrew Finlayson 202/387-8208 http://www.tomco.net/~raf/ "C is the speed of light."
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