Future developments?

[cee-dee]

The cryogenics thread has made me wonder what things or effects from sci-fi will ever become reality so what do you think will be made to "work"?

We see all sorts of futuristic things but will they just remain a figment of our imagination?

For a long time we saw "ray-guns" of many sorts in sci-fi culminating in real life lasers but after a while, the limitations of lasers was realised and they've sort of descended in to markers, pointers or very short range cutting devices. The long range laser is hardly compact?

Like the Phasers in Star Trek, yes, they've developed a Phaser but it's the size of a truck!

The Light Saber (their spelling) is not a practical thing really. Over the course of history, Man has developed weapons to work at ever-increasing ranges to keep the user at distance from his adversary. First, it would have been throwing stones, then spears, then propelling stones before various forms of propelling spears (arrows) of many lengths and machines for propelling bigger stones. The development of gunpowder and guns of all sizes was a major development and so it went on.

The Light Saber is just an old-fashioned sword with a few added features but it's for old-fashioned close quarters combat so it's hardly a practical futuristic weapon.

We see many forms of "flying" machines and space ships in sci-fi but will any of them ever become reality? A new fuel and propulsion system is needed?

Soooooo, what do you think will be developed from sci fi?

[mustard-tree]

I have often wondered if Star Trek innovation were feasible.

The replicator and transporter are two that come to mind.

The transporter theory is that things are broken down to atomic level, then these atoms are sent as a beam, and reassembled at the other end.

The transporter may be possible for inanimate objects, but not sure about living beings.

With the replicator, someone spoke what they wanted and it appeared, including meals and drinks.

In both cases, I think that the vast amounts of energy required would outweigh any benefits, even if such things were possible

[evoman3957]

I would be intrigued to see if travelling faster than the speed of light, actually causes the traveller to also travel through time; as the theory intimates.  Alas, at mans current level of progress, the entire species will die out; without ever knowing.

[cee-dee]

Before anyone can travel at the speed of light they've got to not only find out how to accelerate to that speed, they've also got to find out how to slow down again and stop.

For inter-stellar space travel, travelling at the speed of light is far too slow when you consider the vast distances involved.

[evoman3957]

Quite !!

[023mjc]

I remember watching star trek many years ago. Captain Kirk and the others would pull a little communication device out of their pockets, flip it open, and talk to someone.

I can't remember what they called it, but 50 years later we call it a mobile phone and almost everyone has one.

[cee-dee]

It was the communicator but it was far more advanced than mobile phones.

[023mjc]

Yes it was far more advanced than a mobile phone, but it's only been 50 years. At the time most people didn't even have phones in their homes, let alone in their pockets.  No one ever dreamed that you would be able to talk to someone, on the other side of the world, on a little gadget from your pocket. Come the 24th century who knows what we'll be able to do.

[mustard-tree]

Remember that gadget that Spock wore behind his ear.

Similar to that bluetooth thing everyone was wearing.

[theelench]

With W10 adverts saying that children will be getting used to talking to their computers (and WiFi)  it most likely won't be long before we're all talking to the internet , like on the Enterprise where the crew just says "computer" and are immediately able to get access.  Mobiles / communicators that are voice activated are probably not far away.

3D printing is experimental at the moment but in the future could easily become widespread.  I don't know about food and drink but I can see alot of potential business uses for parts and supplies that don't have to be shipped, just printed as required.

Going on to another Sci-Fi film, "I Robot" envisaged self-drive cars.  Isn't that getting started with assisted parking.  I can't see why long distance journeys on motorways couldn't quite soon be taken over by computers.

On a darker note,  "1984" envisaged Big Brother watching everyone through two-way screens.  The offices I work in has recently set up WiFi throughout the building.  There is a connection just inside every entrance and at regular intervals along all the corridors.  They only have to connect the card-keys to the WiFi and they will know exactly where everyone is at any given moment.

One person I spoke to was really p****d of when he was denied a claim for overtime because his computer showed as turned off during the period he was claiming for.  I think WiFi will be looked back on as one of those inventions that change things in a huge way, probably in ways that were not foreseen at the time.

[bankhaunter]

3D printing is experimental at the moment but in the future could easily become widespread.

The company I worked with used to do white metal and resin casting and when I left, had started doing laser cutting. they now do 3D printing as a matter of course.

New developments may not be greeted with enthusiasm.

[theelench]

Aren't so many of the things foisted upon us as improvements, often after extensive research into how our experience can be improved, mainly for the benefit of those making money out of them?

[bankhaunter]

But that is only if the 'improvements' catch on, otherwise they just fade away.

Will this fridge catch on?  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3386204/Smarter-average-appliance-Samsung-reveals-Fam...

I can see the 'Addwash' idea with their washing machines being a good idea, though I had such a feature on mine years ago.

But that was because the door was held shut with the aid of two brackets with a large allen key pushed through them.

[cee-dee]

A "new" development? Looks a bit like old hat really?:-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-38510344