Technologies we could have now.

Radiation · 24 Dec 2011 at 15:44

What technologies do you think we could realistically have now if things like money weren't an issue and enough research and design was done?

I think augmented reality is quite achievable right now, it's just that it's going to be one of those things that emerge on it's own, i don't think any company is planning to commercialise the idea, i expect it to evolve from all the individual technologies being worked on.

All it would take is the merging of mobile computing, miniature displays (oled glasses/contacts/laser retinal scanner), stereo cameras/sensors, wireless internet and some clever software.

RomanNose · 24 Dec 2011 at 15:49

Hoverboards.

PermaBanned · 24 Dec 2011 at 15:49

Tefal · 24 Dec 2011 at 15:56

Radiation said:
I think augmented reality is quite achievable right now, it's just that it's going to be one of those things that emerge on it's own, i don't think any company is planning to commercialise the idea, i expect it to evolve from all the individual technologies being worked on.
.

what?

you don't think any company is planning to commercialise it despite lots of them spending lots of money to do just that?

Remove money and profit and in all honesty you'd have less technology than you do now because there would be no driving force.

Look at the industrial revolution it wasn't powered through by noble thought it was driven by a desire for more wealth and productivity.

Judgeneo · 24 Dec 2011 at 15:56

I don't see the attraction of AR..

Things we should/could have:

Thorium power plants (better for power generation, but thorium makes a crap bomb, so we have messy old uranium)
SSTO space craft (Rocket approaches are pretty crap in comparison, but you can make long range missiles using the same technology, so we are stuck with the current not-much-better-than-V2 way of getting to space)
Cheap fibre optic networks
Tunnel to Ireland
Holodecks (Soon perhaps..?)

Edward78 · 24 Dec 2011 at 15:57

This is not really "new", but I think there would be a lot more Solar/Wind/Hydro power & vehicles would have a lot more miles per gallon. Not sure about other countries, but the US they brag about 35 MPG cars, it is almost 2012, lets make that 50+. Big oil/coal skrew us out of a lot of better solutions.I did see a show about this kind of stuff yesterday, Brasil is doing the job a lot better. Their gov. may be for the people & not for the corporations it appears.

Holodecks (Soon perhaps..?) I hope so, oh man playing a FPS that way, AWESOME. Imagine Deathmatches.

PermaBanned · 24 Dec 2011 at 15:59

Judgeneo said:
SSTO space craft (Rocket approaches are pretty crap in comparison, but you can make long range missiles using the same technology, so we are stuck with the current not-much-better-than-V2 way of getting to space)

Single stage to orbit? Offers practically no advantages for something that is many orders of magnitude less efficient - requiring far more fuel, and so a bigger craft, and so more fuel etc. to launch a lower mass payload. The best fuel we know how to use at the minute is liquid hydrogen with a liquid oxygen oxidizer, so unless you look at nuclear, which is questionable at best, there's not a massive trick we're missing. No, multi stage rockets will likely be the best option for anything of any considerably mass until we have the technology to create a space elevator.

As for what technologies i think we could have... perhaps not now, but soon i think we could see Artificial Intelligence become a reality. Not just the chatbots we have now which look for keywords and pick a random response from a database, actual thinking machines which come up with their own responses and ideas.

Edward78 · 24 Dec 2011 at 16:09

PermaBanned said:
Single stage to orbit? Offers practically no advantages for something that is many orders of magnitude less efficient - requiring far more fuel, and so a bigger craft, and so more fuel etc. to launch a lower mass payload. The best fuel we know how to use at the minute is liquid hydrogen with a liquid oxygen oxidizer, so unless you look at nuclear, which is questionable at best, there's not a massive trick we're missing. No, multi stage rockets will likely be the best option for anything of any considerably mass until we have the technology to create a space elevator.

As for what technologies i think we could have... perhaps not now, but soon i think we could see Artificial Intelligence become a reality. Not just the chatbots we have now which look for keywords and pick a random response from a database, actual thinking machines which come up with their own responses and ideas.

NO, Terminater anyone see that movie???

Judgeneo · 24 Dec 2011 at 16:10

PermaBanned said:
Single stage to orbit? Offers practically no advantages for something that is many orders of magnitude less efficient - requiring far more fuel, and so a bigger craft, and so more fuel etc. to launch a lower mass payload. The best fuel we know how to use at the minute is liquid hydrogen with a liquid oxygen oxidizer, so unless you look at nuclear, which is questionable at best, there's not a massive trick we're missing. No, multi stage rockets will likely be the best option for anything of any considerably mass until we have the technology to create a space elevator.

Look at the proposed Skylon plane, payload size is its only disadvantage. Re-useability brings the cost of travel down considerably, and it shouldn't be as weather dependant as rocket based approaches.

If we manage to get the cost of smaller payloads down enough, orbital assembly should become viable for the larger payloads rockets are currently best suited for.

Spenty · 24 Dec 2011 at 16:13

Manual tin openers that work 100% of the time and don't break

Judgeneo · 24 Dec 2011 at 16:14

Spenty said:
Manual tin openers that work 100% of the time and don't break

Madness! You would need some magical apparatus to achieve such a feat!

PermaBanned · 24 Dec 2011 at 16:15

Judgeneo said:
Look at the proposed Skylon plane, payload size is its only disadvantage. Re-useability brings the cost of travel down considerably, and it shouldn't be as weather dependant as rocket based approaches.

If we manage to get the cost of smaller payloads down enough, orbital assembly should become viable for the larger payloads rockets are currently best suited for.

Fair point, but i think "Skylon" lost any chance of actually becoming a reality when it stopped being HOTOL and lost all funding. If it hadn't then we may well be seeing it working by now, so rather apt for this thread

But if there's one thing that Shuttle proved it's that re-usability does anything but bring the costs down. And you only need look at Soyuz to realize that a well designed rocket has practically no weather constraints:

Glaucus · 24 Dec 2011 at 16:15

Nuclear pulse drive

And sky plane to take heavy loads to orbit to build nuclear ship in space, keep The green people happy.

lrlcr · 24 Dec 2011 at 16:17

Augmented reality is already under development, look at some of the HUD's for pilots. Basic but the same principle has been extended to extreme sports goggles etc.

Glaucus · 24 Dec 2011 at 16:35

Don't forget the digital contact lenses although it's only a few pixels ATM.

Tefal · 24 Dec 2011 at 16:39

PermaBanned said:
But if there's one thing that Shuttle proved it's that re-usability does anything but bring the costs down.

You can't really compare a large craft designed for prolonged manned expeditions to the reusable unmanned crafts designed for satellite deployment.

We launch hundreds of satellites a year and the reusable designs offer a huge cost saving for commercial launches, not useful for manned missions or exceptionally large payloads but more than profitable once working for the average launch.

LucidLogix® · 24 Dec 2011 at 16:54

Automated road systems are the way forward.

Basically trams but for personal use. Completely electronic roads.

This would allow for control over safety, drink driving and so forth. Would slow down things a bit but would save millions in other ways.

Would also be able to interact with tolls and could have help being powered by solar which would do less damage to the economy.

Its rather hard to explain the complete concept but I know what I mean

PermaBanned · 24 Dec 2011 at 17:02

Tefal said:
You can't really compare a large craft designed for prolonged manned expeditions to the reusable unmanned crafts designed for satellite deployment.

We launch hundreds of satellites a year and the reusable designs offer a huge cost saving for commercial launches, not useful for manned missions or exceptionally large payloads but more than profitable once working for the average launch.

We have reusable satellite launchers now? The only partially reusable one i can think of that's actually in use is that space plane-esque design that launches from Australia... Phoenix or something?

And as far as i'm aware HOTOL was never intended to be a completely unmanned craft, more a modular one.

Glaucus · 24 Dec 2011 at 17:06

Shuttle was first of its type, plagued with problems. No reason a reusable space craft can't be very cheap. Skylon is very affordable just look at estimated costs and they are still developing and testing the engine parts, so we may well see it.

Tefal · 24 Dec 2011 at 17:10

PermaBanned said:
We have reusable satellite launchers now?

no... the reusable launch vehicles are however being aimed at that market iirc a reusable vehicle despite fuel costs and increased weight offers a greatly reduced cost per launch because it can be used over and over.

which means that the company that builds one will be able to raise a lot of moeny to expand and develop their line.

And as far as i'm aware HOTOL was never intended to be a completely unmanned craft, more a modular one.

Skylon however is completely unmanned.

tbh even with funding HOTOL probably wouldn't exist as as the skylon lot have said the materials for the pre cooler just didn't exist.