Personal replicators

[Neil]

Was watching a program last night where they were suggesting in just 20yrs we could have personal replicators - ie: a device (in your home), that could manufacture any item we had the 'plans' for. The presenter thought that was optimistic, but has he reconned they'd be here sometime in the later half of the century. This sort of technology would be an absolute "holy f***" moment in history. Basically, anyone could have anything...

[MinionZombie]

I'd doubt it'd get used in such a way so that everyone could have everything, because then capitalism as we know it would collapse, and with it, the world economy...surely. Perhaps more used in a business kind of way, or used to do specific copies of specific things or something...

[Neil]

I'd doubt it'd get used in such a way so that everyone could have everything, because then capitalism as we know it would collapse, and with it, the world economy...surely. Perhaps more used in a business kind of way, or used to do specific copies of specific things or something... I seem to recall someone saying after WW2, that they could never imagine the whole world having more that 5 computers...

[acealive1]

I seem to recall someone saying after WW2, that they could never imagine the whole world having more that 5 computers... just a tad bit harder than having a computer

[Neil]

just a tad bit harder than having a computer No suggestion it's not.. But once the technology is producable, it can produce itself and so on and so on The scary thing about nano-technology is if it goes wrong (or is made to go wrong)... Imagine nano bots that can reproduce and spread through water and that destroy organic tissue for example...

[Danny]

first thing that comes to mind are the replicators from sg1. "youve reached the replicator support line if you have a general inquiry press 1. if you have tried to replicate yourself a harem of porn star wives and its gone wrong in a horribly frankenstein way, press 2. if you are unsure of how to connect your replicator up ,press 3. if your replicator hasbecome self aware adn the nanites have joined together to form an army of insectoid robots bent on the destruction of all biological life, press 4.-" "BEEP!" "hello. you.are.in.a.que. please hold...." "BOOP!, hello youve reached microsoft customer support how can i-" "THERES ****ING ROBOT SPIDERS EATING MY FAMILY!!!" "calm down please sir, theres no need to take that tone with me" "THERE CONVERTING THERE BIOLOGICAL MATTER INTO MORE RAW MATERIAL FOR THERE INHUMAN CREATIONS, YOU EVER SEE THAT ****IN' FILM VIRUS?" "profanity is not needed sir, now have you checked if it is plugged in correctly sir?" "....." "sir?" "IM CHECKING!" "okay sir, please remember your manners okay?" "...yeah its plugged in" "okay, now have you tryed turning it off and on" "yes" "did it work?" "wha- DID IT WORK?!?, IF IT DID WHY WOULD I BE CALLING YOU ABOUT MY FAMILY BEING EATEN?!?" "k, thats not a helpful tone here sir, now can you try it again" "...." "sir?" "-no, didnt work, and now there building a hive colony to start there world domination, using my sons ps3 as a supercomput-" "sir that is not a microsoft product thank you for your time-CLICK!" and thats how the world ends.

[Legion2213]

I'd doubt it'd get used in such a way so that everyone could have everything, because then capitalism as we know it would collapse, and with it, the world economy...surely. Perhaps more used in a business kind of way, or used to do specific copies of specific things or something... You'd probably have to buy "blue prints" for the things you wanted. I doubt that anything like it will be around in our life times though.

[Neil]

You'd probably have to buy "blue prints" for the things you wanted. I doubt that anything like it will be around in our life times though. One of the scientists working on it said 20yrs... Like you I think that's optimistic... Maybe in my childs life time though! Seems things are either a lot sooner, or a lot later than we predict... I mean look at Aurthur C Clarkes 2001 predictions. By 2001 going to Jupiter. I still have to wonder though, after 1969, if we'd put our minds to it properly as a single planet, if we could infact be flying to Jupiter now! Rather than bombing guys with rags on!

[Danny]

One of the scientists working on it said 20yrs... ugh, ill be 39 then...

[MinionZombie]

Ah shiite...I'll be having a mid-life crisis at 43 by then. Although hopefully I'll have loads of cash, so I can do it in style ... and have a really hot wife ... and some more money ... and a DB9. ... As for the tech, once it's do-able...how long before someone uses it for anything sex related? Could you replicate your own real doll, or even sex slave? pfft...some people are sick...*glares at Neil and his perverted mind posting this link*

[GhostWolf]

How big a 'replicator' are we talking about here? -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- "can i borrow the schematics for you're tank there?" "Sure." "Thanks, i really appreciate-" "Hey, Wait a minute! What are you going to do with a tank!?" "Equip myself and my minion army with- I mean, nothing. nothing at all." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ forty one would be entirely too old to start taking over the world....

[SRP76]

The problem is that you would have to constantly "refuel" the thing with large quantities of every element known to man. It could "put together" different elements to form the molecules you need, and on and on, but it couldn't, say, take lead and make gold with it. To do that, it would be splitting the atoms somehow. You know what happens there. I don't want that happening in my kitchen.

[GhostWolf]

The problem is that you would have to constantly "refuel" the thing with large quantities of every element known to man. It could "put together" different elements to form the molecules you need, and on and on, but it couldn't, say, take lead and make gold with it. To do that, it would be splitting the atoms somehow. You know what happens there. I don't want that happening in my kitchen. You could call the result remodeling perhaps.

[7734]

The problem is that you would have to constantly "refuel" the thing with large quantities of every element known to man. It could "put together" different elements to form the molecules you need, and on and on, but it couldn't, say, take lead and make gold with it. To do that, it would be splitting the atoms somehow. You know what happens there. I don't want that happening in my kitchen. i suppose it should all be about nuclear fusion. Have a handful of deuteriun and hydrogen and that could create pretty much whatever you'd need. Organic stuff such as food would be fairly simple. Food and potable stuffs could be made by the simple, home appliance models. Things composed of metals would require industrial sized models. every night, throw in the garbage and fission would create the base elements along with whatever energy required to replicated whatever is next on the menu. it's simple, really. I blame OPEC and Shell for not letting us have the technology!

[Danny]

thsi might be a brain fart but in theory couldnt this technology eb sued to reapir problems like the o zone layer?