From owner-freebsd-chat@FreeBSD.ORG Sun Jul 27 11:34:50 2003 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-chat@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 5B39237B401 for ; Sun, 27 Jul 2003 11:34:50 -0700 (PDT) Received: from vhost109.his.com (vhost109.his.com [216.194.225.101]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 66EA343F93 for ; Sun, 27 Jul 2003 11:34:49 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from brad.knowles@skynet.be) Received: from [10.0.1.2] (localhost.his.com [127.0.0.1]) by vhost109.his.com (8.12.6p2/8.12.3) with ESMTP id h6RIYitS073253; Sun, 27 Jul 2003 14:34:46 -0400 (EDT) (envelope-from brad.knowles@skynet.be) Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Sender: bs663385@pop.skynet.be Message-Id: In-Reply-To: <3F2412C6.8030907@potentialtech.com> References: <3F2412C6.8030907@potentialtech.com> Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2003 20:34:24 +0200 To: Bill Moran From: Brad Knowles Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" cc: chat@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Nonsense discussion: dreaming up new technology X-BeenThere: freebsd-chat@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: Non technical items related to the community List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2003 18:34:50 -0000 At 1:58 PM -0400 2003/07/27, Bill Moran wrote: > So. Am I the first to imagine such a thing? How close is the > technology to actually doing it? What does everyone think about it? This sort of thing is already under development. They already have electronic displays on paper (they're already in use at stores like Wal-Mart as re-usable large sale display posters). They're working on printing more complex electronic circuits on the paper, so that it can be used as a re-usable newspaper (just get it recharged/reloaded at your local newsstand). The primary problem with them right now is slow response times of the displays (on the order of a few seconds for the display to update, much too slow for a computer display but fine for "static" signs or virtual newspapers). There are already other technologies in use that function as ink-jet printers for other types of "ink". Certainly, there are already 3-D manufacturing technologies using laser sintering or liquid polymer solidification that all you to "print" three dimensional objects. IIRC, the new Ford GT (re-make of the old Ford GT-40 from the 1960's) used this sort of technology extensively for their prototypes -- making new transmissions, u-joints, etc.... In short, this sort of stuff is already well under development. Check old issues of _Popular Science_, _Popular Mechanics_, _New Scientist_, _Scientific American_, _American Scientist_, etc.... -- Brad Knowles, "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania. GCS/IT d+(-) s:+(++)>: a C++(+++)$ UMBSHI++++$ P+>++ L+ !E-(---) W+++(--) N+ !w--- O- M++ V PS++(+++) PE- Y+(++) PGP>+++ t+(+++) 5++(+++) X++(+++) R+(+++) tv+(+++) b+(++++) DI+(++++) D+(++) G+(++++) e++>++++ h--- r---(+++)* z(+++)