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Nanotech "assemblers" are coming in a sense, but they got the scale wrong. They're called 3d printers and they operate at the macro scale, but they are not real
by api 11y ago
Nanotech "assemblers" are coming in a sense, but they got the scale wrong. They're called 3d printers and they operate at the macro scale, but they are not really any less disruptive.
As far as true nanotech goes, we've had it for about 4.5 billion years. It's called biology. You are basically made of nano-assemblers holding hands. Genetically engineered biology and "wet artificial life" are engineerable nanotech, but if you want to see Turing-complete universal assemblers in action right now go plant a tree.
In other words, I sort of think nanotechnology is a useless neologism for biology and bioengineering and I doubt that anything other than carbon-based systems are going to do much better than biology... and those are basically synthetic biology.
- Jweb_Guru 11y agoYes. Once people start to understand this, we will actually be able to build useful things, instead of dreaming about a world with tiny robots.
- drzaiusapelord 11y ago>but they are not really any less disruptive. Where's the disruption exactly? Everytime I look at the 3D printing scene its a bunch of neckbeards printing Star Wars figures and other useless knick-nacks. What industry has cheap 3D printing attacked? The argument seemed to be "Oh we'll make spare parts and such," but that never happened. It was supposed to make a new market, but seems to have completely fizzled out.
- nhaehnle 11y ago3D printing has been huge in design prototyping for a long time - and at least SpaceX have used 3D-printed parts in actual flight.
- anonmeow 11y agoYou can 3d print a relatively decent actuated humanoid arm: http://www.thingiverse.com/search/page:1?q=inmoov&sa= http://www.thingiverse.com/search/page:1?q=inmoov&sa= looks quite disruptive compared to your average web-mobile-whatever intangible.
- api 11y agoSpaceX is 3d printing rocket engines, for one.
- drzaiusapelord 11y agoYeah but that has absolutely nothing to do with home 3D printers that make cheap junk using plastic. We've had 3D printing, in some form or another, for decades for industry.
- lovemenot 11y ago>> As far as true nanotech goes, we've had it for about 4.5 billion years. It's called biology Small nitpick. Earth is around 4.6 byo. Life, as far as anyone knows, is about one billion years younger.