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It's the line that followed that really got me: Another device, powered by a radioisotope that steadily produces heat from radioactive decay, could generate ele
by stephth 15y ago
It's the line that followed that really got me: Another device, powered by a radioisotope that steadily produces heat from radioactive decay, could generate electricity for 30 years without refueling or servicing.
If that can be made safe, we're talking about devices that are self sufficient, under any conditions. Sounds like science fiction.
- dexen 15y agoActually radioisotope-powered artificial pacemakers [1] has been used commercially for some two decades now, even if they aren't very popular. The technology of generating electricity from heat was somewhat different, but the technicalities of making small nuclear devices safe for Joe Average to just carry around in his chest are solved. Welcome to the future, please fasten your seatbelts :^) ---- [1] http://duckduckgo.com/?q=radioisotope+artificial+pacemaker&kl=wt-wt http://duckduckgo.com/?q=radioisotope+artificial+pacemaker&#...
- sliverstorm 15y agoThey are known as RTG's. Voyager 1 & 2 both have one. It's irksome that they make it sound like a wicked new discovery. Sure, we don't have miniature RTG AA batteries yet, but it's hardly a new idea.
- bane 15y agoI don't remember which one, but Asimov talked about micro-nuke devices powering personal electronics in a Foundation Series book.