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the technology has many potential applications. Using the side-mounted projector, for instance, images can be projected onto the surface of the ZeroN. They will

the technology has many potential applications. Using the side-mounted projector, for instance, images can be projected onto the surface of the ZeroN. They will not only stay with it through 3D space, but will also rotate with it as it spins in place. This feature could allow it to be labelled, then used to help visualize physics problems – instead of simply thinking the problems through or looking at two-dimensional computer models, physicists could actually reach in and manipulate models of objects such as electrons by hand Nice try, but I think we can file this under the heading "solutions looking really hard for problems". Things I have never, ever heard anyone say: "Man, this problem would be so much easier to visualize if only I had a bunch of metal balls suspended in mid-air". Don't get me wrong, it would be kinda cool. But the number of people who'd actually find it useful enough to justify whatever the cost might be is probably zero.

shasta 14y ago
A bunch of balls in the air? This thing seems to do one ball in the air. Useful for physicists studying a lone hydrogen ion interacting with a vacuum.
temphn 14y ago
People do build scale models of construction projects all the time. Might be interesting to see a scale model assemble itself in three-space on a large table. Construction is also a big ticket area, so the capital would be available to fund a better simulation of the construction process than what you can do on a screen.
- planetguy 14y ago
  Except this thingy can't do any of those things. You've got a single ball levitating, kept in place by a complicated mechanical system below the deck which adjusts the position of a bunch of other magnets in real time. You might be able to scale it up to a couple of magnets, but not to many magnets.
larrys 14y ago
"Nice try, but I think we can file this under the heading "solutions looking really hard for problems"." You're thinking of what it can do now instead of what it can become. I made the same mistake the first time I connected to the web (which was through AOL in 1995) and the first time a few years before the Internet (through Delphi) by way of a slow modem.

shasta 14y ago

A bunch of balls in the air? This thing seems to do one ball in the air. Useful for physicists studying a lone hydrogen ion interacting with a vacuum.

temphn 14y ago

People do build scale models of construction projects all the time. Might be interesting to see a scale model assemble itself in three-space on a large table. Construction is also a big ticket area, so the capital would be available to fund a better simulation of the construction process than what you can do on a screen.

planetguy 14y ago
Except this thingy can't do any of those things. You've got a single ball levitating, kept in place by a complicated mechanical system below the deck which adjusts the position of a bunch of other magnets in real time. You might be able to scale it up to a couple of magnets, but not to many magnets.

larrys 14y ago

"Nice try, but I think we can file this under the heading "solutions looking really hard for problems"." You're thinking of what it can do now instead of what it can become. I made the same mistake the first time I connected to the web (which was through AOL in 1995) and the first time a few years before the Internet (through Delphi) by way of a slow modem.