Topic: Holy Crap! *New Tech/Gadget Thread*

[Stogi]

Quantum dots or quantum dots as they pertain to solar cells? Because the latter is a very new field.

And bumping efficiency might as well magically happen since Moore's law has been correct so far. Furthermore, there's no reason to be pessimistic considering that what we're discussing is not only possible, but is already being worked on. It would be like discussing the combustion engine before it was rolled out and saying that it wasn't worth it. "The efficiency isn't high enough and it'll cost too much money."

[BlackNMild2k1]

We'll get there eventually, and when we do, it will probably look alot different then than it does now.

They met their goal to hire some talented engineers to tweak the designs and work on bringing production cost down. I would assume some of these engineers will be very up to speed on emerging solar tech/breakthru's and actively working on incorporating what they can into the current design if it will make things either cheaper or more efficient.

and pushing all this solar tech will hopefully push a breakthru in the battery/storage department, since we will need someplace to store all this excess energy. and from what I've read, battery/storage tech is not up to the task at the moment.

The thing I'm most excited about with all this solar power and free energy, is that we will be able to use all that extra power to convert the wind farms into producing wind to cool down california since we won't need it to generate wind energy anymore. We can get a cool breeze going and blow all that heat elsewhere.

[Stogi]

Producing wind sounds awful consequential. You may not like the results.

[BlackNMild2k1]

i was joking. I guess I should have included the or the [/sarcasm] tag

[Stogi]

I was actually laughing to myself thinking about how after they repurpose the fans the first 30 seconds would have everyone be like "Ahhhhh" and then a giant tornado hits.

[BlackNMild2k1]

That would be quite hilarious actually. especially after the tornado ripped up all the solar road panels forcing us to repurpose the fans back to making wind energy again.... which would have been really effective during that tornado it created.

I was also driving around just the other day and started thinking about the smart solar roads and how they could change our everyday life should it ever become a reality.
I was thinking about how people use their GPS and have to look away from the road to see the screen, and how people are always speeding, driving crazy and running lights.

If every car had a GPS and/or identifier, it would prompt you to slow down when driving way too fast, and encourage you to keep a safe distance to the car in front of you by displaying your selected route on the road in front of you.
ie. You car says "In 300 feet, make a right on Center Avenue" and on the road in front of you right turn arrow lights up pointing at Center Avenue. "Your Destination is on the left" and a green arrow appears infront of the place you were looking for.
I realize that me be confusing if there are other drivers on the road, but it should literally be right infront of your car like a Sims Marker above it's head.

Of course the downside to this is that the road will now when you've run stop signs, red lights or are generally speeding beyond safe driving levels and can either ticket you automatically or alert authorities who will then take it from there. Kinda turns the roads into a police state situation, but they will be safer all around. remote activated auto-pilots... that pull your car over and park? I dunno...

another one that comes to mind is real-time traffic with smart GPS rerouting. The road can detour traffic to prevent major congestion on any one specific road. Lots of times there are plenty of routes to get to where you are going, but most people don't know the sides roads and therefore just cause more traffic by becoming part of it.

The more I think about it, the more this seems like something Google would want to be a part of.

[shingi_70]

So what's everyone's take on facebook screwing with the public's newsfeeds to see how depressing infomation effects their userbase?




Microsoft is working on a fitness based smartwatch with a ton of sensors and the screen facing the palm side of your hand.

[ShyGuy]

Facebook is awful. I should close my account.

[BlackNMild2k1]

http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-08/07/10-qs-about-nasa-impossible-drive

Yeah, so ummm, hover boards by 2025!?
The "impossible" drive making things possible!!!

7. What's this about hoverboards and flying cars?

A superconducting version of the EmDrive, would, in principle, generate thousands of times more thrust. And because it does not require energy just to hold things up (just as a chair does not require power to keep you off the ground), in theory you could have a hoverboard which does not require energy to float in the air.

You'll have to provide the lateral thrust yourself though, or expend energy pushing the thing along by other means --- and in any case, superconducting electronics are rather bulky and expensive, so the super-EmDrive is likely to be a few years away.

This was designed for space travel, but like many things NASA does ends up having on earth applications.
Exciting times are ahead of us.

[nickmitch]

I'm tempted to freeze myself now so I'm young enough to use one.  But I'm really in shape as it is.

[marvel_moviefan_2012]

I didn't want hover boards when I was young enough to care. I am all for flying cars but what I really want are those self driving cars to hurry the hell up and get here.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I didn't want hover boards when I was young enough to care. I am all for flying cars but what I really want are those self driving cars to hurry the hell up and get here.

After hover boards prove the concept, flying cars are next.
Now since by then wet well already have self driving cars, imagine self driving cars that no longer need tires.

Match that with solar roads that provide infinite power and now have much less wear & tear. And we are firmly set in the future.

[Stogi]

There are companies already looking to build a permanent tire. So hover or not, rubber tires will be replaced.

[BlackNMild2k1]

The next logical thing in Solar is in the works.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/08/140819200219.htm

Transparent Solar Cells:


We'll be able to line all those sky scrapers with "triple" paned windows that actually power the buildings and the block they are sitting on.
Solar powered cars that get the windshields beaten by the sun all day... now those reflective widow visors will serve a dual purpose by reflecting out the sunlight for a second chance and conversion.

[Ceric]

That's pretty cool.

[marvel_moviefan_2012]

I found a way to do my part to advocate for the adoption of those Solar Roads, and maybe those new solar panels discussed above. I am writing a paper for a business course on a public policy issue project, anyways I was just going to do the typical going green but realized I could tighten it up by focusing exclusively on these new technologies in my paper. I also shared some of this with the news director at work and they might be looking for a localized angle to run a story on it. I decided to not go down the journalists path personally for various reasons, but I can influence the journalists at work if nothing else.

An optimistic update on the solar roads project is their company is declining further media reports because they have been too busy developing their technology, according to their website anyways. So I am more optimistic about that technology than I was previously.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Futurama is almost here...

You know how you've been wanting to get in shape, or maybe have a bigger penis, be black, 16 again, or maybe just want to know what it feels like to be a woman...!?

Soon you will be able to do all of that with a simple transplant of your head onto a choice body.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22530103.700-first-human-head-transplant-could-happen-in-two-years.html?full=true#.VO5AbPnF8rl

A radical plan for transplanting a head onto someone else’s body is set to be announced. But is such ethically sensitive surgery even feasible?

IT'S heady stuff. The world's first attempt to transplant a human head will be launched this year at a surgical conference in the US. The move is a call to arms to get interested parties together to work towards the surgery.

The idea was first proposed in 2013 by Sergio Canavero of the Turin Advanced Neuromodulation Group in Italy. He wants to use the surgery to extend the lives of people whose muscles and nerves have degenerated or whose organs are riddled with cancer. Now he claims the major hurdles, such as fusing the spinal cord and preventing the body's immune system from rejecting the head, are surmountable, and the surgery could be ready as early as 2017.

[BlackNMild2k1]

MS taking Google Goggles to the next and much better step leap.

[Ceric]

That's oldish.  I know I talked about it here somewhere but that's going to be awesome.

[BlackNMild2k1]

That's oldish.  I know I talked about it here somewhere but that's going to be awesome.

That video is from a presentation done 2 days ago!! internet aging is ridiculous nowadays....

[BranDonk Kong]

Jesus fucking Christ that's amazing.

[oohhboy]

It's MS so take a bag of salt. It's either fake, doesn't work, massively late has massively exaggerated features or a combination of the above.

[Ceric]

  Your being harsh Ooohboy.  Surface Pro and Microsoft Band does exactly what they promised.

[nickmitch]

MS is known for their over zealous tech demos though.

[NWR_insanolord]

To go with the solar panel roads that have been posted here, now England is testing roads that recharge electric cars that are driving over them.