Comments on: The first nanofactories http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=3063 examining transformative technology Wed, 03 Apr 2013 18:23:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=3063#comment-857477 Sat, 13 Jun 2009 13:08:08 +0000 http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=3063#comment-857477 These nanites could produce monoatomic items. Super strong and durable. Don't they have technology to "eat' the out out of the water on spills? These nanites could produce monoatomic items. Super strong and durable. Don’t they have technology to “eat’ the out out of the water on spills?

]]> By: http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=3063#comment-857112 Fri, 12 Jun 2009 18:10:28 +0000 http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=3063#comment-857112 How about some down-to-earth solution to our mandane earthly problems ..eh like- When will we be able to send in a couple of cheap nano robot to seek out the source of roof leak or basement water seepage. All we need is some means to tarck them when these nano-robot traces its path following the flow of water. Surely these are very basic nano part to produce but could well solve our century-old problem. Anyone out there looking at this? Or nano-robot coaxing the moisture in the air to produce water in drought stricken areas like we are experiencing currently in our county. I know AWG already exists now to produce water from thin air but they rely on expensive energy. Anyone pursuing this in the nanotech field? Or have I misunderstood the capability of nanotechnology? from a layman in nanotech How about some down-to-earth solution to our mandane earthly problems ..eh like-
When will we be able to send in a couple of cheap nano robot to seek out the source of roof leak or basement water seepage. All we need is some means to tarck them when these nano-robot traces its path following the flow of water. Surely these are very basic nano part to produce but could well solve our century-old problem. Anyone out there looking at this?

Or nano-robot coaxing the moisture in the air to produce water in drought stricken areas like we are experiencing currently in our county. I know AWG already exists now to produce water from thin air but they rely on expensive energy. Anyone pursuing this in the nanotech field?

Or have I misunderstood the capability of nanotechnology?

from a layman in nanotech

]]> By: http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=3063#comment-854278 Fri, 05 Jun 2009 20:04:51 +0000 http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=3063#comment-854278 Heck with the pocketknife. I want a diamond-edged telescoping chainsaw that fits into my pocket. It would be nice to be able to chop down trees with a single stroke. And it would be nice to have a body that can survive having a tree land on it when I misjudge the direction it's going to fall. Heck with the pocketknife. I want a diamond-edged telescoping chainsaw that fits into my pocket. It would be nice to be able to chop down trees with a single stroke.

And it would be nice to have a body that can survive having a tree land on it when I misjudge the direction it’s going to fall.

]]> By: JamesG http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=3063#comment-853760 JamesG Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:58:40 +0000 http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=3063#comment-853760 Yes I agree that AI is almost certainly a prerequisite for nanofabs/nanobots. But there is still a danger, whoever controls the AI will control the world. Unfortunately people can't take this subject seriously because of their own ignorance, so in some sense I can see a hard-takeoff happening and some potential bad outcomes. This is why this work needs some leadership, a real nano-agency, government or corporate that commits to studying, defining policy and executing that policy, and making nanofabs/nanobots and AI with that policy being their creed. Yes I agree that AI is almost certainly a prerequisite for nanofabs/nanobots. But there is still a danger, whoever controls the AI will control the world. Unfortunately people can’t take this subject seriously because of their own ignorance, so in some sense I can see a hard-takeoff happening and some potential bad outcomes. This is why this work needs some leadership, a real nano-agency, government or corporate that commits to studying, defining policy and executing that policy, and making nanofabs/nanobots and AI with that policy being their creed.

]]> By: http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=3063#comment-853574 Wed, 03 Jun 2009 14:09:26 +0000 http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=3063#comment-853574 That is a good response, Josh. I tend to see the MNT developing along those lines, too. PS: When do I get my first pocket nanoknife with molecular diamondoid and tungsten carbide edges to take camping? =) I think that a greater threat will be from nefarious persons armed with biotechnological devices at first, as there is already a basis for biotech reengineering of virii and bacteria and stuff along those lines. Also, the ability to cheaply extract uranium from seawater and other sources, and to put together dirty bombs is something that needs to be watched from potential threats. That is a good response, Josh. I tend to see the MNT developing along those lines, too. PS: When do I get my first pocket nanoknife with molecular diamondoid and tungsten carbide edges to take camping? =)

I think that a greater threat will be from nefarious persons armed with biotechnological devices at first, as there is already a basis for biotech reengineering of virii and bacteria and stuff along those lines. Also, the ability to cheaply extract uranium from seawater and other sources, and to put together dirty bombs is something that needs to be watched from potential threats.

]]> By: Accelerating Future » Nanofactories Will Be Powerful and Cheap If They Work at All http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=3063#comment-853543 Accelerating Future » Nanofactories Will Be Powerful and Cheap If They Work at All Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:02:23 +0000 http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=3063#comment-853543 [...] Foresight Institute President J. Storrs Hall gave a response to my concern about what might be called a “hard nano take-off”. I said: The first nanofactories will be both impressive (in their exponential qualities and complete automation of manufacturing) and unimpressive (their chemical inflexibility, possible cooling requirements, electricity consumption, limited initial design space, etc.) I predict they will be revolutionary enough that the first model may also be one of the most widely distributed. Unless there are serious restrictions on nanofactory self-replication, a near-exponential flood of nanofactories and nanoproducts will follow, flowing from the first system to cross that adoption tipping point. [...] [...] Foresight Institute President J. Storrs Hall gave a response to my concern about what might be called a “hard nano take-off”. I said: The first nanofactories will be both impressive (in their exponential qualities and complete automation of manufacturing) and unimpressive (their chemical inflexibility, possible cooling requirements, electricity consumption, limited initial design space, etc.) I predict they will be revolutionary enough that the first model may also be one of the most widely distributed. Unless there are serious restrictions on nanofactory self-replication, a near-exponential flood of nanofactories and nanoproducts will follow, flowing from the first system to cross that adoption tipping point. [...]

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