Predicting Nanotechnologies Future in light of the Present Realities

It's been a while since we had a tech prediction thread, and yes we have had allot of them but it's good to have them at regular interval's as so much has changed. Gas in my country is around 1.20/liter now it's a bit lower in the USA.

Given what we know today how will Humanity adapt technologically? We don't really physically adapt to situations now we adapt by innovating. The Levies in New Orleans could benefit from Nanotechnology. Make them selfhealing and networked to weather satellites so they can "grow" in anticipation of a Category 4 or higher storm and perform basic maintanance when the elements weaken the levies structure. This technology could be available by the middle of next decade. Hopefully before the next big Cat 5 but it's all a roll of the dice really.

Nanoporous cement and ashvault could become code by the end of the decade. The benifit would be obvoius. No need for sewer grates(or a much lesser need of them). It was said that the amount of pavement in New Orleans exasperated it, had their been more green spaces or "Nanoporous cement", the water would receed much quicker.

What do you guys think will be our response Nanotechnologically speaking.

I'm in the middle of doing something, so I can't go into details.. but Nanotech would help greatly. In both ridding the water, preventing such levee breaks, and much much more. if I get the time, maybe I'll post something. Plus... I hope to have a PODcast with my nanotech report... or at least an overview of it going over the main facts.

from medicine.plosjournals.org.../journal.pmed.0020097

A very long article and one I'm going to bookmark for later but this diagram is interesting as it pertains to the poverty situation.

There are still rigorous testing stages nanotechs, composites and polymers go through. I'd prefer to see these results and the cost of operations. Steel cost like $.7 per pound, how much does the nano equivelant cost?

nmdp

[edit on 1-9-2005 by Frosty]

Well, when I thin of it, I see nano-tech hitting the agricultural and private sectors alot.

Agriculture wise, creating moified plants using nano-tech, incorporating nanites into plants to be digested, where they'd basically boost your immune system for awhile.

In the private sector, I see alot of different things happening, nano-tech paint, that can change color, for walls, clothes that can change color, shape and texture, cars that can change color and shape.
And one that I think will be big, nano plastic surgery, get rid of wrinkles and such.

I think to, a big thing will be nanites released into the atmosphere that destroy the toxins we've pumped into it.

Once I post my paper on nanotech you will see how it directly affects Agriculture, Living Space, Energy, Water, Weaponry,etc. And for the cost of nanotech... Cheap enough for anyone to buy anythin they need. Computers will be cheap enough for someone in povert to purchase... and that computer will run faster than anything we have today.

I'm curious to see how much more efficent they can make solar cells,from what I hear carbon nanotubes are very good at converting sunlight into energy and if that is the case then I would hope to see a 2 or 3 times increase over todays solar cells.

Hopefully some day they can power my house or make more efficient electric cars.

But how can Nanotech be used to prevent this disaster and disaster's like the Tsuanami from even taking such a high human,infrastruction,ecological toll.

We need some idea's here people.

Like something that could dramatically reduce the risk of dying in places like New Orleans and tsunami prone area's.

I agree things like Cheap Highly Efficient Solar cells used in a distributed pattern with buried and networked powerlines webing across the rebuilt city of New Orleans could have a dramatic effect on a similiar situation happening in the future.

The lines of communications could still be up right now if such a system was in place now, but it isn't maybe next time it will be and we will be ogling some of natures furies from the webcasts sent out from there. Could eventually even lead to a better understanding of a Hurricanes effects on a major city if we still had the ability to keep the power and communications up and running eh?

Maybe building code could eventually make it manditory to have a hypothetical ultra-cheap self-inflating raft made from cheap and abundant Nano-Textiles.

This is all speculation of course, but I just wanted to try to get some out-of box thinking going on

Nanotech will indeed help solar energy collection methods, but may lead to a much more effective capture of solar energy via DCDs(Direct Conversion Devices). DCDs have the potential to capture nearly 80% of the energy from the spectrum and with fine tuning could be used enmass for the populus. If ZPE turns out to be unfeasable, then a DCD is the best bet at capturing ambient EM energy. Currently the DCD is being developed by a company(ITNES) for DARPA and has completed intial research into creating such a device. What will be seen in the future is whether this technology is easy created in bulk like similiar thin roll photovoltiacs.

In regards to creating a better levie I would say that intergration of Nanosensors that detect pressure and alert a center to danger would be a great idea. Another would be to have a nano material that can increase rigidity when force is exerted on it, maybe some kind of Nanotube composite.

Ok... I'm not going to school today... Feel like crap. I'm gonna work alot on my paper today and try to get it done. I hope to post it by at least Saturday or Sunday. Hopefully some of you guys will take the time to add to the Research paper in that forum, seeing as how it's a School Report and I couldn't go into as much detail as I would have like. I went over all the strong parts though, and think it will open peoples minds to the possobilities of Nanotech... whether those things are good or bad. I too am not sure how the advances levees and such from nanotech would prevent such a storm... Maybe I can get back to you on that one this afternoon.

I have a comment on the nanoporous cement and asphalt..

In the 80's I lived near Wash DC..And commuted there daily from Maryland.
I used the "Beltway". (loved the traffic jams)..
There was a section of the beltway where they were testing porous paving materials..
I can say from experience that it greatly effected traffic flow..
During heavy rainstorms, other sections or the road would puddle-up, creating the need to slow down, to avoid hydroplaning..

But the porous section.Totally different..It was pretty much like driving on a dry road..no water flying off the tires..no worries about hydoplaning. The water ran right through the pavement.
I can see where this type a material could aid in handling large amounts of runoff..

[edit on 3-9-2005 by spacedoubt]