Nanotechnology

[smp]

Okay.. I did a search, figuring that something like this had to be here, but I didn't find anything.

I have some questions regarding nanotech that maybe some fellow geeks here at AT (no offence, the term geek is one of endearment in my books) could help me out with. I was wondering how nanotechnology will help the production of computers, specifically in relation to Moore's law. I don't really know too much about nanotech, but I kind of understand that we should be able to control things on a molecular level, so instead of moving dirt with bulldozers, we'll be moving it with pinchers </bad SMP analogy>

What are the consiquences?
What current problems will it fix (I'm thinking moore's law here)?
What good will come?
What bad will come?

 

[mooseAndSquirrel]

I don't have a clue, but for a mind-bending look at the possibilities of a nanotech world, I could not recommend nore highly:The Diamond Age by Neil Stephenson. This technology is going to change the world more than anything ever has.

 

[smp]

Neil Stephenson is the greatest man of all time. I have not read that book, it is going on my list.




yay snow crash!

 

[smp]

BUMP!~~~

 

[Shalmanese]

The spike by Damien Broderick is also very good.

Keep some healthy sceptisim when you read them though, not everbody thinks nanotech will be as rosy a future as stephenson.

There was a good special issue of Scientific American on Nanotech about 2 months ago, go to your local library and have aread, highly reccomended

 

[Elledan]

<< There was a good special issue of Scientific American on Nanotech about 2 months ago, go to your local library and have aread, highly reccomended >>


I've read this issue of SA as well. It was a pretty good read

One of the articles was about how these 'pinchers' wouldn't work, thus no assembling nanomachine would be possible. Of course, the previous article was an interview with a guy who thought it is possible, so who knows?

 

[flood]

Before nanotech can really take off (and be practical), self-assembly techniques must first be perfected (I worked on a self-assembly research proj here at the UW). do a search for 'MEMS' you should find a lot.

 

[nortexoid]

allegedly, there's nanoreplacement procedures (i.e. biphoton interferometry) that will be used to replace human biochemical cognitive systems with mechanico-electrical ones...

so, in terms of consequences, u'll see humans with mechanico-electrical brains, whose neuronal cells have been replaced w/ nanodes that resume identical functional roles.

is this all a crock of poop?..is it possible for a machine to maintain a functional-type identity w/ a specified neuronal cell? - given the problem of multiple realizability, i doubt it.