/sci/ - Science & Math

The winner of this Gada prize will be the individual (or group) who can make a RepRap that meets the following specifications:

* Ability to print at least three different materials, including one that is usefully electrically conductive.
* Ability to print electronic circuit boards.
* Print beds† must be of a material which may be reused with minimal refurbishment for at least 20 print cycles.
* Maintain a total materials and parts cost under $200 and that 90% of the volume of the printer parts be printed.††
* Demonstrate a build volume of the printer above 300x300x100mm in order to ensure that items of daily utility can be printed.
* The capacity to print a full set of parts for a complete replica of itself within 10 days unattended save for clearing no more than one printer head jam.
* Ability to print autonomously without a PC attached.
* Uses no more than 60 watts of electrical power.

>>2256393
/r/ing the mexican version

Nano is not what scifi paints it to be. It will be a tiny box the size of a shoebox standing on your desk with a little window to the inside and some tanks. It WONT be clusters of billions of intelligent and breeding and socializing machines because no.

>>2256394
Don't have it

>>2256396
Can you explain what exactly do people in this board mean when they say "when we reach singularity, we will herp the derps, burn the water, fast travel than light and bend space and time!

what's the concept of singularity?

>>2256398
found it

>>2256400

They think Singularityfairy will come and whiak them away to nerdtopia. Read Accelerando and the proceed to realize how many people think its 'realistic',and youll see what I mean.

>>2256400
Basically, derp computers are wizards.

>>2256396
It all depends how far forward one looks, and what actually ends up being practical in the future.

Pretending one knows what's going to happen is not logical, given the track record of predicting technological advancement. Hopes are a different matter entirely.

>>2256416

I was talking about this century and posssibly the next. But even the future will have to sole the problem of now to pump voltage into such macines, handling waste heat.

>>2256408
>>2256411
so by singularity they mean technological singularity? isn't that dumb? I think some things are just impossible, such as bending the fabric of spacetime itself.

>>2256400
people invent and design new machines at a certain rate, limited by number of humans participating in research and their brain capacity. thinking machines or augmented humans will be able to increase that rate. and when it reaches infinity, you have singularity.

>>2256421
Of course. Discussing what may be practical and what is far less likely to be is a different game to making specific predictions.

That sentence reads badly, but I think you get the point. Saying "nano-assemblers are more likely to be practical devices than clusters of independent intelligent nanobots" is fine.

>>2256430

Theyll just quote Clarkes Law or Michio Kaku.

THAT BASTARD

>>2256430
Bending spacetime is impossible now?

Damn. Gotta go write the laws of physics anew.

Is there anyone other than me (OP) and Inurdaes that thinks it is kinda cool that there are people working on almost self-replicating machines? This wasn't meant to be about the singularity, things don't need to be at that level to be very cool.

>>2256458
I just want to feed raw materials in one end and get it to poop out a brand new superfast smartphone for chump change.

>>2256458
here

Singularity or not, the next 20 years should prove to contain some interesting advancements.

Intel said that Moore's law should continue until 2018 without implementation of any new technologies. There are already several alternatives available.

I'm optimistic as fuck about the future.

>>2256493
Improved tech doesn't mean that society will be any good.

>>2256505
>Improved tech doesn't mean that society will be any good.
when was the last time technology DID NOT improve human quality of life??

>>2256505
No. And though we live in modern times, it doesn't mean empires don't use torture.

He just said he's excited about better tech. So am I.

I think humanity is slowly changing for the better, but I know that humans will still be humans 20 years from now.

Problem, pessimists?

>>2256520

Everything Thomas Midgley Jr did.

I'm optimistic about the future as well, just pointing out.

>>2256550

Point

However it is tech that stopped his damage

>>2256374
a bit long but very interesting nontheless. well worth watching.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6950604815683841321#

Essentially the guy points out that we already do have nanobots, they are human engineered and built viruses / cellls. self assembling and can be programmed using DNA. lots of potential in genetic engineering. just watch it, good stuff.