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Programmable Matter, star trek replicators not that far off?

So this involves using quantum-dots, nanotech devices that traps clouds of electrons and forces them into standing-waves and allows them to behave like atoms -- This sounds less like replicators and more like the stuff you'd see on holodecks

Does this technology have any limitations?


CuttingEdge100
 
Well, it's not exactly a replicator of the 24th century because ours are based on manipulating existing matter from one form into the other.
In Trek, replicators convert energy into matter to create a desired object ... so there's an obvious difference ... although I think that Trek 23rd century replicators operated on converting matter from one form into the other (waste recycling for example which was based on decomposing the waste to it's basic elements and re-arranging them into something else) ... so our version would be closer to that.

Although, I would say that replicators as seen on Trek are definitely possible.
What the video shows essentially is a good start that could progress into that direction.
Although, to be frank, this is a bit of old news.
I think this is an evolved form of 3d printing (essentially 'printing' a 3d object as you constructed it in a software such as Lightwave, Maya or 3dsMax and getting a real life 3d version of it ... this type of tech was introduced years ago).

I think this is quite an exciting prospect as we could definitely end up getting to the Trek's 24th century level of tech (at least in terms of replicators and all for everyday life) by the mid 21st century (or possibly sooner).
I dunno about space travel though as it's a different area ... although there's no doubt that using methods from these techs could be used in space travel and all.
But again ... we will be limited by money (you know ... the entire concept of 'investing money' into something).
Who knows if these techs we see in the video will even see a commercial use ever.
 
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