Most important research areas in technology

[bobsmith1492]

Originally posted by: patentman

Originally posted by: bobsmith1492

Originally posted by: patentman
low observable technology=stealth technology, i.e. coatings for various stealth military vehicles.

How will this impact the world, though? The US (and its allies) already has the most advanced stealth technology, correct? Would it be just to keep ahead of the curve, so to speak? Do we really have any need for more advanced military hardware?

I was just responding to your question about what low observable technology is. I mentioned LO technology as an example of a use for nanotubes.

As for your questions: stealth technology allows the US to maintain air superiority and (soon) naval superiority throughout the world. While I do not advocate the U.S.'s policing of the world, I like the fact that we have the most advanced stuff to keep us safe.

Is there a need for more advanced military hardware? That is a loaded question. On the one hand you could argue that no, there is no need for the further advancement of military hardware, because war is obsolete and should not be practiced in this day and age.

On the other hand, however, you could argue that the above sentiment is not really based in reality. It is an unfortunate truth that human beings are constantly striving to discover new and more efficient ways of killing their enemies. It is actually quite astounding to look at the rise and fall of various empires over the past 3000 years in view of advancements in military hardware and tactics. What you will see is that there is often a "leap frog" effect where one society with better military equipment/tactics takes over a given area, later the area is taken over by someone with even better military technology, only to have the area taken over by yet another society with even better technology, and so on. The same effect is happening today, except that most of the battles that would have taken place in the past are now simulated. That is, we know what country A's anti-ship missiles can do, so we develop countermeasures to counteract those missiles based primarily on computer simulation. Country A learns of our countermeasures, and develops a missle that will not be defeated by them, and the cycle repeats. It has been this way for a long time. Thus, yes, I believe that it is imperative that we continue to develop military hardware until something fundamental changes in the human psyche.

Yeah, I do agree with you; it is in human nature to fight, and we will do so until the end of time. Sorry for misunderstanding about the nanotubes, though it did pull a bit of your viewpoint out which is always a good thing. 🙂

 

[DrPizza]

Fusion

 

[alpha88]

I think the most important is energy production / transport / storage.

In contrast to many other people's beliefs, I think we "waste" quite a lot of money on medical research. While this may sound stupid, since I'm a physician, but I don't think it's a good idea to try to extend our lives beyond what we have. Old people should eventually die.

I know this is unreasonable, but I think that the cutting edge medical technology is already very sufficent, and instead of spending billions on researching new drugs and procedures, (which will cost fortunes to use), we should work on reducing the cost of healthcare.

 

[sao123]

Energy / Matter replication...

if we had the ability to fundamentally control all matter & energy to the point where we could take any group of matter, break it down into sub atomic particles, then re-form it into any new group of atoms & molecules... this would be most advantageous...
Of course this would take a lot of energy, so we need an inexaustable energy source.


imagine... here is a pile of trash... then voila... here is a pan of lasagna.


immediate waste management, and infinite supply of food, fuel, building materials, whatever we need.

 

[bobsmith1492]

Originally posted by: sao123
Energy / Matter replication...

if we had the ability to fundamentally control all matter & energy to the point where we could take any group of matter, break it down into sub atomic particles, then re-form it into any new group of atoms & molecules... this would be most advantageous...
Of course this would take a lot of energy, so we need an inexaustable energy source.


imagine... here is a pile of trash... then voila... here is a pan of lasagna.


immediate waste management, and infinite supply of food, fuel, building materials, whatever we need.

Sounds very Doom3esque... What was that thing called?

I don't see how that would ever be efficient enough to be worthwhile, but hey, you never know! Maybe we should get fusion down first so the inexhaustable energy is available...

 

[gsellis]

Room temperature superconduction. With that, a few of the above will make giant leaps.

At least they have moved the scale to about 80Kelvin last time I paid attention. It used to be the ultimate stupidity (and may still be) to use Helium for ballons when it was then required to get materials cold enough to super condute. There is a limited supply of He in Texas and no way to make it when that is gone.

 

[bobsmith1492]

Originally posted by: gsellis
Room temperature superconduction. With that, a few of the above will make giant leaps.

At least they have moved the scale to about 80Kelvin last time I paid attention. It used to be the ultimate stupidity (and may still be) to use Helium for ballons when it was then required to get materials cold enough to super condute. There is a limited supply of He in Texas and no way to make it when that is gone.

Yeah, I would agree - superconductors have amazing potential (or lack thereof, 🙂).

Actually I'm pretty sure they have liquid-nitrogen-level superconductors now... WIKI agrees:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-temperature_superconductor

That's pretty good, anyway; it makes them a lot more useable. I just read an article in IEEE Spectrum about the use of superconductors in super-high-current and -voltage circuit breakers; they help prevent current surges from propagating to the source since the surge will saturate the superconductor's current carrying capability causing them to increase in resistance, stopping the surge by limiting it to the materials' carrying capability. Neat stuff!

 

[Skotty]

I'd go with energy as #1, emphasis on fusion development and continued fission evolution as well as battery technology, and medical as #2, emphasis on cancer treatment (possibly through a technological approach) and artificial limbs, organs, and augmentations (a lot of advancement can still be made in interfacing man with machine to replace lost or damaged appendages and organs). And for pet project, I'd really like to see a new civil supersonic transport. 🙂

 

[Biftheunderstudy]

Perhaps one of the biggest if not the biggest questions in modern science is: What is the nature of Dark Energy? Next to that is Dark Matter. These topics don't really pertain to technology, then again we don't know anything about them so they may very well have some fruits in the technology aspects.

The nature and origin of the nuclear forces is a huge question which could see a lot of scientific and technological breakthroughs --right now we only have models.

I believe that energy is extremely important and that we are near implementation of fusion technologies, this technology is a sort of global goal.

For more localized technologies I would have to say superconductors, there are TONS of neat things you can do with these. Personal favorite for superconductors would be a gravitomagnetic tractor beam 🙂

 

[PooBeetle]

minimising greed,
n translating into a full tummy for everybody.

strange init, you'd think defence would be about feeding people, and offence about killing them
imagine if the the budgets were reversed

global warming = no polar bears, all gone, all dead, all extinct in the next few years
no coral, no great barrier reef, all gone
so minimising american greed would have to be up there as totally revolutionary

 

[videogames101]

Originally posted by: Cogman
Nano-bio-technology is something I think can have a great effect on humans. Even if it does not get to the state where we have billions of reproducing nanobots swimming in our blood stream removing cancer and aids, I think we could get something like ten highly specialized bots that can target specific malfunctions (cancer growth) and cure them. I think it does have a good potential and future.

another would be nuclear power, or more specifically, fusion power. I think this can postpone the worlds energy crisis's by a few hundred years.

If we get fusion working, I doubt there will ever be an energy crisis...

 

[gsellis]

Originally posted by: PooBeetle
minimising greed,
n translating into a full tummy for everybody.

strange init, you'd think defence would be about feeding people, and offence about killing them
imagine if the the budgets were reversed

global warming = no polar bears, all gone, all dead, all extinct in the next few years
no coral, no great barrier reef, all gone
so minimising american greed would have to be up there as totally revolutionary

Sorry, but Marxism has not ever proven to be the answer. In fact, it has killed more people than it feed.

 

[slatr]

Originally posted by: bobsmith1492
Anyone's opinions on this are welcome; I'm looking for broad and/or specific.

Why is the area important? What is important about it? Do you work in that field? What is the most important issue regarding technology and its use?

I would think one is that of energy: its production, storage, efficient conversion and use, and effects on the environment since the use of power in the modernized world in transportation, business, and industry seems to have skyrocketed and the majority of the world is just on the brink of entering the same stage. Thoughts?

Alternative energy (a given), aquaculture and photonics.

 

[WHAMPOM]

#1 Fusion power plants--small neighborhood power generation

#2 Light weight, 99.99999% efficient battery power for vehicles.

#3 Plaque eating bacteria---injected and slowly destroy arterial plaque so the body can despose of it.