Star Trek fiction becomes fact - again!

Biggins

Not for the first time Star Trek has predicted the future, some say it has even help point the direction.
It was the mass first show to show hand held mobile communication devices that could fit in the palm of your hand.
Then there was the ability to beam items and people across distances...

Well its in its absolute early stages still but it looks like fictions again is becoming fact!

Scientists have invented a tractor beam which is able to move large objects longer distances than ever before by using a laser light.
A team of researchers at the Australian National University in Canberra have brought the art of molecular transportation, made famous by the catchphrase 'Beam me up, Scotty' from the TV series Star Trek, a fraction closer.
Using what they call tractor beams - rays of energy that can move objects - they have managed to move tiny particles up to 59 inches from one place to another.

More here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1310398/Beam-Scotty-Breakthrough-scientists-objects-5ft-using-tractor-lasers.html#ixzz0z3GXiC6r

Now if I can just beam myself somewhere warm and sunny some day! :cool:

Pauleta

I was hoping it was gonna be the Holodeck

Biggins

Pauleta wrote: »

I was hoping it was gonna be the Holodeck

Wouldn't that be great if they could! :cool:

minidazzler

TBH, Star Trek was a big F you to science, basically calling science out.

Science is fighting well!

Wolfe Tone

Sweet! Reverse the polarity!

Eviledna

That's brilliant.

Replicator next please.

Fratton Fred

It also has the first inter racial kiss on main stream US tv.

Wolfe Tone

Fratton Fred wrote: »

It also has the first inter racial kiss on main stream US tv.

Shatner messed up the first take which only showed shadows so they would have to use the other.... apparently.

Einhard

Fratton Fred wrote: »

It also has the first inter racial kiss on main stream US tv.

Not to mention the first inter-galactic kiss!!

Plug

From THIS to THIS, that took roughly 100 years. Think about that for a sec!

Iwasfrozen

Sorry op.

Dailymail wrote:

But he said that unlike the tractor beams in Star Trek, his technique would not work in out space, where there is a vacuum.

Biggins

Iwasfrozen wrote: »

Sorry op.

Give it time... maybe not in our life time but give it time, they might/will tackle the space problem.

In the meanwhile till they do, I'd be happy if they could still beam me from one cold place to a warm place back on Earth!

Ooo... happy days indeed.

karlog

Have they invented holograms yet?

karlog

Plug wrote: »

From THIS to THIS, that took roughly 100 years. Think about that for a sec!

Wait till WW3 then we'll be back to square one.

Biggins

karlog wrote: »

Have they invented holograms yet?

Yes:

Three-dimensional television may be the latest in home cinema, but it will soon seem so 2010. Scientists are already planning its successor — holographic television.

On a holo-TV, images will be projected into the middle of a room as a “cloud” that can be enjoyed from every angle without 3-D glasses.
It may even be possible to broadcast concerts in other arenas around the world and to view live, lifesize sporting events in stadiums thousands of miles from the real players.

Holographic enthusiasts have named it the “Stars Wars technology”, after a scene in the 1977 blockbuster where a holographic image of Princess Leia is briefly projected from the robot R2-D2 pleading: “Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

NHK, the Japanese equivalent of the BBC, has committed to creating the first holo-TV within six years.
It is sponsoring research at giant Japanese companies such as Sony and Mitsubishi and has dispatched engineers to America, where scientists have already generated basic holographic transmissions.

The University of Arizona recently announced it had used lasers and powerful computers to generate single-coloured clouds of images. Nasser Peyghambarian, professor of optical sciences at the university, said adding colour and fluid movement was “closer than ever”.

NHK has earmarked £2.8 billion for developing holo-TVs, as part of Japan’s bid to host the 2022 World Cup in Tokyo, but hopes to have prototypes working much earlier.

Jun Murai, a scientist known as “the father of the Japanese internet”, is advising NHK.
Using holographic broadcasting over satellites, he said, football games in Tokyo could be relayed to a London stadium where full-sized players would appear so life-like that fans would believe they were at the match.

Holo-TVs would not have to be mounted on walls. Last week, a Sony engineer said they would more likely resemble a large book laid on the floor. Lasers would then project the cloud into the middle of the room.
“With wires running under the carpet, you could fill the room with a football match or Hollywood heroes leaping between your sofas,” said the engineer.

Source: http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/2875/wwwthesundaytimescoukst.jpg

Then there was also this from the Times in 2008:

The Prince of Wales has made his first appearance as a hologram in a bid to reduce the royal carbon footprint, and silence critics who accuse him of failing to live by his green principles.

His Royal Highness, who once generated nearly 15 tonnes of carbon waste when he and his entourage took a private jet 7000 miles to New York and Philadelphia to accept an environmentalist award, chose to address the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi using the 3-D technology.

He is the first member of the Royal family to make a public address in virtual form. As a result, the Prince could be seen in two places at once this morning - addressing the challenges of climate change on stage in Abu Dhabi, while also visiting the site of a former colliery in Ayrshire.

The Prince was said to be reluctant to attend the energy summit in person because flights for him and his entourage would have generated nearly 20 tons of carbon waste. Instead, the larger-than-life projection left roughly the same amount as a light bulb.

However, royal flesh and blood was not entirely absent from the event. The Duke of York - dubbed “Air Miles Andy” because of his jet-set lifestyle - attended as a UK representative for trade.
Prince Charle’s six-minute address was recorded in the drawing room of Clarence House last November.

“He was very impressive and professional. It only took one take,” said Sean Reel, Commercial Director for Connecta Group, which produced the hologram.
“He was keen on using the hologram to show his commitment to reducing his own carbon footprint,” added Mr Reel.
“He is walking back and forth, and gesturing with his hands. It looks as though he is right there,” he said.

The prince was dressed in a dark suit, with a white flower worn in his lapel. Editors spliced in an image of a lectern.

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/technology/article1858644.ece

CreepingDeath

Well since light behaves as both a particle and a wave, it has mass.
So firing laser light at an object will move it.
That's the idea behind "solar sails" for propulsion.

Although here, it seems that the principle is to have a heated "tube" of laser light, that forces the item to stay in the cool middle bit.

Nowhere near a tractor beam, and probably cooks the item too.
Might be a good way of firing and cooking popcorn chicken at people though.

rossie1977

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VuIShM5kAQ

FreudianSlippers

Plug wrote: »

From THIS to THIS, that took roughly 100 years. Think about that for a sec!

A380s are sexual in person! Pictures don't do this plane justice imo

laugh

OisinT wrote: »

A380s are sexual in person! Pictures don't do this plane justice imo

Is this not more technologically advanced: Raptor ?

CrazyRabbit

karlog wrote: »

Have they invented holograms yet?

Please state the nature of the medical emergency.

fonecrusher1

rossie1977 wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VuIShM5kAQ

Fair play to him.

Thrill

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

Please state the nature of the medical emergency.

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056029704

ejmaztec

rossie1977 wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VuIShM5kAQ

She cannae take it Captain, she's breakin up:eek:

Liam Byrne

ejmaztec wrote: »

She cannae take it Captain, she's breakin up:eek:

If ya give her any more, will she blow ?

rossie1977

rossie1977 wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VuIShM5kAQ

Oh. Kiss then punch. So that's what I was doing wrong.

sesna

The phrase "beam me up" relates to the transporter device, and has nothing to do with the use of tractor beam. Lazy, opportunistic headline writing.

Eutow

karlog wrote: »

Have they invented holograms yet?

And I would like an hour on the holodeck with Seven of Nine!

Chaotic_Forces

They did the first lesbian kiss too I think with Dax and that girl she was married to when the host was in a guy.

Sea Sharp

Sea sharp is not impressed.
:mad:

Bellabidul

Not a gain...:rolleyes::mad:

Jim

Pauleta wrote: »

I was hoping it was gonna be the Holodeck

Would need some srs space mop + bucket.

I believe they have also developed lasers which will heal wounds with no need for stitches.

mikom

*Crosses fingers and hopes for the chick with three tits from total recall*