heisenberg
Earl Grey
Who is up for the challenge
Wanna win 10 million dollars? Build a tricorder
- Thread starter heisenberg
- Start date
Who is up for the challenge
shavedape
Well Known GateFan
Where is the next generation's steve jobs who will build it in his/her garage?
That's just it, you won't see that person coming because they generally toil in obscurity until they hit success.
SciphonicStranger
Objects may be closer than they appear
After we get a new tricorder someone needs to start working on phasers.
Bluce Ree
Tech Admin / Council Member
After we get a new tricorder someone needs to start working on phasers.
I have a few people in mind on whom we can test them, too.
I want a transporter or a Tantalus Field (ST:TOS reference). Or perhaps an AGONIZER (same episode TOS).
Spock "Your agonizer please". Punishment for a transporter operator.
Bluce Ree
Tech Admin / Council Member
I want a transporter or a Tantalus Field (ST:TOS reference). Or perhaps an AGONIZER (same episode TOS).
Spock "Your agonizer please". Punishment for a transporter operator.
A transporter alone should be sufficient for just about any task you wish to perform.
I've often wondered why, in the ST universe, transporters were never used as weapons. Beaming away a section of an enemy's hull or crucial parts of ship infrastructure, for example. A transporter is the most effective means of disintegration.
SciphonicStranger
Objects may be closer than they appear
Transporters don't work though shields.
While we are at this, it would be cool if someone could invent a replicator and holodeck.
Bluce Ree
Tech Admin / Council Member
Transporters don't work though shields.
While we are at this, it would be cool if someone could invent a replicator and holodeck.
They do if they know the shield's frequency. With the computing power available to them in the ST universe, they could easily rotate through frequencies at ridiculous speeds and figure out the enemy's shield harmonics. Come to think of it, they could have used that principle with their phasers to penetrate enemy shields.
ST was full of head-scratchers like that. For instance, why did they have "impulse" engines when, having mastered artificial gravity, sub-light motion would be just a matter of generating gravity in the direction they wanted to navigate the ship?
SciphonicStranger
Objects may be closer than they appear
I was never too clear on how shields worked in that regard. It seems like the on board computer should rotate the frequencies and automatically adjust - but in one TNG episode (or was it a movie?) there was a simple code to access it.
Artificial gravity was never really explained that well either. Can it be projected outside of the ship?
I became confused when the need for dilithium crystals seemed obsolete. They were supposedly used to regulate the matter anti-matter reactions in warp engines. I recall them briefly referred to in TNG but after that they seemed an afterthought. Even Quark never sold one! Also, why were the phasers in TOS so much smaller than any of the ones we saw in TNG or afterwards?
Bluce Ree
Tech Admin / Council Member
It used to change from one ep to the next. The movie you're talking about was Generations that pretty much threw the entire ST universe's science and continuity out the window. :puke:
Why not? What would prevent such a device from working?
Bluce Ree
Tech Admin / Council Member
In TNG, I recall that they had developed the ability to regenerate dilithium crystals, which rendered them moot as a plot device.
TNG also had both type I (small handheld) and II phasers.
http://www.stardestroyer.net/mrwong/wiki/index.php/Hand_phaser
shavedape
Well Known GateFan
I was always partial to the development of a Dyson sphere. Such a fascinating concept, although the energy required to construct something like that would probably offset any gain you'd get once operational, at least for a few centuries. I mean, we're talking about encompassing an entire star. Do the math, I haven't. 
I was always partial to the development of a Dyson sphere. Such a fascinating concept, although the energy required to construct something like that would probably offset any gain you'd get once operational, at least for a few centuries. I mean, we're talking about encompassing an entire star. Do the math, I haven't.
Yeah, I cant imagine how a structure could be built without the star being AT LEAST as far away from the habitable areas as the earth is from the sun. Otherwise, you would have no liquids, and I cant imagine any life surviving. I thought the Trek episode "Relics" (was that the right one?) where they found Scotty on a Dyson sphere was done well. Amazing concept indeed!
Wow, I just dont recall any of those nifty Type 1 phasers being used in the episodes, but knowing me I just missed them.
I thought the idea of a pocket ray gun was cool. I thought the communicators became UNcool when they turned into chest mounted devices. What is the advantage of a permanent speakerphone attached to your clothing? I did, however, like the introduction and continued use of the LCARS console interfaces. Such an elegant design and concept! I will be skinning my first all-touch computer system with an LCARS skin. Right now, there are cool touch screen monitors on the market for around $400.00.
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Yeah, I cant imagine how a structure could be built without the star being AT LEAST as far away from the habitable areas as the earth is from the sun. Otherwise, you would have no liquids, and I cant imagine any life surviving. I thought the Trek episode "Relics" (was that the right one?) where they found Scotty on a Dyson sphere was done well. Amazing concept indeed!
That is part of Dyson's theory - the sphere shell is 1 AU from the Sun in the center.
As far as practicality I like the Ringworld better:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ringworld
It takes fewer resources, does not need gravity generators to work and you can see the stars.
shavedape
Well Known GateFan
Yeah, I cant imagine how a structure could be built without the star being AT LEAST as far away from the habitable areas as the earth is from the sun. Otherwise, you would have no liquids, and I cant imagine any life surviving. I thought the Trek episode "Relics" (was that the right one?) where they found Scotty on a Dyson sphere was done well. Amazing concept indeed!
Was that the TNG episode? It's been years since I've seen it so I don't remember all the details, but I remember the Dyson sphere and thinking it was a fascinating concept.
Theoretically unmanned drones (robots) could be used to do the manual labor if the conditions weren't conducive to human life. We could monitor it from afar. So basically they'd be used to put the solar panels in place, but still, it would be a monumental project that stretches the bounds of actually being able to complete.
Just manufacturing enough solar panels and building materials alone would be astronomical (pardon the pun
) in terms of cost and energy expended to construct the "housing". But then again, if we developed the technology to actually get to a star (other than our own) in order to encase it and exploit its energy output chances are we'd be farther advanced with manufacturing also. Still, it's just such a fascinating concept that I can't help but like it.
shavedape
Well Known GateFan
Refresh me on an "AU" (astronomical unit of measurement?)
The Ringworld thing looks interesting but I'd have to read the book to understand the details better. For instance, if it's an artificial world how do the inhabitants maintain their lives in terms of agriculture, etc? (not to give away any spoilers but what I did read about the book raised this question)