My random thoughts

[funkervogt]

Here's an interesting news clip about The British Library and its automated warehouse of books and periodicals:


It makes me wonder how far we are from having virtual libraries full of 1:1 scans of random physical objects. A perfect scan of a book, with all the text and illustrations on the right pages is a start. Imagine there being other types of items, like every kind of ballpoint pen or IKEA desk ever made. In the far future, one disk drive could contain the 3D data on every kind of manufactured good there ever was.

[funkervogt]

If you had cybernetic brain and body implants, then you could use your own thoughts to precisely control your own brain activity. For example, by thinking about it, you could tell your implant to stimulate the release of adrenaline into your bloodstream. At will, you could induce pain insensitivity and enhanced strength.

[funkervogt]

Combat robots with advanced vision will make all but the best camouflage obsolete. Even if they don't have heat vision, their normal-spectrum vision will be so sharp that they'll be able to tell camouflaged human soldiers and vehicles apart from the background. Minute differences in colors and patterning between the camouflage and whatever is behind them will be noticed instantly, as will uncovered parts of human soldiers that reveal their bare skin.

I predict this will drive the creation and adoption of morphing camouflage fabrics, which will be comprised of something like e-ink embedded with tiny cameras. The cameras will watch the immediate surroundings and tell the rest of the fabric what colors and patterns to adopt to blend in.

Related:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/decoy-arms-r ... 38570.html

[Vakanai]

Combat robots with advanced vision will make all but the best camouflage obsolete. Even if they don't have heat vision, their normal-spectrum vision will be so sharp that they'll be able to tell camouflaged human soldiers and vehicles apart from the background. Minute differences in colors and patterning between the camouflage and whatever is behind them will be noticed instantly, as will uncovered parts of human soldiers that reveal their bare skin.

I predict this will drive the creation and adoption of morphing camouflage fabrics, which will be comprised of something like e-ink embedded with tiny cameras. The cameras will watch the immediate surroundings and tell the rest of the fabric what colors and patterns to adopt to blend in.

Related:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/decoy-arms-r ... 38570.html

When combat robots get that good, human soldiers will no longer be on the battlefield outside of nations that can't afford robot soldiers anyways.
Although opposing robot combatants will try to camouflage to hide from each other.

[funkervogt]

Machines will improve animal welfare on farms by continuously monitoring them for disease or injury, and treating them early, before it gets severe.

[funkervogt]

Once video games get lifelike as far as the human senses can perceive, graphics improvements will plateau. That's kind of a relief. Thanks to Moore's Law, the hardware needed to deliver that level of performance will get cheaper each month. Eventually, everyone will be able to afford it.

[funkervogt]

Robots will be real-life MacGuyvers who will be able to creatively use any materials at hand for purposes that most humans wouldn't expect. Leaving one of them alone in a room for a while could end in a big surprise.

[funkervogt]

There will be a surge in "old" UFO sightings once AI scans through the billions of photos humans have uploaded to the internet and finds abnormal things in the skies that we all missed.

[Powers]

There will be a surge in "old" UFO sightings once AI scans through the billions of photos humans have uploaded to the internet and finds abnormal things in the skies that we all missed.

Hell, not UFOs only.

[funkervogt]

Someday, any android will be able to sit down at a piano and play as well as one of the greatest human masters. This might be a cool trick to have it do when your bored at home.