Eric Drexler in the talk I referenced in my last post basically said that all bets are off the table about what the implications of atomic scale fabrication would be.
I find it interesting that on YouTube there are only three significant talks by Drexler - one given at Lloyds Insurance last year, and another given at the Oxford Martin Institute, and a third, at the Singularity University.
All cover the same areas of discussion. There is a fourth speech given in Russia, which is very similar to the others in scope.
Lloyds Talk
Oxford Martin Talk
Singularity Summit Talk
Russian Polytechnic Museum Talk
Drexler, only 12 months ago, thought that an atomic assembler was still a future technology. However, the reality on the ground - the ability to engage in nano-fabrication, is jumping ahead even faster than Drexler predicted - for example, researchers at Imperial College, London, are talking in terms of a 'New Industrial Revolution', in relation to molecular fabrication using modified cellular machinery: The press release can be read here
This, taken in combination with the research carried out at Leeds University on an atomic assembler, indicate that we are far closer to the tipping point than even Drexler envisaged 12 months ago.
Once these technologies are available progress will be incredibly rapid, as much of the engineering design has already been carried out in silico for the first generation of molecular machines. These machines in turn will be used to construct their successors, and we will move rapidly into a new industrial paradigm.
I find it interesting that on YouTube there are only three significant talks by Drexler - one given at Lloyds Insurance last year, and another given at the Oxford Martin Institute, and a third, at the Singularity University.
All cover the same areas of discussion. There is a fourth speech given in Russia, which is very similar to the others in scope.
Lloyds Talk
Oxford Martin Talk
Singularity Summit Talk
Russian Polytechnic Museum Talk
Drexler, only 12 months ago, thought that an atomic assembler was still a future technology. However, the reality on the ground - the ability to engage in nano-fabrication, is jumping ahead even faster than Drexler predicted - for example, researchers at Imperial College, London, are talking in terms of a 'New Industrial Revolution', in relation to molecular fabrication using modified cellular machinery: The press release can be read here
This, taken in combination with the research carried out at Leeds University on an atomic assembler, indicate that we are far closer to the tipping point than even Drexler envisaged 12 months ago.
Once these technologies are available progress will be incredibly rapid, as much of the engineering design has already been carried out in silico for the first generation of molecular machines. These machines in turn will be used to construct their successors, and we will move rapidly into a new industrial paradigm.
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