Daistallia 2104
21-03-2005, 08:23
Just a sampling of the tech we are using right now.
Timeframe: 2050-2100
Open to constructive criticism.
Computer Technology
A Note On Terminology:
Gigabytes GB
Terabytes (thousands of gigabytes) TB
Petabytes (millions of gigabytes) PB
Gigahertz
Terahertz THz
Petahertz. PHz
Processors:
Computing devices are based on optical integrated circuits and data transmission is primarily via fiber optic cables and photonic crystal plates, which are stronger, cooler and have higher data transmission speeds. Photonic processor speeds range from 400 THz to 10 PHz. A powered photonic processor shines with light radiating in scintillating patterns through the plate's optical circuitry, while the crystal board itself is usually clear, translucent blue or translucent green in color. Circuit boards are made of sheets of photonic crystal. Circuitplates have processor plates fused to them. If a computer system uses multiple circuitplates, then the primary plate is the mainplate and the others are referred to as subplates. Circuitplates vary widely in size, dependent mostly on the various processors required by the computer. Photonic crystal processor plates require 1 cubic centimeter of volume per 100 THz. Photonic crystal circuitplates are typically 5mm thick, and 10 THz of processing power requires one square centimeter of plate area, meaning a 500THz board would require 10 square centimeters (10cm x 10cm) of plate area.
In addition to the main processor, most computers require a video processor, an audio processor, an interface processor, and may include other specialized processors for specific types of calculations.
For smaller and/or slower applications, GaAs IC chips are used. These operate at speeds of speeds 10 to 300 THz . GaAs chips require 10 cubic milimeters of volume per THz. They are typically .5mm thick, and 1 THz of processing power requires one square milimeter of chip area, meaning a 10 THz chip would require 100 square milimeters (10mm x 10mm).
Memory/Data Storage
Memory technology is based on atomic holographic memory crystals, holding an average of 64 petabits (Pb) or 8 petabytes (PB) of data per cubic centimeter (a storage capacity of 8 million gigabytes of memory per cubic centimeter!) Memory technology is found in two forms: datacards and datachips.
Datacards are 2.5mm x 5cm x 8cm. Even though their total volume is 10cm3, only half of it is actually used, giving them a 40PB capacity. Datacards can be rewritten an unlimited amount of times and do not suffer any data degradation over time. Datachips are 2.5mm x 1cm x 1cm a nd have a 2 PB capacity. Datachips are usually used for small devices such as wristcomps or subdermacomps. Other than their size, they function the same as datacards. Standard datacard readers (datacard read/write devices) consist of a 2.5mm x 5cm slot which the datacard is inserted into completely. Datachip readers are simply a tiny 2.5mm x 1cm slot.
Onboard Dataplates: computer systems almost always have a built-in block of onboard dataplates. Onboard dataplates (usually in 4cm x 10cm x 2.5mm sticks, but this can vary) are arranged in banks that plug into the main circuitplate and can only be removed by opening up the computer casing. A typical workstation has between 8PB and 256PB of onboard dataplates, though this can easily be upgraded or modified. This data storage is solid state and does not differentiate between volatile (RAM) and non-volatile memory. Rather than loading a program into volatile memory, computers run them directly from their current dataspace and write/modify any additional datafiles in any adjacent or available dataspace as necessary.
Software Sizes: Program sizes have growna grewat deal. Operating systems require several PB of disk space and hundreds of megabytes of RAM, and most programs use no less than a tenth of that per program (and some use a lot more). As computing power has grown, so has the software run on it, taking advantage of that computing power as much as possible. Programs are not simple text datafiles or simple databases; they may include artificial intelligence, voice recognition, video-recorded visual display imagery, and image recognition, at resolutions where pixels cannot be distinguished and sounds do not sound processed, all of this takes a lot of data capacity.
Displays
Display technology has advanced considerably as well. Modern computer displays are based on advanced OLED technology. Most displays are simple 2-D or very basic 3-D. The most advanced (and expensive) displays are Holographic Panstereoscopic Displays (HPDs) which generate a three-dimensional image inside the display area, with an unrestricted POV angle. Both types are touchscreen, Most displays are durable enough that everyday contact and even the occasional abuse leaves little or no wear on them.
Most computer workstations have two OLED (or HPD) touchscreens: a smaller one for data entry and a larger one for data display (though they are usually functionally interchangeable). Smaller portable computers (such as tablets and datapads) use a single vertical display to handle both data entry and display, dividing the screen between the two as the user sees fit.)
Interfaces
Nearly all computers have two modes of interface: touchscreen displays and voice/face command (VFC) recognition. Most computers utilize both (allowing flexibility from one user to the next), though a few use only one method or the other (usually tailored to the specific application of the computer). Since most programs have built-in VFC recognition routines and 2-D display routines, they take up a lot more memory. Programs using VFC recognition are usually driven by a robust AI.
Occassionally computers require other interface devices depending on their particular use. Keyboards and keypads are still used in certain applications. Nueural interfaces are in experimental stages, but are still considered dangerous and are very expensive.
Cables & Power
There are two types of cables in a computer system: power cables and data cables. Power cables are still your old tried-and-true sheathed copper wire bundles. Data cables are almost always fiber optic cables. Fiber optic data cables are connected via standardized dataports which are 5mm in diameter. With large computer systems, eight cables are sometimes bundled together in one large datacable which plugs into a uniform 2x4 dataport array (such as the one found on standard professional workstations). Dataports in a 2x4 array can still be used individually as well.
Computers require very small amounts of power. The two most power-intensive devices are datacard readers and HPD screens. Some computers have MFC (micro fuel cell) battery slots. MFC batteries can power a workstation for 72 hours, a portacomp for 14 days, or a wristcomp for 5 years. Subdermacomps are powered via bioelectric or hemapneumatic energy from the user's body, or micro glucose fuel cells. Workstations also typically have an external power port; they are only run off of MFC batteries when necessary.
Standard Computer Systems
Professional workstation are all-in-one units, consisting of a vertical display panel and a horizontal interface panel set into a stylish alloy case with various ports and slots on the sides and back of the case. Professional workstations tend to be the largest (and most stylish) kind of workstation, able to handle any high-end professional project with ease (anything from full interactive VR processing to complex AI computing to 256 kilobit encryption/decryption... you get the picture). Professional workstations come standard with a 800THz main processor, an array of high-end subprocessors, 512PB of onboard dataspace, eight dataports, eight datacard slots and four datachip slots, a 30x45cm OLED display panel and a 15x45cm OLED interface panel. These weigh around 5 kg.
Standard workstations are the standard "home computer", enough for the typical person to play full VR simulations or movies, run advanced home office applications, and manage all of the household digital appliances and security. Standard workstations come standard with a 600THz main processor, an array of mid-range subprocessors, 256PB of onboard dataspace, two dataports, four datacard slots and two datachip slots, a 20x30cm OLED display panel and a 15x45cm OLED interface panel. These weigh around 4.5 kg
Business workstations are standard low-end computing systems designed with economy in mind; they have just enough power to handle most routine office computing tasks. Business workstations come standard with a 600 THz main processor, an array of low-end subprocessors, 64PB of onboard dataspace, fwo dataports, one datacard slot and one datachip slot, a 20x30cm OLED display panel and a 10x30cm OLED interface panel. These weigh around 4 kg
A professional tablet looks much like a tablet PC from 2000, though much thinner and lighter. Most vehicles come with a professional portacomp either standard or as an option, installed into the center console of the dashboard; these "Navcomps" are usually semi-dedicated navigational computers, though they can still run other programs. Professional portacomps come standard with a 400 THz main processor, several mid-range subprocessors, 40PB of onboard dataspace, two dataports, two datacard slots, two datachip slots, and a 30x20cm HPD display/interface panel. These weigh around 1 kg
Standard handicomps look a lot like a typical PDA from 2000. Standard handicomps come standard with a 400THz main processor, several low-end subprocessors, 16PB of onboard dataspace, one dataport, one datacard slot and one datachip slot, and a 8x12cm OLED display/interface panel. These weigh around 0.2 kg
Wristcomps are basically tiny computers (about 3cm x 3cm x 1cm) secured to a wristwatch band. Wristcomps come standard with a 5 THz GaAs main processor, several compact subprocessors, 2PB of onboard dataspace, one dataport, one datachip slot, and a 3x3cm OLED display/interface panel.
Printers
People still like to print things out on paper. Most people use paper made out of synthetic materials. Printers themselves are just as advanced as their computer counterparts. Three typical kinds of printers exist: Professional Printers, Standard Printers and Portable Printers. The image quality is the same on all three types; the only difference is their size, speed and cost. All print on standard pages: 20cm by 30cm. Specialized printers that can print on larger paper cost proportionally more (and decrease the printing speed proportionally as well).
Professional Printer: consists of a 20cm by 25cm by 35cm case, and holds up to 1000 sheets (6cm) of paper at a time (but can be fitted with an external pagefeeder that can hold thousands of pages). Speed: 1200 pg/min Weight: 5 kg
Standard Printer: consists of a 10cm by 25cm by 35cm case, and holds up to 500 sheets (3cm) of paper at a time (but can be fitted with an external pagefeeder that can hold thousands of pages). Speed: 240 pg/min Weight: 3 kg
Portable Printer: consists of a 3cm by 5cm by 25cm bar, which draws pages from an external tray that can hold up to 100 sheets at a time. Speed: 120 pg/min Weight: 1 kg
AIs
AIs are still not truly self-aware; though advanced AI programs can seem very self-aware, true self-awareness and living intelligence has yet to be achieved. AIs come in a variety of complexities and personalities, so that people who dislike chatting with their computers can get simple AIs, while others often have a tailored AI personality managing their computers and as an interface assistant. Basic AI programs come standard in all computer systems and programs.
Security
Most computers come with biometric analysis subprocessors, using voiceprints, retinal scans, handprints and even facial scans. However, these measures are becoming easier to defeat. The cutting edge of security technology is geneprints and genelocks. While still a relatively new technology, geneprinting technology has matured enough that it is proved to be 100% reliable. Geneprinting involves a small scanner that someone can place any part of their skin on (a finger, for example). The genescanner reads numerous skin cells touching the scanning surface at the molecular level, analyzing their genetic code and comparing it to a genetic database. If the person's geneprint is in the database and marked as "authorized", the genescanner can activate whatever device it is hooked up to. Genescanners used as locks - called genelocks - can be installed into computers, doors, vehicles, and even guns in order to prevent unauthorized access. Genescanners can be fooled by using dead tissue (such as a dead person's finger) or even several layers of epidermis glued to someone's thumb. But the latest genescanners use several different methods to detect these kinds of tricks, and are now over 99% foolproof. Genelocks are used in various high-security places (large corporations, government installations, etc.) but they're not common and they're fairly rare in the public marketplace. The only detriment some see to genelocks is the idea of building genetic databases of people.
Desktop Manufacturing/Stereolithography:
This is used to create a three-dimensional plastic model from a three-dimensional computer-aided design (CAD) drawing. The machine produces 3-dimensional copies of CAD (Computer Aided Design) files from plastic and metal.
The system uses CAD files to build up a set of very thin layers of plastic or metal, thus reproducing the desired object using a relatively low-tech electrical heater filament.
Companies create 3D files and then distribute them on their websites; you would make your own copy of the object at home.
Stereolithography machines range in cost from about $25,000 to several million dollars. Standard polymer is about $20 per litre. Special polymers and other materials range widely.
Industrial Foodstuffs:
Many foodstuffs are produced industrially. Some examples are:
Textured Vegetable Protein
Textured vegetable protein is basically defatted soy flour which has been processed and dried to give a substance with a sponge-like texture which may be flavoured to resemble meat. Soy beans are dehulled and their oil extracted before being ground into flour. This flour is then mixed with water to remove soluble carbohydrate and the residue is textured by either spinning or extrusion. Extrusion involves passing heated soy residue from a high pressure area to a reduced pressure area through a nozzle resulting in the soy protein expanding. The soy protein is then dehydrated and may be either cut into small chunks or ground into granules. Textured vegetable protein may be purchased either unflavoured or flavoured to resemble meat. It is prepared simply by mixing with water or stock and leaving to stand for a few minutes.
Mycoprotein
Mycoprotein is a food made by continuous fermentation of the fungus, Fusarium gramineurum. The fungus is grown in a large fermentation tower to which oxygen, nitrogen, glucose, minerals, and vitamins are continually added. After harvesting, the fungus is heat treated to reduce its RNA content before being filtered and drained. The resulting sheet of fungal mycelia is mixed with egg albumen which acts a binder. Flavouring and colouring may also be added. The mycoprotein is then textured to resemble meat, before being sliced, diced or shredded.
Wheat Protein
Wheat protein is derived from wheat gluten. Gluten is extracted from wheat and then processed to resemble meat. It has a greater similarity to meat than textured vegetable protein or mycoprotein and is used as a meat substitute in a range of foods.
Single Cell Proteins: Single cell proteins (SCP) are produced using dried cells of microorganisms such as algae, fungi, yeasts, and bacteria. The most common sources are Spirulina, Methylophilus methylotrophus (a bacterium), and torula yeast (Candida utilis). SCP is grown grown on a wide variety of feedstocks such as molasses, methane, methanol, ethanol, cheese whey, cassava starch, and a range of agricultural and forestry wastes.
Materials Science
Bioweave (Artificial Spider Silk)
Spider silk is made up of alanine and glycine, with lesser amounts of glutamine, leucine, arginine, tyrosine, and serine--serve as silk's primary constituents. The fiber is made up of two alanine-rich proteins embedded in a jellylike polymer. The crystalline structure of one of the proteins is highly ordered and the structure of the other is less ordered. These proteins stick to the glycine-rich polymer, which makes up about 70 percent of the material. Artificial spider dragline silk's strength and elasticity derive from a blend of ordered and disordered components. The silk's amorphous polymer, resembling a "tangle of cooked spaghetti," makes the fiber elastic, while the two types of protein give it toughness.
Cloned portions of the genes of the golden orb-weaving spider, Nephila clavipes, are implanted in Escherichia coli bacterium to produce the silk protein in solution. It is then squeezed through a fine tube to make synthetic silk fibers, making a close analog of natural spider silk. In other cases, soy plants are implanted with either parts of or the full dragline silk gene sequence, which allows silk proteins to be harvested in vast quantities and processed into a liquid polymer, and spun in factories.
Products include: clothing, body armor, ropes, nets, seatbelts, parachutes, panels and bumpers for automobiles, sutures and bandages, artificial tendons and ligaments, and supports for weakened blood vessels.
Biosynthnetic fabric, based on protein constructed polymers extruded from engineered organisms inertial armor fabric, which is relatively soft and flexible, until it is struck by a fast-moving object, when it becomes rigid.
Foam Metals
Metallic foams are strong lightweight materials manufactured by bubbling gas through molten alloys, stirring a foaming agent through the molten alloy, consolidation of a metal powder with a particulate foaming agent and pressure infiltration of the molten metal into a wax or polymer-foam precursor. This process is done in microgravity.
Metal foams have a range of relative densities and cell sizes. Their structure may be classified as open-celled or closed-celled. In general, the closed-cell structure is favoured for energy absorption applications whilst the open-celled structure is often used in thermal management and other similar areas.
Metal foams have low density with good shear and fracture strength and are ideal for sandwich construction. The resulting structure can be used for energy absorbtion and for lightweight structural applications.
Their exceptional ability to absorb large amounts of energy at almost constant pressure make them useful in applications ranging from automobile bumpers to aircraft crash recorders.
The acoustic properties of metallic foams mean that they find uses in many places where sound absorption is vital.
Open cell foams have large accessible surface area and high cell-wall conduction giving exceptional heat transfer ability.
Metal foams are also finding architectural applications purely on the basis of their aesthetic quality; their light weight is an added advantage.
Metal foam is also an excellent material for arresting flames in such environments as along pipes and ventilating enclosures. They are both fire proof and highly permeable.
They may also be used in blast protection applications.
A summary of applications:
Self-supporting, stiff and super light weight panels for building and transport
Impact energy absorption parts for cars, lifting and conveying systems
Decks and bulkheads
Non-flammable ceiling and wall panels with improved thermal and sound insulation
Compressor casings
Motorcycle exhausts and frames
Heat exchangers, filters, catalysts
Instrument housing
Acoustic Transducers
Loudspeaker enclosures
Batteries
Gearbox housings
Structural parts for spacecraft
Housings for electronic devices providing electromagnetic and heat shielding
Sound absorbers for difficult conditions (high temperature, moisture, dust, flowing gas, vibrations, sterile environment)
Armor
A wide varietry of other advance metallic, non-metallic, composite and ceramic materials are in use. Alumino-Ceramics (made from ceramic cast soaked in aluminum) and (Boro-carbon aluminide/ aluminum borocarbide) -
Several aerogels are in widespread use.
Silica aerogels are used as glass, insulators, and shock paddings among other applications.
Electrically conductive carbon aerogels - are used in supercapacitors.
Synthetic Diamonds are unscratchable. Synthetic diamonds can be produced fairly cheaply in eithe gem stone form or in sheet/plate form.
Cellulose compounds are strong cheap materials made from grass and wood compounds. They are widely used in architecture and many other applications.
Fullerenes and nanotubes are also used in a variety of applications.
Power
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Systems (OTECs)
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Systems (OTECs) generate electricity using the temperature difference of seawater at different depths, utilizing the temperature difference that exists between the surface waters heated by the sun and the colder deep waters to run a heat engine. OTECS are only utilized in the tropical waters. A typical OTEC generaters 100 megawatts of net power. As side benefits, the typical OTEC also produces 32 million gallons of fresh water per day and up to 40 million kilograms of fish per year
Magnetic Fusion Reactors (MFRs)
Magnetic Fusion Reactors (MFRs) use nuclear fusion to generate power. Standard MFRs use a toroidal (doughnut-shaped) magnetic plasma confinement device. The typical MFR generating station produces 500 gigawatts of net power.
Lithium Polymer Batteries
Lithium Polymer Batteries use a polymer electrolyte. This electrolyte resembles a plastic-like film that does not conduct electricity, but allows the exchange of ions (electrically charged atoms or groups of atoms). The polymer electrolyte replaces the traditional porous separator of most batteries, which is soaked with electrolytes. The dry polymer design offers simplifications with respect to fabrication, ruggedness, safety and thin-profile. There is no danger of flammability because no liquid or gelled electrolyte is used. ith a cell thickness measuring as little as 1mm (0.039in), design engineers are left to their own imagination in terms of form, shape and size. Some designs even form part of a protective housing, are in the shape of a mat that can be rolled up, or are even embedded into a carrying case or a piece of clothing. Typical batteries weigh .5kg per kW generated .
Hydrogen Fuel Cells
Proton Exchange Membrane hydrogen fuel cells can be found in many applications. Both heavy duty and personal fuel canisters are in plentiful supply. Typical fuel cells weigh 1kg per kW generated and consume 50 milligrams of hydrogen per hour per watt generated; thus, a typical 20W generator consumes 1 gram per hour, while a 120W generator consumes 6 grams per hour. Most fuel cells use an advanced alkali-modified fullerene nanotube lattice to store hydrogen. These canisters hold six times as much hydrogen as a metal hydride canister of the same size, but weigh half as much and has virtually no loss in efficiency with repeated refills.
Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES)
Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) uses a large coil of superconducting wire buried underground, with power conditioning equipment, to store electrical power.
Other
A few fission power plants are still in use.
BioDiesel and alcohol pwered engines are also common alternatives to HFCs for vehicles.
Ground Transportation Systems:
Maglev Trains:
Maglev trains run in unidirectional, small-diameter tunnels situated, where the lie of the land allows, at a depth of approximately fifty metres. These tunnels form a network which link the centres of the main cities of Daistallia. In order to attain high speeds in complete safety, the train uses magnetic levitation, without any contact with the ground, powered by linear electric motors. This also minimises strain on the different structures, noise level and energy and maintenance costs. The quantity of air in the tunnels will be reduced to pressures similar to atmospheric conditions at an altitude of 15,000 meters. This partial air vacuum is maintained by vacuum pumps, situated every 15 kilometres in the tunnels.
The train is pressurised and has a similar appearance to the body of an aircraft. A typical car has a 400 seated passenger capacity.
Stations:
The stations comprise an upper level (reception and check-in area) and a lower level (boarding and disembarkation area) linked by large-capacity lifts. At each station, automatic doors and airlocks allow efficient and risk-free passenger transit.
Operation and energy consumption
top speeds of over 500 km/h;
departures every 6 minutes (or 4 minutes if necessary) and station stops of 3 minutes;
a capacity of 4,000 to 6,000 passengers per hour in each direction and a daily capacity of up to 216,000 passengers;
a station efficiently connected to the urban transport network and designed to minimise the distance for travellers;
use of the network in close collaboration with the operators of other means of urban, regional and interurban transport;
very low energy costs, equivalent to approximately half the consumption of conventional rail systems.
Safety:
Generally speaking, maglev trains are safer than other forms of rail transport, such as surface trains or underground systems, and offer considerable safety advantages inherent to its design, such as:
the use of two separate tunnels, one in each direction, making the collision of two vehicles impossible;
one single type of traffic (no dangerous goods, no slow traffic to integrate, one single type of service);
a guiding system which prevents derailment;
total independence of climatic conditions;
protected site and accesses, easy to supervise (no obstacles on the line; no sabotage, hijacking or malicious acts possible from outside);
a fire probability of virtually nil, thanks to use of fireproofing materials and low oxygen concentration in the tunnel.
In addition, in the event of a serious accident, emergency repressurisation of the tunnel is activated. This allows, as in civil aviation practice, a viable pressure of approximately 0.6 atm to be reached in 2.5 minutes, corresponding to atmospheric pressure at an altitude of 5,000 m. Passengers will then be able to breathe adequately in both the vehicle and tunnel. Subsequently, for comfort reasons, restoration of pressure will be continued up to approximately one atmosphere.
Finally, the transverse connections between tunnels will greatly facilitate the arrival of assistance and passenger evacuation.
Air Transportation Systems:
The DASI-1 Flying Wing
Wingspan: 88.1 meters
Height: 12.5 meters
Length: 49 meters
Engines: three high-bypass-ratio jet engines
Passenger Capacity: 800
Range: 11,265 km
Cruising Speed: 900 kph
The flying wing is constructed out of advanced composite materials and be divided by 10 intermediate ribs that run from the front to the back of the aircraft. These ribs divide the aircraft into 10 separate passenger bays. The body is fused together with the engine and wings, creating one lifting surface.
Passenger bays - The aircraft has a passgenger capacity of 800 in a double-deck cabin that is divided into five bays per deck. Most seats don't have windows, but video screens display window views. Each bay has doors at the front and back to make emergency exits easier.
Engines - Three high-bypass-ratio jet engines are located at the rear of the aircraft's body. Air that is on and near the surface of the wing flows through the flying wing's curved inlets and into its engines.
Timeframe: 2050-2100
Open to constructive criticism.
Computer Technology
A Note On Terminology:
Gigabytes GB
Terabytes (thousands of gigabytes) TB
Petabytes (millions of gigabytes) PB
Gigahertz
Terahertz THz
Petahertz. PHz
Processors:
Computing devices are based on optical integrated circuits and data transmission is primarily via fiber optic cables and photonic crystal plates, which are stronger, cooler and have higher data transmission speeds. Photonic processor speeds range from 400 THz to 10 PHz. A powered photonic processor shines with light radiating in scintillating patterns through the plate's optical circuitry, while the crystal board itself is usually clear, translucent blue or translucent green in color. Circuit boards are made of sheets of photonic crystal. Circuitplates have processor plates fused to them. If a computer system uses multiple circuitplates, then the primary plate is the mainplate and the others are referred to as subplates. Circuitplates vary widely in size, dependent mostly on the various processors required by the computer. Photonic crystal processor plates require 1 cubic centimeter of volume per 100 THz. Photonic crystal circuitplates are typically 5mm thick, and 10 THz of processing power requires one square centimeter of plate area, meaning a 500THz board would require 10 square centimeters (10cm x 10cm) of plate area.
In addition to the main processor, most computers require a video processor, an audio processor, an interface processor, and may include other specialized processors for specific types of calculations.
For smaller and/or slower applications, GaAs IC chips are used. These operate at speeds of speeds 10 to 300 THz . GaAs chips require 10 cubic milimeters of volume per THz. They are typically .5mm thick, and 1 THz of processing power requires one square milimeter of chip area, meaning a 10 THz chip would require 100 square milimeters (10mm x 10mm).
Memory/Data Storage
Memory technology is based on atomic holographic memory crystals, holding an average of 64 petabits (Pb) or 8 petabytes (PB) of data per cubic centimeter (a storage capacity of 8 million gigabytes of memory per cubic centimeter!) Memory technology is found in two forms: datacards and datachips.
Datacards are 2.5mm x 5cm x 8cm. Even though their total volume is 10cm3, only half of it is actually used, giving them a 40PB capacity. Datacards can be rewritten an unlimited amount of times and do not suffer any data degradation over time. Datachips are 2.5mm x 1cm x 1cm a nd have a 2 PB capacity. Datachips are usually used for small devices such as wristcomps or subdermacomps. Other than their size, they function the same as datacards. Standard datacard readers (datacard read/write devices) consist of a 2.5mm x 5cm slot which the datacard is inserted into completely. Datachip readers are simply a tiny 2.5mm x 1cm slot.
Onboard Dataplates: computer systems almost always have a built-in block of onboard dataplates. Onboard dataplates (usually in 4cm x 10cm x 2.5mm sticks, but this can vary) are arranged in banks that plug into the main circuitplate and can only be removed by opening up the computer casing. A typical workstation has between 8PB and 256PB of onboard dataplates, though this can easily be upgraded or modified. This data storage is solid state and does not differentiate between volatile (RAM) and non-volatile memory. Rather than loading a program into volatile memory, computers run them directly from their current dataspace and write/modify any additional datafiles in any adjacent or available dataspace as necessary.
Software Sizes: Program sizes have growna grewat deal. Operating systems require several PB of disk space and hundreds of megabytes of RAM, and most programs use no less than a tenth of that per program (and some use a lot more). As computing power has grown, so has the software run on it, taking advantage of that computing power as much as possible. Programs are not simple text datafiles or simple databases; they may include artificial intelligence, voice recognition, video-recorded visual display imagery, and image recognition, at resolutions where pixels cannot be distinguished and sounds do not sound processed, all of this takes a lot of data capacity.
Displays
Display technology has advanced considerably as well. Modern computer displays are based on advanced OLED technology. Most displays are simple 2-D or very basic 3-D. The most advanced (and expensive) displays are Holographic Panstereoscopic Displays (HPDs) which generate a three-dimensional image inside the display area, with an unrestricted POV angle. Both types are touchscreen, Most displays are durable enough that everyday contact and even the occasional abuse leaves little or no wear on them.
Most computer workstations have two OLED (or HPD) touchscreens: a smaller one for data entry and a larger one for data display (though they are usually functionally interchangeable). Smaller portable computers (such as tablets and datapads) use a single vertical display to handle both data entry and display, dividing the screen between the two as the user sees fit.)
Interfaces
Nearly all computers have two modes of interface: touchscreen displays and voice/face command (VFC) recognition. Most computers utilize both (allowing flexibility from one user to the next), though a few use only one method or the other (usually tailored to the specific application of the computer). Since most programs have built-in VFC recognition routines and 2-D display routines, they take up a lot more memory. Programs using VFC recognition are usually driven by a robust AI.
Occassionally computers require other interface devices depending on their particular use. Keyboards and keypads are still used in certain applications. Nueural interfaces are in experimental stages, but are still considered dangerous and are very expensive.
Cables & Power
There are two types of cables in a computer system: power cables and data cables. Power cables are still your old tried-and-true sheathed copper wire bundles. Data cables are almost always fiber optic cables. Fiber optic data cables are connected via standardized dataports which are 5mm in diameter. With large computer systems, eight cables are sometimes bundled together in one large datacable which plugs into a uniform 2x4 dataport array (such as the one found on standard professional workstations). Dataports in a 2x4 array can still be used individually as well.
Computers require very small amounts of power. The two most power-intensive devices are datacard readers and HPD screens. Some computers have MFC (micro fuel cell) battery slots. MFC batteries can power a workstation for 72 hours, a portacomp for 14 days, or a wristcomp for 5 years. Subdermacomps are powered via bioelectric or hemapneumatic energy from the user's body, or micro glucose fuel cells. Workstations also typically have an external power port; they are only run off of MFC batteries when necessary.
Standard Computer Systems
Professional workstation are all-in-one units, consisting of a vertical display panel and a horizontal interface panel set into a stylish alloy case with various ports and slots on the sides and back of the case. Professional workstations tend to be the largest (and most stylish) kind of workstation, able to handle any high-end professional project with ease (anything from full interactive VR processing to complex AI computing to 256 kilobit encryption/decryption... you get the picture). Professional workstations come standard with a 800THz main processor, an array of high-end subprocessors, 512PB of onboard dataspace, eight dataports, eight datacard slots and four datachip slots, a 30x45cm OLED display panel and a 15x45cm OLED interface panel. These weigh around 5 kg.
Standard workstations are the standard "home computer", enough for the typical person to play full VR simulations or movies, run advanced home office applications, and manage all of the household digital appliances and security. Standard workstations come standard with a 600THz main processor, an array of mid-range subprocessors, 256PB of onboard dataspace, two dataports, four datacard slots and two datachip slots, a 20x30cm OLED display panel and a 15x45cm OLED interface panel. These weigh around 4.5 kg
Business workstations are standard low-end computing systems designed with economy in mind; they have just enough power to handle most routine office computing tasks. Business workstations come standard with a 600 THz main processor, an array of low-end subprocessors, 64PB of onboard dataspace, fwo dataports, one datacard slot and one datachip slot, a 20x30cm OLED display panel and a 10x30cm OLED interface panel. These weigh around 4 kg
A professional tablet looks much like a tablet PC from 2000, though much thinner and lighter. Most vehicles come with a professional portacomp either standard or as an option, installed into the center console of the dashboard; these "Navcomps" are usually semi-dedicated navigational computers, though they can still run other programs. Professional portacomps come standard with a 400 THz main processor, several mid-range subprocessors, 40PB of onboard dataspace, two dataports, two datacard slots, two datachip slots, and a 30x20cm HPD display/interface panel. These weigh around 1 kg
Standard handicomps look a lot like a typical PDA from 2000. Standard handicomps come standard with a 400THz main processor, several low-end subprocessors, 16PB of onboard dataspace, one dataport, one datacard slot and one datachip slot, and a 8x12cm OLED display/interface panel. These weigh around 0.2 kg
Wristcomps are basically tiny computers (about 3cm x 3cm x 1cm) secured to a wristwatch band. Wristcomps come standard with a 5 THz GaAs main processor, several compact subprocessors, 2PB of onboard dataspace, one dataport, one datachip slot, and a 3x3cm OLED display/interface panel.
Printers
People still like to print things out on paper. Most people use paper made out of synthetic materials. Printers themselves are just as advanced as their computer counterparts. Three typical kinds of printers exist: Professional Printers, Standard Printers and Portable Printers. The image quality is the same on all three types; the only difference is their size, speed and cost. All print on standard pages: 20cm by 30cm. Specialized printers that can print on larger paper cost proportionally more (and decrease the printing speed proportionally as well).
Professional Printer: consists of a 20cm by 25cm by 35cm case, and holds up to 1000 sheets (6cm) of paper at a time (but can be fitted with an external pagefeeder that can hold thousands of pages). Speed: 1200 pg/min Weight: 5 kg
Standard Printer: consists of a 10cm by 25cm by 35cm case, and holds up to 500 sheets (3cm) of paper at a time (but can be fitted with an external pagefeeder that can hold thousands of pages). Speed: 240 pg/min Weight: 3 kg
Portable Printer: consists of a 3cm by 5cm by 25cm bar, which draws pages from an external tray that can hold up to 100 sheets at a time. Speed: 120 pg/min Weight: 1 kg
AIs
AIs are still not truly self-aware; though advanced AI programs can seem very self-aware, true self-awareness and living intelligence has yet to be achieved. AIs come in a variety of complexities and personalities, so that people who dislike chatting with their computers can get simple AIs, while others often have a tailored AI personality managing their computers and as an interface assistant. Basic AI programs come standard in all computer systems and programs.
Security
Most computers come with biometric analysis subprocessors, using voiceprints, retinal scans, handprints and even facial scans. However, these measures are becoming easier to defeat. The cutting edge of security technology is geneprints and genelocks. While still a relatively new technology, geneprinting technology has matured enough that it is proved to be 100% reliable. Geneprinting involves a small scanner that someone can place any part of their skin on (a finger, for example). The genescanner reads numerous skin cells touching the scanning surface at the molecular level, analyzing their genetic code and comparing it to a genetic database. If the person's geneprint is in the database and marked as "authorized", the genescanner can activate whatever device it is hooked up to. Genescanners used as locks - called genelocks - can be installed into computers, doors, vehicles, and even guns in order to prevent unauthorized access. Genescanners can be fooled by using dead tissue (such as a dead person's finger) or even several layers of epidermis glued to someone's thumb. But the latest genescanners use several different methods to detect these kinds of tricks, and are now over 99% foolproof. Genelocks are used in various high-security places (large corporations, government installations, etc.) but they're not common and they're fairly rare in the public marketplace. The only detriment some see to genelocks is the idea of building genetic databases of people.
Desktop Manufacturing/Stereolithography:
This is used to create a three-dimensional plastic model from a three-dimensional computer-aided design (CAD) drawing. The machine produces 3-dimensional copies of CAD (Computer Aided Design) files from plastic and metal.
The system uses CAD files to build up a set of very thin layers of plastic or metal, thus reproducing the desired object using a relatively low-tech electrical heater filament.
Companies create 3D files and then distribute them on their websites; you would make your own copy of the object at home.
Stereolithography machines range in cost from about $25,000 to several million dollars. Standard polymer is about $20 per litre. Special polymers and other materials range widely.
Industrial Foodstuffs:
Many foodstuffs are produced industrially. Some examples are:
Textured Vegetable Protein
Textured vegetable protein is basically defatted soy flour which has been processed and dried to give a substance with a sponge-like texture which may be flavoured to resemble meat. Soy beans are dehulled and their oil extracted before being ground into flour. This flour is then mixed with water to remove soluble carbohydrate and the residue is textured by either spinning or extrusion. Extrusion involves passing heated soy residue from a high pressure area to a reduced pressure area through a nozzle resulting in the soy protein expanding. The soy protein is then dehydrated and may be either cut into small chunks or ground into granules. Textured vegetable protein may be purchased either unflavoured or flavoured to resemble meat. It is prepared simply by mixing with water or stock and leaving to stand for a few minutes.
Mycoprotein
Mycoprotein is a food made by continuous fermentation of the fungus, Fusarium gramineurum. The fungus is grown in a large fermentation tower to which oxygen, nitrogen, glucose, minerals, and vitamins are continually added. After harvesting, the fungus is heat treated to reduce its RNA content before being filtered and drained. The resulting sheet of fungal mycelia is mixed with egg albumen which acts a binder. Flavouring and colouring may also be added. The mycoprotein is then textured to resemble meat, before being sliced, diced or shredded.
Wheat Protein
Wheat protein is derived from wheat gluten. Gluten is extracted from wheat and then processed to resemble meat. It has a greater similarity to meat than textured vegetable protein or mycoprotein and is used as a meat substitute in a range of foods.
Single Cell Proteins: Single cell proteins (SCP) are produced using dried cells of microorganisms such as algae, fungi, yeasts, and bacteria. The most common sources are Spirulina, Methylophilus methylotrophus (a bacterium), and torula yeast (Candida utilis). SCP is grown grown on a wide variety of feedstocks such as molasses, methane, methanol, ethanol, cheese whey, cassava starch, and a range of agricultural and forestry wastes.
Materials Science
Bioweave (Artificial Spider Silk)
Spider silk is made up of alanine and glycine, with lesser amounts of glutamine, leucine, arginine, tyrosine, and serine--serve as silk's primary constituents. The fiber is made up of two alanine-rich proteins embedded in a jellylike polymer. The crystalline structure of one of the proteins is highly ordered and the structure of the other is less ordered. These proteins stick to the glycine-rich polymer, which makes up about 70 percent of the material. Artificial spider dragline silk's strength and elasticity derive from a blend of ordered and disordered components. The silk's amorphous polymer, resembling a "tangle of cooked spaghetti," makes the fiber elastic, while the two types of protein give it toughness.
Cloned portions of the genes of the golden orb-weaving spider, Nephila clavipes, are implanted in Escherichia coli bacterium to produce the silk protein in solution. It is then squeezed through a fine tube to make synthetic silk fibers, making a close analog of natural spider silk. In other cases, soy plants are implanted with either parts of or the full dragline silk gene sequence, which allows silk proteins to be harvested in vast quantities and processed into a liquid polymer, and spun in factories.
Products include: clothing, body armor, ropes, nets, seatbelts, parachutes, panels and bumpers for automobiles, sutures and bandages, artificial tendons and ligaments, and supports for weakened blood vessels.
Biosynthnetic fabric, based on protein constructed polymers extruded from engineered organisms inertial armor fabric, which is relatively soft and flexible, until it is struck by a fast-moving object, when it becomes rigid.
Foam Metals
Metallic foams are strong lightweight materials manufactured by bubbling gas through molten alloys, stirring a foaming agent through the molten alloy, consolidation of a metal powder with a particulate foaming agent and pressure infiltration of the molten metal into a wax or polymer-foam precursor. This process is done in microgravity.
Metal foams have a range of relative densities and cell sizes. Their structure may be classified as open-celled or closed-celled. In general, the closed-cell structure is favoured for energy absorption applications whilst the open-celled structure is often used in thermal management and other similar areas.
Metal foams have low density with good shear and fracture strength and are ideal for sandwich construction. The resulting structure can be used for energy absorbtion and for lightweight structural applications.
Their exceptional ability to absorb large amounts of energy at almost constant pressure make them useful in applications ranging from automobile bumpers to aircraft crash recorders.
The acoustic properties of metallic foams mean that they find uses in many places where sound absorption is vital.
Open cell foams have large accessible surface area and high cell-wall conduction giving exceptional heat transfer ability.
Metal foams are also finding architectural applications purely on the basis of their aesthetic quality; their light weight is an added advantage.
Metal foam is also an excellent material for arresting flames in such environments as along pipes and ventilating enclosures. They are both fire proof and highly permeable.
They may also be used in blast protection applications.
A summary of applications:
Self-supporting, stiff and super light weight panels for building and transport
Impact energy absorption parts for cars, lifting and conveying systems
Decks and bulkheads
Non-flammable ceiling and wall panels with improved thermal and sound insulation
Compressor casings
Motorcycle exhausts and frames
Heat exchangers, filters, catalysts
Instrument housing
Acoustic Transducers
Loudspeaker enclosures
Batteries
Gearbox housings
Structural parts for spacecraft
Housings for electronic devices providing electromagnetic and heat shielding
Sound absorbers for difficult conditions (high temperature, moisture, dust, flowing gas, vibrations, sterile environment)
Armor
A wide varietry of other advance metallic, non-metallic, composite and ceramic materials are in use. Alumino-Ceramics (made from ceramic cast soaked in aluminum) and (Boro-carbon aluminide/ aluminum borocarbide) -
Several aerogels are in widespread use.
Silica aerogels are used as glass, insulators, and shock paddings among other applications.
Electrically conductive carbon aerogels - are used in supercapacitors.
Synthetic Diamonds are unscratchable. Synthetic diamonds can be produced fairly cheaply in eithe gem stone form or in sheet/plate form.
Cellulose compounds are strong cheap materials made from grass and wood compounds. They are widely used in architecture and many other applications.
Fullerenes and nanotubes are also used in a variety of applications.
Power
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Systems (OTECs)
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Systems (OTECs) generate electricity using the temperature difference of seawater at different depths, utilizing the temperature difference that exists between the surface waters heated by the sun and the colder deep waters to run a heat engine. OTECS are only utilized in the tropical waters. A typical OTEC generaters 100 megawatts of net power. As side benefits, the typical OTEC also produces 32 million gallons of fresh water per day and up to 40 million kilograms of fish per year
Magnetic Fusion Reactors (MFRs)
Magnetic Fusion Reactors (MFRs) use nuclear fusion to generate power. Standard MFRs use a toroidal (doughnut-shaped) magnetic plasma confinement device. The typical MFR generating station produces 500 gigawatts of net power.
Lithium Polymer Batteries
Lithium Polymer Batteries use a polymer electrolyte. This electrolyte resembles a plastic-like film that does not conduct electricity, but allows the exchange of ions (electrically charged atoms or groups of atoms). The polymer electrolyte replaces the traditional porous separator of most batteries, which is soaked with electrolytes. The dry polymer design offers simplifications with respect to fabrication, ruggedness, safety and thin-profile. There is no danger of flammability because no liquid or gelled electrolyte is used. ith a cell thickness measuring as little as 1mm (0.039in), design engineers are left to their own imagination in terms of form, shape and size. Some designs even form part of a protective housing, are in the shape of a mat that can be rolled up, or are even embedded into a carrying case or a piece of clothing. Typical batteries weigh .5kg per kW generated .
Hydrogen Fuel Cells
Proton Exchange Membrane hydrogen fuel cells can be found in many applications. Both heavy duty and personal fuel canisters are in plentiful supply. Typical fuel cells weigh 1kg per kW generated and consume 50 milligrams of hydrogen per hour per watt generated; thus, a typical 20W generator consumes 1 gram per hour, while a 120W generator consumes 6 grams per hour. Most fuel cells use an advanced alkali-modified fullerene nanotube lattice to store hydrogen. These canisters hold six times as much hydrogen as a metal hydride canister of the same size, but weigh half as much and has virtually no loss in efficiency with repeated refills.
Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES)
Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) uses a large coil of superconducting wire buried underground, with power conditioning equipment, to store electrical power.
Other
A few fission power plants are still in use.
BioDiesel and alcohol pwered engines are also common alternatives to HFCs for vehicles.
Ground Transportation Systems:
Maglev Trains:
Maglev trains run in unidirectional, small-diameter tunnels situated, where the lie of the land allows, at a depth of approximately fifty metres. These tunnels form a network which link the centres of the main cities of Daistallia. In order to attain high speeds in complete safety, the train uses magnetic levitation, without any contact with the ground, powered by linear electric motors. This also minimises strain on the different structures, noise level and energy and maintenance costs. The quantity of air in the tunnels will be reduced to pressures similar to atmospheric conditions at an altitude of 15,000 meters. This partial air vacuum is maintained by vacuum pumps, situated every 15 kilometres in the tunnels.
The train is pressurised and has a similar appearance to the body of an aircraft. A typical car has a 400 seated passenger capacity.
Stations:
The stations comprise an upper level (reception and check-in area) and a lower level (boarding and disembarkation area) linked by large-capacity lifts. At each station, automatic doors and airlocks allow efficient and risk-free passenger transit.
Operation and energy consumption
top speeds of over 500 km/h;
departures every 6 minutes (or 4 minutes if necessary) and station stops of 3 minutes;
a capacity of 4,000 to 6,000 passengers per hour in each direction and a daily capacity of up to 216,000 passengers;
a station efficiently connected to the urban transport network and designed to minimise the distance for travellers;
use of the network in close collaboration with the operators of other means of urban, regional and interurban transport;
very low energy costs, equivalent to approximately half the consumption of conventional rail systems.
Safety:
Generally speaking, maglev trains are safer than other forms of rail transport, such as surface trains or underground systems, and offer considerable safety advantages inherent to its design, such as:
the use of two separate tunnels, one in each direction, making the collision of two vehicles impossible;
one single type of traffic (no dangerous goods, no slow traffic to integrate, one single type of service);
a guiding system which prevents derailment;
total independence of climatic conditions;
protected site and accesses, easy to supervise (no obstacles on the line; no sabotage, hijacking or malicious acts possible from outside);
a fire probability of virtually nil, thanks to use of fireproofing materials and low oxygen concentration in the tunnel.
In addition, in the event of a serious accident, emergency repressurisation of the tunnel is activated. This allows, as in civil aviation practice, a viable pressure of approximately 0.6 atm to be reached in 2.5 minutes, corresponding to atmospheric pressure at an altitude of 5,000 m. Passengers will then be able to breathe adequately in both the vehicle and tunnel. Subsequently, for comfort reasons, restoration of pressure will be continued up to approximately one atmosphere.
Finally, the transverse connections between tunnels will greatly facilitate the arrival of assistance and passenger evacuation.
Air Transportation Systems:
The DASI-1 Flying Wing
Wingspan: 88.1 meters
Height: 12.5 meters
Length: 49 meters
Engines: three high-bypass-ratio jet engines
Passenger Capacity: 800
Range: 11,265 km
Cruising Speed: 900 kph
The flying wing is constructed out of advanced composite materials and be divided by 10 intermediate ribs that run from the front to the back of the aircraft. These ribs divide the aircraft into 10 separate passenger bays. The body is fused together with the engine and wings, creating one lifting surface.
Passenger bays - The aircraft has a passgenger capacity of 800 in a double-deck cabin that is divided into five bays per deck. Most seats don't have windows, but video screens display window views. Each bay has doors at the front and back to make emergency exits easier.
Engines - Three high-bypass-ratio jet engines are located at the rear of the aircraft's body. Air that is on and near the surface of the wing flows through the flying wing's curved inlets and into its engines.