What has technology missed?

[Diggin It]

We all know the advances in technology over the last 50 years that have made everyday items out of things that were only dreams at one time. We also know of the multitude of failures over time.

But are there things that seem practical given those advances, but haven't yet come to light?

One I can think of .... we have radar, ultrasound and infrared that can look into or through things. But what about using any of those for detecting insects or wood rot inside walls? I asked a pest control company about this just recently and they said nothing was available.

 

[oosik]

You would think that there should be such a system. If you believe the way it's used to monitor activities thru walls. If you can see a person thru a wall via his heat signature - why not the heat signatures of pests inside walls.

 

[Jstpssng]

Most insects are cold blooded, so heat sensors won't work.

 

[M5farms]

Prostate exams.

 

[drssg]

Prostate exams.

In an old Dave Barry column, he claimed that should be the top priority of medical research. Of course, that was before he had a colonoscopy.

 

[Diggin It]

Most insects are cold blooded, so heat sensors won't work.

True, but that's where other methods might work, like Ultrasound, or some kind of low level X-ray.

And who knows, maybe it's been tried and didn't work out.

 

[Wakey]

I owe my life to safety stickers on everyday items. We've had stickers for some time, but not like now :laughing:

 

[Diggin It]

Seems like they should be able to detect the density changes between solid wood and partially decayed or eaten wood. We can tell that just by tapping on it.

 

[RandyT]

They use thermo cameras to detect termites in walls, because in large concentrations they actually give off a fair amount of heat which can be detected with the camera.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Science has done well with cans; the electric can opener is the berries...but now that they have made everything from a box of crackers to a package of dogfood or potato chips tamper proof, it still takes stone age technology, like a hatchet, knife or a pair of kitchen shears to get the darn things open. Now they have the nice little zippy closures where you can close them back airtight, but getting them open is the problem. Oh, well, like they say...sometimes it still takes a shovel to dig a hole.

 

[Wagtail]

Missed?!? I can barely keep up with technology now.

Example A: Needed a new water pump for the house as the old one (20 yrs service :thumbsup carked it. The simple solution would've been to replace it with the same make/model... however, pump technology has advanced during those 20 yrs and the new replacement pump doesn't require a reservoir tank & delivers better pressure.

Example B: My Satellite TV provider talked me into receiving their latest 'box'... I had no idea what this "4K" was all about but it claimed a LOT of features. The short story is that the "4K" tech was incompatible with my TV, I needed to buy a new "4K" TV (and Blu-ray DVD player) to upgrade. (The old R/W/Video cables are a thing of the past)

Mind you, everything works great together... it even talks to eachother. Somehow the TV figured out that my 14yo BOSE sound system was still OK and incorporated it.

 

[oosik]

Sixteen years ago when I was outside - I heard this screaming sound. It was the sound of the last throws of my house well dying. It had lasted 21 years. The pump man talked me into going from a jet pump to a submersible. My well is a spring with enormous production capacity. So now I have a submersible. It's worked great for the last sixteen years.

Out of sheer dumb luck - sixteen years ago I bought two submersible pumps. I'm prepared when the current one fails. My forethought probably means the current one will never fail.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

One thing about the advance of technology and its limits on backward acceptance of legacy systems; it creates more jobs and sales of new equipment. All software developers only support their legacy programs for a short while forcing you to buy their update. Today, high paying jobs for technicians to install, maintain, and repair all this new stuff are going begging. That has a big effect on installation and service pricing. We need to question why the push for every high school graduate to go straight to college. I had close to or well over $100K jobs for the 20+ years prior to retirement in the technical/construction fields.

Ron

 

[goeduck]

Everything that can be invented has been invented.
- 1889 Charles H. Duell, then Commissioner of US patent office

 

[bunyip]

A micro USB connector that goes in right the first time rather than the third.
Connectors on the back of a TV that are accessible by a normal person rather than a midget contortionist.

 

[aczlan]

A micro USB connector that goes in right the first time rather than the third.

USB C...

Aaron Z

 

[quicksandfarmer]

I'm amazed at how much the technology revolution has bypassed construction. There are a lot of parts of building that are basically the same as they were 50 years ago and haven't changed much in 100 years except for the application of electricity and internal combustion.

 

[goeduck]

I'm amazed at how much the technology revolution has bypassed construction. There are a lot of parts of building that are basically the same as they were 50 years ago and haven't changed much in 100 years except for the application of electricity and internal combustion.

Modeling of the buildings has come a long way. Some structures seem to literally fall into place due to the accuracy afforded by the modeling. That said, so much technology and code requirements goes into constructing a building, it is two steps forward and one step backwards. Or two backwards.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

Modeling of the buildings has come a long way. Some structures seem to literally fall into place due to the accuracy afforded by the modeling. That said, so much technology and code requirements goes into constructing a building, it is two steps forward and one step backwards. Or two backwards.

I have a neighbor who is a mechanical engineer. He spends his days drawing models for mid-size construction projects, a $20 million building would be typical for him. He draws out the plumbing, electrical and HVAC. In his drawings he shows the exact routing of every pipe, wire and duct, and every fitting, fastener and hanger*. He provides the sub-contractors with detailed schematics, plus a parts and materials list that includes everything needed and exact numbers. What do the subs do? They take a quick glance at the schematic and then install it the way they want. They order 20% over what's on the list and throw away what they end up not needing, on these jobs the general contractor customarily pays for materials so they don't care**. Why don't they follow the schematic? Because the framers didn't frame the building the way the model showed? Why not? Because the concrete crew didn't pour the foundation the way the model showed. So they have a wonderful detailed model but the plumber ends up working pretty much the way his grandfather did 100 years ago.

Interesting notes:
* He actually just does a rough drawing and then sends it to a guy in India who draws in every fitting, fastener and hanger. Kind of like the way the electrician might run the wires and then let his helper put in all the staples and fasten all the wallplates.

** On the sites where he works the general contractor will typically sell the dumpsters to a salvage company. There is enough usable material in the dumpsters that people pay for the privilege of picking through it.

 

[JasperFrank]

I would like a device that would take waste PP5 plastic and remold it into a new small usable shape. The shape files could be GPL and you could down load them for a micro-fee This would not be 3D printing, but more an injection mold that could reconfigure to any injection type shape mold. I'm thinking of something the size a refrigerator.