Utility fog
(speculativity warning!)
Utility fog is a concept devised by J. Storrs hall. Consult wikipedia for a basic introduction.
Utility fog is not the easiest product to create (well the mechanics may be not too complicated but the programming and system design like data transmission and fluid dynamics emulation is going to be very difficult) As many others it's not a product to expect early on.
Utility fog must not be confused with the concept of universal assemblers. They may superficially look similar because they both can feature legged mobility. Its not designed to replicate or even do mechanosynthesis. At best it may recompose microcomponents. Then they become Microcomponent maintainance units - but a specialised nanofactory will normally do way better.
Contents
Modes
Naive mode
The units fill the floor densely and rise up to form some ********* when requested or do **** *** when some malicious computer virus took control.
Fog mode
The units fills a whole space and immerses all present humans and animals.
A bubble around the head of breathing life forms is proposed.
It seems not too unlikely that software bugs can kill people in several horrible ways.
Transmission from the fogs surface to an holographic display inside the bubbles seems very SciFi.
It's yet unclear how transparent a strictly periodic undistorted utility fog crystal will be. If it's sufficiently transparent then whenever fluid dynamic activity is performed interesting optical distortions will occur.
Surface smoothing
Security
Accidental inhalation
Accidental ingestion
Accidental environmental release
External references
- Wikipedia article: [1]
