Talk:Complex products overview

From Wise Nano

Cellular products  by Brett Bellmore 15:18, 30 Oct 2004 (CDT)

I think the chief advantage of cellular products is likely to be their flexibility, for applications which don't require the ultimate in performance. And, let's face it, most products don't require the full strength of diamond, or enormous power densities.

In all likelihood, most products not requiring the ultimate in performance, will consist mostly of cellular robots, in a passive structural role, with only a sprinkling of specialized active components. This would enable the nanofactory to do substantial load leveling, stockpiling most of the mass of future products in advance.

Futher, while a structure built of cellular robots isn't going to be quite as strong as a single purpose, optimized structure, it should be noted that utility fog was designed as the ultimate in flexibility, not strength. Cellular robots could be designed to have structural strength comparable to high quality steel, at some cost in their flexibility. And far simpler robots than the proposed foglets, with nothing more than controllable couplings and a single mechanical degree of freedom, would be all that would be needed for most purposes.

Power distribution  by Brett Bellmore 08:44, 31 Oct 2004 (CST)

I think there's a technical term for a power distribution system using an array of microscopically small wires, surrounded by high quality insulation running near it's breakdown point. A "capacitor". ;) Such a system would exibit substantial energy storage, and it might be worth optimizing it for that purpose.

Alternatively, since any system running at more than minimal power density is going to require active cooling, we might take a hint from biology, and supply power locally from fuel cells obtaining their fuel and oxidizer from the coolant loop. And skip use of electrical energy distribution except where it's specifically required.