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Drexlerian nanotech
#6
Engines of Creation does discuss the creation of macroscale objects, although it does not spend a lot of time on direct examples. There is more of a focus on pointing out that natural nanomachines (aka life) produces very large structures such as redwood trees and whales (none of which use progressively larger manufacturing implements btw), rather than direct examples of how this might be done.

However, there is a section in which a rocket engine is 'grown' in a vat using assembler systems that work in a more biological mode than via convergent assembly or physically moving components around.

In Unbounding the Future a similar system, that also makes use of 'pre-fab' parts that are described as needing specialized systems or otherwise taking longer to make in their own right, is used to also rapidly 'grow' a number of items very quickly.

In his more recent writing, Drexler has focused more on the convergent assembly type of nanoconstruction (using something very much like what OA would call a nanofab or nanoforge) and has argued that it would be a superior option to the more biological systems he initially described, at least for many applications.

As far as it being a requirement that nanomachines MUST be integrated into macroscale processes - the planetary biosphere does quite a lot without using macroscale processes. So that argument doesn't really hold much water that I can see.

Similarly, the argument about metal rulers seems to be a case of picking a specific example to try to support a premise, rather than a generalized argument with wide applicability. If one were to consider a wooden ruler then it would be literally impossible to make it without the use of (bio) nanotech to grow the wood.

Beyond that, the metal ruler example is ignoring the vast amount of infrastructure, in some cases spread out over a goodly chunk of the planet, and quite significant amounts of time, that might go into making the ruler before the user ever sees it. Depending on the design and feedstocks it might take a nanoforge only a few minutes or less to whip up a ruler, metal or otherwise.

In some cases, it may indeed be more effective to combine macroscale systems with nanoscale ones - an argument can be made that most animals and plants on the planet do this to one degree or another. But that is:

a) Not anything like an argument that 'nanotech doesn't work'

b) Not a universal case, since in some situations, purely microscopic tech would be used (e.g., an artificial immune system)

c) Not an argument that starting from a nanoscale or microscale 'seed' would never be an effective option since there are various situations where that might be desirable for other reasons beyond sheer speed (which is what most people seem to mean when they say 'effective'). For example, being able to send a thimble size spacecraft to Mars and have it grow a complete base or colony in a year or three might be seen as quite desirable even if a macroscale system weighing many tons might do the job in a matter of days. In this case, the reduced mass of the system and thus reduced cost would greatly outweigh the presume advantages of the macroscale option.

EDIT - It should also be noted that the current state-of-the-art is nowhere near as advanced as what Drexler proposed, and therefore it's a bit iffy to say that what he proposed 'doesn't work' when we've yet to reach the point of being able to even begin attempting to create the sort of devices he has described.

I tend to think of Drexler as somewhat akin to Leondardo da Vinci - even if what nanotech ultimately becomes doesn't operate in quite the way he describes, there is still something to be said for conceiving of and thinking about the idea in the first place, much as Leonardo is often credited with thinking about heavier than air flight. That modern aircraft have only a superficial resemblance to his designs doesn't invalidate his achievement in starting to think about such things long before.

Todd
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Messages In This Thread
Drexlerian nanotech - by Alphadon - 06-20-2017, 10:13 PM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by Drashner1 - 06-20-2017, 10:40 PM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by Rynn - 06-20-2017, 10:43 PM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by Alphadon - 06-21-2017, 06:20 AM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by JohnnyYesterday - 06-21-2017, 01:38 PM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by Rynn - 06-21-2017, 06:32 AM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by Drashner1 - 06-21-2017, 07:17 AM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by Rynn - 06-21-2017, 07:25 AM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by Alphadon - 06-21-2017, 09:00 AM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by Drashner1 - 06-21-2017, 10:58 AM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by Rynn - 06-21-2017, 06:35 PM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by radtech497 - 06-21-2017, 11:51 AM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by Alphadon - 06-21-2017, 10:23 PM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by Rynn - 06-21-2017, 11:25 PM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by Drashner1 - 06-22-2017, 12:05 AM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by Alphadon - 06-22-2017, 12:17 AM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by Drashner1 - 06-22-2017, 10:02 AM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by Rynn - 06-22-2017, 12:34 AM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by Avengium - 06-22-2017, 03:01 AM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by iancampbell - 06-22-2017, 01:12 AM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by Rynn - 06-22-2017, 03:22 AM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by JohnnyYesterday - 06-22-2017, 12:52 PM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by Alphadon - 06-22-2017, 10:35 AM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by Drashner1 - 06-22-2017, 12:15 PM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by Rynn - 06-22-2017, 06:24 PM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by Alphadon - 06-22-2017, 10:27 PM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by Rynn - 06-23-2017, 01:12 AM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by Drashner1 - 06-23-2017, 02:15 AM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by Alphadon - 06-23-2017, 09:09 AM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by Drashner1 - 06-23-2017, 12:02 PM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by Rynn - 06-23-2017, 06:45 PM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by Alphadon - 06-24-2017, 12:38 PM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by Drashner1 - 06-24-2017, 01:16 PM
RE: Drexlerian nanotech - by stevebowers - 06-24-2017, 03:44 PM

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