We could have easily had self-driving trains 50 years ago, because their management would not have required much intelligence, just like that of elevators (I mean lifts) don't.
Had such systems had an economic feedback loop like cars had, we might have a completely different world today, with complex automatic lift routing systems, bringing us and products from door-to-door around the world in much more coordinated, efficient, safe and eco-friendly fashion:
- Tens of millions of people wouldn't have died in car crashes. - Billions of tonnes of CO2 wouldn't have been emitted into atmosphere. - Countless traffic jams wouldn't have wasted countless hours.
So,.. imagine for a moment that you can get to your favorite local venue in another city by simply exiting the house via an elevator, and pushing a button to teleport:
---- The elevator reads your fingerprint and biometrics, and you get charge progress bar on your phone, based on where you go, and how far you've gone. The vertical shafts exchange elevator boxes with horizontal ones, and propel the magnetically levitating boxes through a forward vacuum formation by coordinated suction pumps. ------ Mindey, May 29 2019 // self-driving trains 50 years ago, because their management would not have required much intelligence //
Self-driving trains could have been built from the inception of railways. OK, so lots of people would have died, but they could have been built ... "Intelligence " isn't the problem.
// Billions of tonnes of CO2 wouldn't have been emitted into atmosphere. //
Disputed. The materials for the system have to be manufactured, transported and assembled ; and the energy to run it has to come from somewhere.
"Physical Internet" has been discussed here before, so this isn't a new idea and is therefore [suggested -for-deletion].-- 8th of 7, May 29 2019 Isn't this the intro for Futurama ?-- FlyingToaster, May 30 2019 Didn't Willy Wonka bake this?-- pertinax, May 30 2019 Mindey, I gift you my idea of hi-rise which has vertical loops filled with dihydrogen oxide. The vict...resident puts on breathing mask and steps into a chamber, which fills with the liquid, and they are propelled by the moving liquid.
When they have reached the floor they wanted, they get into a chamber which drains the liquid and fans blow-dry the traveller as we wouldn't want to them to get a cold.-- not_morrison_rm, May 30 2019 // hydrogen dioxide ... fans blow-dry the traveller as we wouldn't want to them to get a cold. //
If they've been immersed in hydrogen dioxide (a.k.a. hydrogen peroxide) then being cold will be the least of their many problems ...-- 8th of 7, May 30 2019 Well spotted that...entity...it was my deliberate mistake. On the gripping claw, they would have. great blond hair, at no addition cost.-- not_morrison_rm, May 30 2019 We don't dispute that; we do question if said hair would still be attached to the owner ...-- 8th of 7, May 30 2019 I hate to correct [8th], since once you start you'd never end. But hydrogen dioxide would be HO2, which doesn't look like a plausible molecule. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) would be dihydrogen dioxide.-- MaxwellBuchanan, May 30 2019 It is a well-known and much lamented* fact that the verbose form of chemical names does not always, often for historical reasons, accurately reflect the actual molecular structure, valency, and oxidation states of the atoms forming it. "Iron Oxide" may refer to oxides of Iron in any one if its three typical valencies, or indeed (as almost always occurs) a mixture of all three compounds in varying proportions.
Thus "Hydrogen Oxide" could mean either water or peroxide ; "Carbon oxide" could be the monoxide or dioxide, or indeed (as with thr Iron example) be a mixture in any ratio.
It is clear that this intentional and persistent ambiguity is not only dangerous but borders on sedition; only the immediate adoption of a more rational system of nomenclature, accompanied by a ruthless purging of unbelievers by Fire and the Sword** offers any prospect of redemption.
*Not the actual Lament Configuration, but heading that way.
**Probably better to do the purging first and roll out the updated standards to the survivors*** later. We can begin any time, just say the word.
*** If any.-- 8th of 7, May 30 2019 //"Hydrogen Oxide" could mean either water or peroxide// Yes, but "hydrogen dioxide" would not. If you're specifying di of the oxide, the inference is that there's a mono of the hydrogen.
I'm also a little disappointed to observe that the Borg, besides having an unaccountable passion for steam engines, still use Fire and Sword. I'd've expected something a little more, well, advanced. Or at least more than one sword.
Incidentally, Sturton has asked if he can borrow another ShitZu, or possibly 29 (isn't it N=30 for a T-test?)-- MaxwellBuchanan, May 30 2019 //borrow another ShitZu//
If challenged to return them, you could explain that they yield a negative overnight interest rate as your personal contribution to quantitative easing.-- pertinax, May 31 2019 // hi-rise which has vertical loops filled with dihydrogen oxide. The vict...resident puts on breathing mask and steps into a chamber, which fills with the liquid, and they are propelled by the moving liquid. //
Widely baked by Minecraft players.-- notexactly, Jun 14 2019 random, halfbakery