I know that there are learner chopsticks out there for people who can't quite grasp the art of eating with sticks, but how much of an amateur would you look using them in a chinese restaurant? I propose that you have computer controlled chopsticks that contain nano technology and are linked to your brain. By placing these sticks in between your finger and thumb in the appropriate manner (you still have to do that right), the micro computer will start to register your brain patterns. When you want to eat a piece of wonderful peking duck or something your brain will want to pick up the food. The sticks will manouvere your hand to the food and pick it up. It will then be placed into your mouth and you can grab another piece.-- kaz, Oct 17 2001 Wow - nanotechnology, mind control, and overabundance of technology - a perfect 1/2bakery idea!
Why not go whole hog, and have it be a universal eating utensil, environmentally aware and culturally aware. You know, it will become a spork if you're at a picnic, a spoon if you're eating soup (metal, plastic, or ceramic depending upon situation), a knife and fork if eating a steak, etc. You've already got the nanotech, so the shape-shifting should be easy.-- quarterbaker, Oct 17 2001 other than soup, chop sticks can be used to eat anything anyway.
P.S and rice, unless you want it to take years.-- kaz, Oct 17 2001 Since halfbakery users seem obsessed with using chopsticks but unprepared to take the few hours necessary to learn how to use them (unless nanotech or custard is involved), I propose auto-instructional chopsticks.
Take 2 long thin plastic containers. Inside each, put a microprocessor, some LEDs, a miniature speaker and magnetic induction transmitters/receivers for communication (1/3 the power consumption of Bluetooth and up to 3m range). And a battery.
Now, when you press the end of one, they go into a little preset routine. A voice guides you through the operating instructions. The LEDs light up showing you where to hold on and where to put the food. Simply do as you are told, and you will, with very little practice, transport food from bowl to mouth.
And if you *still* can't use them, just claim they're all unevolved primitives and get some silverware.-- pottedstu, Oct 17 2001 Training Chopsticks = Tongs.
Soup Chopsticks = Straws.-- Guncrazy, Oct 17 2001 Pottedstu: For someone like me with the hand-eye co-ordination of a starfish learning to use chopsticks is like trying to teach a monkey spanish.-- kaz, Oct 18 2001 Boned. 'Nanotech'. Please.
Pottedstu: The reason I've never taken the hours to learn to use chopsticks is that when it's necessary to use chopsticks, I'm HUNGRY, and don't want to fool around with them then.
Yes, one could practice at other times, picking up small things and moving them around, but you look a knob doing that <personal experience>...
Your idea actually sounds bakeable, and I'd buy a set if they were available...-- StarChaser, Oct 18 2001 I can't believe I ever made this idea *hangs head in shame*-- kaz, Aug 25 2009 random, halfbakery