BBC News Online: 'Smart dust' to explore planets

"Tiny "smart" devices that can be borne on the wind like dust particles could be carried in space probes to explore other planets, UK engineers say. The devices would consist of a computer chip covered by a plastic sheath that can change shape when a voltage is applied, enabling it to be steered. Dr John Barker, from the University of Glasgow, said the particles could use wireless networking to form swarms.

"We envisage that most of the particles can only talk to their nearest neighbours but a few can communicate at much longer distances. In our simulations, we have shown that a swarm of 50 dust particles can organise themselves into a star formation, even in turbulent wind." The ability to fly in formation would allow the processing of data to be spread, or "distributed" between all the chips, and a collective signal to be beamed back to a "mothership".

"We are still at an early stage, working on simulations and components," said Dr Barker. "We have a lot of obstacles to overcome before we are even ready to physically test our designs."

Many other applications have been proposed for smart dust. One idea is to use particles to gather information on battlefields. Another idea involves mixing the particles into concrete to internally monitor the health of buildings and bridges."

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The Pancreas of S.T.F.U. | Never take life too seriously - nobody gets out alive anyway.
Disco_jim: um..... I have no excuse. | Chips: Thank the Beef | Rev Dr: Beef, I think i wee'd a little

amazing stuff - fills me with fear and wonder in equal measure

and you just know some Alien will inhale it and die. Then they will think its a bio weapon and we will all be erradicated

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In my view Kaldru is tirelessly stringent, but very fair - Lemon= GCHQ=
Kaldru - A mythical creature that descends upon the unworthy, banning them from the sacred
servers

Scary stuff tbh, getting more and more advanced.....and heres me thinking we wouldn't manage to invent things like this....



Hehehe


Charlie....whats wrong charlie *performs hymlick manouver*

"Charlie noooooooooooooo"

*Loads gun* time to get those earthlings!

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[SNIGG] Sniggerdly | Ask me about how awesome I am at EvE |

Cant help thinking of an Ian Banks book, where they have an assasin made from smart dust.

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Ultima Ratio Regum

Sounds like 7 of 9s nano bots tbh! It's all very well saying we thinking of making these but really they won't, I mean I'm "thinking" of buying a DB9 but I won't. Can't be bothered to right now ya nah.

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Don't worry Sony, I'll just cancel my date of birth and get a new one.

ohs noes, grey goo!

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“There are some people in this world who don’t love their fellow man, and I HATE people like that!”

They will make something like this or try their hardest to though. The difference between this and you buying an Aston is 'cos I am guessing like me (unfortuantely for both of us) you dont happen to have a large wad of cash going spare , where as the commercial value to a company that cracks nanotechnology, which this is really an extension of is worth billions.

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Ultima Ratio Regum

I was just thinking of a program on TV I saw about a year ago concerning the future of weapons etc.

One of them was like this, a tiny device that can be inhaled or what have ye, and then triggered to kill someone at any given moment.

Thing is it would be almost imposible to stop...unless you lived off oxygen tanks all your life