Submitted by crua9 t3_10aww7p in Futurology
I seen a recent post where the person was thinking 3D printers are going to be in every home. This isn't realistic, and one thing people who don't own one seem to not know this isn't as simple as a paper printer. Jamming happens, getting the thing to stick to the plate can be a nightmare, changing hotends is a thing and currently no way plug and play, and so on. This is just FDM printing. And then resin printing you are dealing with harsh chemicals.
Plus the waste you can't do anything with and it builds up fast.
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What is more realistic is programmable matter. This is a good video on what is likely to happen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN7BUKb0OIA
This gets into claytronics but there is other types of programmable matter. But I think this is the highest likely.
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It should be noted we already have this stuff tested and working. Not to a degree to be used in homes, and the holdup is actually nanobots. The tech isn't good enough YET.
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What will happen?
You will have something. This something might be some liquid, solid block, or maybe dust.
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You will tell some interface you want a chair, table, etc. Or a number of things. Maybe you have people coming over and need a bigger table, more plates, and so on. You tell the interface what you want.
Then after they leave, you tell the interface you don't need the stuff anymore, and it turns back into the previous state.
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It might even be smart enough where you can tell it you want the chair or whatever here, and it moves to/from there when it makes it or goes back.
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Depending on the stuff used, it might even be possible to tell the interface you want to go to bed. It makes the bed in front of you including the bedsheets.
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Now there is limits to the technology. You can't be like I want a car, and a car is made. Like if it has enough energy technically it could make a car and take you where you want. But it isn't a true car. At least at first. The material it brings would have to be right. Like it is likely the material used will be basic stuff that will be able to change hardness to a point and color (changing the structure of something in RL can change the color. There has been experiments in RL where if you shoot lasers at something to change the structure which changes color of things and make paint simply not needed.)
But it is likely at some point you could have different materials which makes more complex things like a battery, a computer, a car, etc. Maybe even have it where the matter could have raw carbon and other things next to it to use as needed. But at this stage it's an unknown since there is likely more understanding in the quantum field which might help with this.
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Any case, basic items like a chair, cup, and so on should be possible. It could even be possible to make a moving art thing on hand rails.
Depending on things, it could even be possible to make a 3D TV like thing. The video shows things coming out of a TV. But at this stage if it can make mostly any shape and color. As long as you have a speaker somewhere, it can sync up and on one of the walls or maybe middle of the floor you cand see a full movie as if you were there. Like you can walk around the characters and even touch them depending on the safety. Keep in mind it can control the hardness. So even if it hits you, it can make it so soft it's like a blanket falling on you.
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It would also be possible to have a robot helper around the house with this. Remember, this stuff moves on its own and can make any shape. Meaning it technically should be possible to get it to do basic cleaning and even make you a virtual romantic partner.
And with mods like it grabbing a small speaker some AI somewhere controls. It might be able to talk and look like it's moving it's mouth when doing so.
NoisyBadKid t1_j46oo24 wrote
Tomorrow no. Gen-z or alpha. Probably be the new t.v. dinners.