A lack of Metamaterials in Sci-Fi
-
- Jedi Master
- Posts: 2239
- Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2015 8:28 pm
A lack of Metamaterials in Sci-Fi
Why is it that science fiction settings seem to lack metamaterials? Star Trek seems to be one of the few settings that makes use of things similar to metamaterials it seems like.
- Mr. Oragahn
- Admiral
- Posts: 6865
- Joined: Sun Dec 03, 2006 11:58 am
- Location: Paradise Mountain
Re: A lack of Metamaterials in Sci-Fi
Star Wars EU has notes of nano technology. For example some references found in the Lando book I quoted recently.
What might explain the limited use of those metamaterials in other settings could be due to econommical and industrial pressures, especially in highly capitalistic and predatory environments meshed with bloated patent protocols. In and outside of that contest, more simply, prices could also explain that.
Plus metamaterials might be good at some tasks, but largely weak at others.
Perhaps some technologies were found which proved to effectively counter metamaterial to the point of making them less interesting and still way more expensive than good old lumps of metal, for example in armour. Add to that problems of mass production and maintainance.
All cyberpunk universes obviously are very metamaterial-friendly. Ghost in the Shell, Deus Ex, ShadowRun, etc.
What might explain the limited use of those metamaterials in other settings could be due to econommical and industrial pressures, especially in highly capitalistic and predatory environments meshed with bloated patent protocols. In and outside of that contest, more simply, prices could also explain that.
Plus metamaterials might be good at some tasks, but largely weak at others.
Perhaps some technologies were found which proved to effectively counter metamaterial to the point of making them less interesting and still way more expensive than good old lumps of metal, for example in armour. Add to that problems of mass production and maintainance.
All cyberpunk universes obviously are very metamaterial-friendly. Ghost in the Shell, Deus Ex, ShadowRun, etc.
-
- Jedi Master
- Posts: 2239
- Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2015 8:28 pm
Re: A lack of Metamaterials in Sci-Fi
Nanotechnology isn't metamaterials technology. Star Wars makes heavy use of big bulky dishes.Mr. Oragahn wrote: Star Wars EU has notes of nano technology. For example some references found in the Lando book I quoted recently.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metamaterials
http://www.kymetacorp.com/technology/
Every technology has its strengths and weaknesses, but you aren't going to create a counter to a metamaterial antenna that won't be effective against more primitive designs. A few sensors tacked on to the hull of a ship, and it would no longer have a single blind stop.Mr. Oragahn wrote: What might explain the limited use of those metamaterials in other settings could be due to econommical and industrial pressures, especially in highly capitalistic and predatory environments meshed with bloated patent protocols. In and outside of that contest, more simply, prices could also explain that.
Plus metamaterials might be good at some tasks, but largely weak at others.
Perhaps some technologies were found which proved to effectively counter metamaterial to the point of making them less interesting and still way more expensive than good old lumps of metal, for example in armour. Add to that problems of mass production and maintainance.
http://spectrum.ieee.org/telecom/wirele ... ls-antenna
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metamaterial_antenna
http://www.adant.com/files/adant-datasheet_2.4GHz.pdf
http://www.intellectualventures.com/ass ... erview.pdf
http://www.adant.com/files/adant-datasheet_5GHz.pdf
http://www.adant.com/files/adant-datasheet_5GHz.pdf
Do you have any specific examples? The only thing I can think of is the major's skin.Mr. Oragahn wrote: All cyberpunk universes obviously are very metamaterial-friendly. Ghost in the Shell, Deus Ex, ShadowRun, etc.
- Mr. Oragahn
- Admiral
- Posts: 6865
- Joined: Sun Dec 03, 2006 11:58 am
- Location: Paradise Mountain
Re: A lack of Metamaterials in Sci-Fi
Nanotechnology largely opens the door to the fine structures necessary for metamaterials.Lucky wrote:Nanotechnology isn't metamaterials technology.Mr. Oragahn wrote: Star Wars EU has notes of nano technology. For example some references found in the Lando book I quoted recently.
In fact, it's quite hard to conceive an universe with nanotechnology and no knowledge of those fantastic meta properties.
They literally about to observers who start fiddling with materials arranged at the nanoscale.
The fact that it isn't mentionned out loud doesn't preclude their existence, really.
The first link your provide in your second list gives a good reason why good old antennaes would still be used: much cheaper and reliable.Star Wars makes heavy use of big bulky dishes.
Low cost designs would obviously have massive drawbacks.
How is a design solid enough in space, against radiations and particles, when it's thin (in the case of the phased array)?
A metamaterial good for radio isn't also good by default against microimpacts for example.
However, for some reason, the tech development in several domains has stalled at some point rather dramatically in the warsverse. One only needs to be look at Vader's and Luke's artificial limbs to understand that. Pistons instead of synthetic muscles.
Only the android Guri was of a high quality, and equally extremely rare.
That said, they have extremely good AIs, while Data is an oddity in his universe. Guri would easily pass as a human to anyone who didn't know. Data would need considerable refinement to get there.
Enough disgressing anyway.
Depends on the function and goal of the device.Every technology has its strengths and weaknesses, but you aren't going to create a counter to a metamaterial antenna that won't be effective against more primitive designs.Mr. Oragahn wrote: What might explain the limited use of those metamaterials in other settings could be due to econommical and industrial pressures, especially in highly capitalistic and predatory environments meshed with bloated patent protocols. In and outside of that contest, more simply, prices could also explain that.
Plus metamaterials might be good at some tasks, but largely weak at others.
Perhaps some technologies were found which proved to effectively counter metamaterial to the point of making them less interesting and still way more expensive than good old lumps of metal, for example in armour. Add to that problems of mass production and maintainance.
Btw, to use again the dish example, nothing tells us that the inside wouldn't be partially covered with metamaterials.
The ISD had a blind spot because no one thought about sticking a damned simple antenna or mini globe there, to scan the back of the bridge tower.A few sensors tacked on to the hull of a ship, and it would no longer have a single blind stop.
The shape or tech level of the needed sensor is totally irrelevant.
Besides, talking about metamaterials and Star Wars, here's an interesting observation:
MIT news wrote:Researchers at MIT have now fabricated a three-dimensional, lightweight metamaterial lens that focuses radio waves with extreme precision. The concave lens exhibits a property called negative refraction, bending electromagnetic waves — in this case, radio waves — in exactly the opposite sense from which a normal concave lens would work.
Concave lenses typically radiate radio waves like spokes from a wheel. In this new metamaterial lens, however, radio waves converge, focusing on a single, precise point — a property impossible to replicate in natural materials.
For Isaac Ehrenberg, an MIT graduate student in mechanical engineering, the device evokes an image from the movie “Star Wars”: the Death Star, a space station that shoots laser beams from a concave dish, the lasers converging to a point to destroy nearby planets. While the researchers’ fabricated lens won’t be blasting any planetary bodies in the near future, Ehrenberg says there are other potential applications for the device, such as molecular and deep-space imaging.
Nanotech allows the arrangement of materials in very specific ways. Thinking that they wouldn't know about metamaterials at that point doesn't make sense.Do you have any specific examples? The only thing I can think of is the major's skin.Mr. Oragahn wrote: All cyberpunk universes obviously are very metamaterial-friendly. Ghost in the Shell, Deus Ex, ShadowRun, etc.
-
- Jedi Master
- Posts: 2239
- Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2015 8:28 pm
Re: A lack of Metamaterials in Sci-Fi
While true to a certain degree, the suggested method of creationMr. Oragahn wrote: Nanotechnology largely opens the door to the fine structures necessary for metamaterials.
In fact, it's quite hard to conceive an universe with nanotechnology and no knowledge of those fantastic meta properties.
They literally about to observers who start fiddling with materials arranged at the nanoscale.
The fact that it isn't mentionned out loud doesn't preclude their existence, really.
does not require nanotechnology, and there is no direct connection.http://spectrum.ieee.org/telecom/wireless/intellectual-ventures-invents-beamsteering-metamaterials-antenna wrote: They’re also cheap: Metamaterial elements can be easily printed using standard lithographic techniques.
You mean this page?Mr. Oragahn wrote: The first link your provide in your second list gives a good reason why good old antennaes would still be used: much cheaper and reliable.
Metamaterial antennas are cheap and effective.http://spectrum.ieee.org/telecom/wireless/intellectual-ventures-invents-beamsteering-metamaterials-antenna wrote: The idea of a metamaterials-based antenna isn’t new. Researchers have been working on it pretty much since metamaterials were discovered by Sir John Pendry at Imperial College London in 1999. They’re already found in some cellphones and wireless routers, which use their small size and range-boosting ability to great effect. They’re also cheap: Metamaterial elements can be easily printed using standard lithographic techniques.
An assumption with no basis in reality.Mr. Oragahn wrote: Low cost designs would obviously have massive drawbacks.
Generally speaking, if you have trouble with micrometeorites then losing a panel is likely the least of your worries, and more primitive antennas will have the same problems.Mr. Oragahn wrote: How is a design solid enough in space, against radiations and particles, when it's thin (in the case of the phased array)?
A metamaterial good for radio isn't also good by default against microimpacts for example.
One of the nice things about Metamaterials is that you could literally cover the entire outer hull in easy to replace modular panels.
It seems that in many Sci-Fi and fantasy groups limit their own technological developments in certain areas for seemingly no reason.Mr. Oragahn wrote: However, for some reason, the tech development in several domains has stalled at some point rather dramatically in the warsverse. One only needs to be look at Vader's and Luke's artificial limbs to understand that. Pistons instead of synthetic muscles.
No, A.I. are just more obvious in Star Wars as slavery is tolerated. Droids are just a slave race.Mr. Oragahn wrote: Only the android Guri was of a high quality, and equally extremely rare.
That said, they have extremely good AIs, while Data is an oddity in his universe. Guri would easily pass as a human to anyone who didn't know. Data would need considerable refinement to get there.
Enough disgressing anyway.
A.I. that are equal or better then humans are easy to create in Star Trek, and the only thing that is special about Data is his brain. I'd suggest you check TNG: "Ship in a Bottle", TNG: "Quality of Life", and Voy: "Author, Author", and one can't forget that doors only open when a person is ready to go through them. The Federation chooses to not use smart A.I. on what seems to be moral grounds, and this why a lot of technologies aren't used.
You'll never have a perfect anything.Mr. Oragahn wrote: Depends on the function and goal of the device.
That defeats the advantages of using metamaterial antennas. They just need line of sightMr. Oragahn wrote: Btw, to use again the dish example, nothing tells us that the inside wouldn't be partially covered with metamaterials.
Fair enough, they could have even just asked a different ship to check the blind spot.Mr. Oragahn wrote: The ISD had a blind spot because no one thought about sticking a damned simple antenna or mini globe there, to scan the back of the bridge tower.
The shape or tech level of the needed sensor is totally irrelevant.
I wonder when the last time the author watched episode 4?Mr. Oragahn wrote: Besides, talking about metamaterials and Star Wars, here's an interesting observation:
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2012/new-metamaterial-lens-focuses-radio-waves-1114.html wrote: Researchers at MIT have now fabricated a three-dimensional, lightweight metamaterial lens that focuses radio waves with extreme precision. The concave lens exhibits a property called negative refraction, bending electromagnetic waves — in this case, radio waves — in exactly the opposite sense from which a normal concave lens would work.
Concave lenses typically radiate radio waves like spokes from a wheel. In this new metamaterial lens, however, radio waves converge, focusing on a single, precise point — a property impossible to replicate in natural materials.
For Isaac Ehrenberg, an MIT graduate student in mechanical engineering, the device evokes an image from the movie “Star Wars”: the Death Star, a space station that shoots laser beams from a concave dish, the lasers converging to a point to destroy nearby planets. While the researchers’ fabricated lens won’t be blasting any planetary bodies in the near future, Ehrenberg says there are other potential applications for the device, such as molecular and deep-space imaging.
Looks and acts a lot like a navigational deflector.
I see no reason to assume a setting's technological development is like the real world's.Mr. Oragahn wrote: Nanotech allows the arrangement of materials in very specific ways. Thinking that they wouldn't know about metamaterials at that point doesn't make sense.
- Mr. Oragahn
- Admiral
- Posts: 6865
- Joined: Sun Dec 03, 2006 11:58 am
- Location: Paradise Mountain
Re: A lack of Metamaterials in Sci-Fi
The understanding on nanotech and its effects on material properties are undissociable from the discovery and understanding of metamaterials and their unique structural arrangements, which is obviously something that goes immediately under scrutiny and theory when playing with the nanoscale. That matematerials can be made without using nanotech is irrelevant.