Spraying on new technology
When I heard rumors last week about spray-on computers, I assumed it was a spoof that was being set up for April Fool’s Day. I wondered if it would someday be sold in the same store aisles as the spray-on hair from infomercials or the I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter spray. But after researching a little bit, I found that this is no joke.
Discussion of spray-on computers is abundant on the Web. A Google search of “spray computers” will return a large number of articles, research reports and news headlines on the new technology.
It appears Fargo is joining in on the fun.
NDSU recently partnered with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Hewlett-Packard to conduct a research project to develop new technology for computers. Basically, the new computer would be sprayed onto a wall. The paint is filled with tiny computer chips and diodes that communicate with one another.
The project will cost nearly $5 million; but of course, it’s federally funded, according to an article in The Forum.
The thought of a computer that can be sprayed onto a wall sounds a little far fetched. Then again, I would probably say the same thing 50 years ago if someone told me about a TV remote.
It still sounds awesome. This would eliminate having to lug around a bulky computer monitor and would save some space around the house. It would be like a flat-screen TV in a sense.
It sounds very cool and cutting edge, but there would be some new flaws to the system.
If the wall computer became available for home use, I doubt it would be cost effective for nearly a decade. The study itself will take four years. This spells out that we won’t be throwing out our flat-panel monitors and playing solitaire on the nearest blank wall anytime soon.
Another problem I foresee is people constantly rearrange furniture. A computer monitor that is stuck to the wall sounds pretty permanent. Not to mention if a person/family decides to move after having one installed. You can’t exactly chisel it out of the wall and take it with you.
However, this is large step and this project shows character. Part of becoming a large research institution means taking a few risks.
I applaud both Sen. Byron Dorgan and NDSU for taking a chance like this. A partnership with MIT and a large computer corporation like HP can’t exactly hurt the college’s reputation.
This study has some big reward possibilities other than just to put NDSU in the headlines. I don’t have the first clue as to how a computer or nano chips are painted onto a flat surface, but it sounds like technology is knocking on the door and Fargo is not afraid to answer.When I heard rumors last week about spray-on computers, I assumed it was a spoof that was being set up for April Fool’s Day. I wondered if it would someday be sold in the same store aisles as the spray-on hair from infomercials or the I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter spray. But after researching a little bit, I found that this is no joke.
Discussion of spray-on computers is abundant on the Web. A Google search of “spray computers” will return a large number of articles, research reports and news headlines on the new technology.
It appears Fargo is joining in on the fun.
NDSU recently partnered with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Hewlett-Packard to conduct a research project to develop new technology for computers. Basically, the new computer would be sprayed onto a wall. The paint is filled with tiny computer chips and diodes that communicate with one another.
The project will cost nearly $5 million; but of course, it’s federally funded, according to an article in The Forum.
The thought of a computer that can be sprayed onto a wall sounds a little far fetched. Then again, I would probably say the same thing 50 years ago if someone told me about a TV remote.
It still sounds awesome. This would eliminate having to lug around a bulky computer monitor and would save some space around the house. It would be like a flat-screen TV in a sense.
It sounds very cool and cutting edge, but there would be some new flaws to the system.
If the wall computer became available for home use, I doubt it would be cost effective for nearly a decade. The study itself will take four years. This spells out that we won’t be throwing out our flat-panel monitors and playing solitaire on the nearest blank wall anytime soon.
Another problem I foresee is people constantly rearrange furniture. A computer monitor that is stuck to the wall sounds pretty permanent. Not to mention if a person/family decides to move after having one installed. You can’t exactly chisel it out of the wall and take it with you.
However, this is large step and this project shows character. Part of becoming a large research institution means taking a few risks.
I applaud both Sen. Byron Dorgan and NDSU for taking a chance like this. A partnership with MIT and a large computer corporation like HP can’t exactly hurt the college’s reputation.
This study has some big reward possibilities other than just to put NDSU in the headlines. I don’t have the first clue as to how a computer or nano chips are painted onto a flat surface, but it sounds like technology is knocking on the door and Fargo is not afraid to answer.
Columnists' opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of The Spectrum