~Brigade Bar~ > General Discussion

Prototype "Star Trek" Tractor Beam Developed

(1/2) > >>

Genichiro:

--- Quote ---It may still be a few years away from practical use, but scientists have created a real tractor beam, like the ones featured in the "Star Trek" TV series and movies.

Simply put, this technology utilizes a beam of light to attract objects, according to the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. In "Star Trek," tractor beams were often used to pull spaceships and other objects closer to the focal point of the light source attached to another ship.
--- End quote ---

Full Article Here

This sounds exciting! It's always awesome to see another invention come about that was inspired by Star Trek. The idea of having this technology on hand for medical uses is wonderful. It might even help to develop treatments for certain afflictions nothing else can do so currently. I find it interesting that they say that a working tractor beam to carry a large object would be too powerful and destroy the object being pulled. In the Original Series episode "Tomorrow is Yesterday," the tractor beam of the Enterprise was used on a late 1960's fighter jet and ended up destroying the fighter, which is more or less exactly what would happen if a tractor beam of sufficient power was used on such a craft. I guess if we want to haul ships around, we better make some tougher ships!

Cirno:
So, we may not get "Beam me up, Scotty," anytime soon, but we could get "Pull me up, Scotty?" Sounds like fun!

Zen:
So cool! :) I want one!!!!

Genichiro:
Maybe they'll have portable ones affordable in our lifetime, that could actually pull things. Talk about space re-arranging made easy. :grin:

Cirno:
For some reason, I could picture Zen using it on his kids as a joke

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page