• Question: Any info on space travel, time control, cloning or any other futuristic tech?

    Asked by youngyorkie7892 to Hilly, Lee, Liz, Tadhg, Yasmin on 23 Jun 2015.
    • Photo: Liz Meddings

      Liz Meddings answered on 23 Jun 2015:

      I’m purely rooted to the ground but check out ExoMars Rover for information on robotic exploration of Mars: http://exploration.esa.int/mars/
      One of the engineers, Abbie Hutty, has won prizes for her work.

    • Photo: Lee Margetts

      Lee Margetts answered on 23 Jun 2015:

      If I was at school now and was wanting to be the next Bill Gates (Microsoft) or Richard Branson (Virgin), I’d look into robotics and 3D printing. Bill Gates says robotics is now at the stage where computing was in the 1980s – when he set up Microsoft in his garage. The components for robots are cheap and there’s open sharing of the software used to operate them. Somebody who is at school now will be the billionaire owner of a robotics company in 30 years time.

      3D printing is at the same stage in terms of innovation potential. It will revolutionize manufacturing, particularly for astronauts in space. Also, I suspect that microwave ovens in the future will print your dinner, not just heat it up. And if you need a new heart when you’re in your 70s, KwikFit will print one for you and install it as quickly as changing the tyres on your car.

    • Photo: Yasmin Ali

      Yasmin Ali answered on 23 Jun 2015:

      I came across a really cool concept a little while ago, it combines 3D printing with space travel! The idea is to send a robotic 3D printer to the moon, it hoovers up moon dust, and 3D prints a moon base! Here’s a video that explains it all: http://www.esa.int/spaceinvideos/Videos/2014/11/3D-printing_a_lunar_base

    • Photo: Tadhg O'Donovan

      Tadhg O'Donovan answered on 23 Jun 2015:

      Artificial Intelligence (AI) is on it’s way! We already have a version of “self-learning” algorithms so are making the first steps. Combine that with Robotics, 3D printing and the future will look very different!

Comments