[DoctorBeaver (OP)]

I caught a little snippet about it on TV the other day. It was made out to be a Godsend that will make our lives so much easier.

For example:-

It will detect when you enter your office building and boot your computer ready for you.
It can monitor road traffic and send data to calculate optimum routes.
Medical records would be automatically retrieved if you were taken to hospital.

Now, that all sounds very good. However, I can't help thinking that it is yet another nail in the coffin of freedom. We would be traceable 24 hours a day. The "powers that be" would be able to track where we were, who we were with etc.

As if we don't have enough surveillance these days! Does anyone else know of this stuff and have any thoughts on it?

[Karen W.]

Never heard of it!

[DoctorBeaver (OP)]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartdust
http://robotics.eecs.berkeley.edu/~pister/SmartDust/
http://www.computerworld.com/mobiletopics/mobile/story/0,10801,79572,00.html

[MonikaS]

The technology behind this is fascinating, and there are some benign applications for it.

But there are privacy issues as well, 24/7 surveillange would be a snap. Of course politicians would tell us, it's only to find the bad guys etc. But we all know that once data is available, it'll be used, most likely against us.

[DoctorBeaver (OP)]

I think saying there are privacy issues is like saying a hydrogen bomb causes a bit of a bang. Smart Dust could prove to be the most pervasive and intrusive invention of all time.

[chrisn]

Even worse than all the cameras everywhere, and your DNA and fingerprints in your passport and a database?

There will be a big use for the smart dust in the spying scene. Frankly, it's a bit expensive technology just to turn on your computer when you walk into the office.

[neilep]

This means my vacuum Cleaner will be more intelligent than me !

[DoctorBeaver (OP)]

This means my vacuum Cleaner will be more intelligent than me !

Nothing new there, then  []

[neilep]

This means my vacuum Cleaner will be more intelligent than me !

Nothing new there, then  []

Thanks Doc, I love ya too !



*sneeks in and makes the doc an Exlax hot choccy drink*

[DoctorBeaver (OP)]

This means my vacuum Cleaner will be more intelligent than me !

Nothing new there, then  []

Thanks Doc, I love ya too !



*sneeks in and makes the doc an Exlax hot choccy drink*