What has technology missed?

[Diggin It]

We all know the advances in technology over the last 50 years that have made everyday items out of things that were only dreams at one time. We also know of the multitude of failures over time.

But are there things that seem practical given those advances, but haven't yet come to light?

One I can think of .... we have radar, ultrasound and infrared that can look into or through things. But what about using any of those for detecting insects or wood rot inside walls? I asked a pest control company about this just recently and they said nothing was available.

 

[oosik]

You would think that there should be such a system. If you believe the way it's used to monitor activities thru walls. If you can see a person thru a wall via his heat signature - why not the heat signatures of pests inside walls.

 

[Jstpssng]

Most insects are cold blooded, so heat sensors won't work.

 

[M5farms]

Prostate exams.

 

[drssg]

Prostate exams.

In an old Dave Barry column, he claimed that should be the top priority of medical research. Of course, that was before he had a colonoscopy.

 

[Diggin It]

Most insects are cold blooded, so heat sensors won't work.

True, but that's where other methods might work, like Ultrasound, or some kind of low level X-ray.

And who knows, maybe it's been tried and didn't work out.

 

[Wakey]

I owe my life to safety stickers on everyday items. We've had stickers for some time, but not like now :laughing:

 

[Diggin It]

Seems like they should be able to detect the density changes between solid wood and partially decayed or eaten wood. We can tell that just by tapping on it.

 

[RandyT]

They use thermo cameras to detect termites in walls, because in large concentrations they actually give off a fair amount of heat which can be detected with the camera.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Science has done well with cans; the electric can opener is the berries...but now that they have made everything from a box of crackers to a package of dogfood or potato chips tamper proof, it still takes stone age technology, like a hatchet, knife or a pair of kitchen shears to get the darn things open. Now they have the nice little zippy closures where you can close them back airtight, but getting them open is the problem. Oh, well, like they say...sometimes it still takes a shovel to dig a hole.