August 4, 2019 — Christian Kromme

[Gene Steinberg]

Futurist author and lecture Christian Kromme lectures about coping with our technological future, and he paints a fascinating and optimistic picture of what's to come.

You'll find this episode a refreshing change and a starting point for further thought and discussion.

We enjoyed our discussion with Christian that we invited him to continue on this weekend's episode of After The Paracast.

After The Paracast is an exclusive feature of The Paracast+.

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[Randall]

I really liked Christian's optimistic view of the future, and always appreciate a thinker who goes beyond the mundane. There were however a couple of issues that I think need a little more refinement. For example the use of lasers for wireless networking doesn't really address the point I was making about the ongoing need for certain types of infrastructure

1Gbps wireless network made with red and green laser pointers

Researchers at the National Taipei University of Technology in Taiwan have transmitted data using lasers -- not high-powered, laboratory-dwelling lasers; handheld, AAA-battery laser pointers.

www.extremetech.com

Laser and cellular frequencies are both part of the EM spectrum, and both travel at about the same speed, but a visible laser network simply cannot compete effectively with the wide area cellular network. The reason is that laser networks are connected by visible light that can be blocked by opaque materials. This has some advantages for privacy and certain specialized applications. However it's not suited for WANs.

In contrast, cellphones operate on a longer wavelength that doesn't require line-of-sight, and can penetrate many common materials. This facilitates simultaneous communication between many users in any direction, in many environments, and under a wide range of environmental conditions. But as mentioned on the show, cellular technology requires significant infrastructure, which in-turn, requires the acquisition of materials plus coordinated construction and maintenance.

 

[marduk]

I really liked Christian's optimistic view of the future, and always appreciate a thinker who goes beyond the mundane. There were however a couple of issues that I think need a little more refinement. For example the use of lasers for wireless networking doesn't really address the point I was making about the ongoing need for certain types of infrastructure

1Gbps wireless network made with red and green laser pointers

Researchers at the National Taipei University of Technology in Taiwan have transmitted data using lasers -- not high-powered, laboratory-dwelling lasers; handheld, AAA-battery laser pointers.

www.extremetech.com

Laser and cellular frequencies are both part of the EM spectrum, and both travel at about the same speed, but a visible laser network simply cannot compete effectively with the wide area cellular network. The reason is that laser networks are connected by visible light that can be blocked by opaque materials. This has some advantages for privacy and certain specialized applications. However it's not suited for WANs.

In contrast, cellphones operate on a longer wavelength that doesn't require line-of-sight, and can penetrate many common materials. This facilitates simultaneous communication between many users in any direction, in many environments, and under a wide range of environmental conditions. But as mentioned on the show, cellular technology requires significant infrastructure, which in-turn, requires the acquisition of materials plus coordinated construction and maintenance.

Yup. Line of sight comms are very limited but can be very high bandwidth. Using microwaves, for example. Works great as long as you have a line of sight between the transmitter and receiver.

The problem is that humans like to build buildings, nature likes to build trees and mountains, and that the earth itself is curved.

Optical LOS systems have the added disadvantage of the air not actually being all that transparent at a distance. There's a reason that stars twinkle, and clouds block the sun.