Bold technologies to change the world

Flying cars, flying tanks, movie projectors, electronic money, cinerama … Inventors continue to create inventions with great ambition, ideas that can change the face of the world. But it’s still not possible. Why?
Flying tanks

Believe it or not: there was a time when it was a good idea to attach some wings to an armored tank and use it in combat. The flying tank is designed to use the tank’s firepower and combine it with air force use, but as you might have guessed, it doesn’t work correctly. These are basically gliders attached to tanks, and they can be towed or carried underneath an aircraft. They will then be released and glided into the front to support infantry operations on the battlefield. They are complementary, but different projects never achieve much success. Instead of changing the way humanity fought during the war, this concept was discarded shortly after World War II, although the Soviet Union continued to develop the concept in the 1970s. While flying tanks have become a thing of the past, most of them have been replaced by modern technology. Gunship AC-130 Gunship is fully equipped with equipment and weapons for military aircraft. The fighters carry a 25mm or 40mm multi-barrel Gatling gun and a 105mm cannon, effectively making them far superior to a winged tank. Video phone Long before the invention of television, people imagined a world where they could engage in a telephone conversation while seeing the person they were talking to on the other end of the line. Because of this, technology was developed at a huge cost to the consumer market envisioned about video telephones for decades. By the time such a product was made, it was already too expensive and very few people could afford it. The first devices cost $ 1,500 for a single phone, and the service cost nearly $ 100 a month, making it unaffordable for consumers and companies hesitating to buy. At the beginning of the millennium, companies were still working hard to transmit video communications over phone lines, but the technology was still expensive and difficult to perfect. This eventually led to a complete abandonment of dedicated television systems over telephone lines. Instead, various video conferencing facilities use data networks and the Internet to make calls. Today, people use apps to communicate, although the technology is still available to anyone who wants to use it, most people don’t bother showing up with the person they communicate with, instead they prefer texting, emailing or simple phone calls. Video phone calls have been around for a while, but they have barely changed the world. People are still communicating through voice more than the video alternative, and that’s hard to change. Fiske reader Bradley Allen Fiske made many inventions throughout his life. Of course, not all of these inventions are welcome, like his telescope for naval guns. One such invention, the Fiske Reader, sought to change the way the world absorbs information, but it could not keep pace with the world’s readers. The idea is to use a small handheld device with an amplifying lens for one eye and a shield for the other eye. The text was copied using photo engraving, and printed on cards measuring about 6 x 2 inches. It cannot be read with the naked eye. Using the device, one person can look through the lens and read everything printed on the card. The idea is to reduce the need for paper, to create a new pocket reading medium, and to literally change the way people use text. To prove his invention, he condensed Mark Twain’s The Innocents Abroad on 13 cards. He believes he has revolutionized the publishing industry. It’s not a bad idea, but it’s not how people want to read, and the Fiske Reader was never mass produced. Cryptocurrencies The world’s first cryptocurrency was Bitcoin. When it was first created in 2008 (by an unknown person or group), it looked like it could be a world-changing invention. Cryptocurrencies are forms of digital currency that exist without a central bank or regulator. They are relatively complex, and they can be “mined” by using sophisticated graphics chips with their processing power to create new blocks in a coherent blockchain. Basically, the numbers are collected and slowly create new Bitcoins. Initially, Bitcoins had no real-world monetary value, but by 2016 their value soared to $ 2,900 and within 5 years they peaked in value at $ 19,511, however the price That value was quickly reduced. Theoretically, cryptocurrencies could change the way people conduct business internationally. However, the anonymous nature of exploiting and spending them really only benefits criminal organizations. Although it is a decentralized currency system, it is still susceptible to the same problems as a traditional currency, including counterfeiting, market manipulation, etc. Cryptocurrencies still exist and there are many other things that are not just Bitcoin. However, it is unlikely to change the international monetary system for a multitude of reasons. Motion picture When you go to the cinema, you find yourself sitting in a large cinema, and the only significant light source is the strong projection light in the projector. That light is reflected off the screen, and it works best when there is no other light source, as turning on one of these will blur the images, making it harder to see. There was a time, though, when it was thought that it was best to watch movies in broad daylight. In 1910, that is exactly what some people have tried to do with “daytime motion pictures”. It’s a trend that has spread across America, and it’s spread like wildfire. This concept makes use of darker screens, brighter and more powerful projectors, and it is misinterpreted that movies should be enjoyed in full daylight. California has even passed laws that theaters must have enough light in their theaters for patrons to see. Of course, the fever didn’t last too long. Movie theaters complain that the film doesn’t look good in well-lit rooms. Many other problems that make Daylight Motion Pictures a thing of the past, ultimately still do not change anything and movie theaters still need to watch movies in dark rooms. Cinerama Long before IMAX, the best way to watch widescreen movies was through a process called Cinerama. It was developed by the motion picture industry to counteract the growing trend of television. It was first used in 1952, when This is Cinerama, which premiered in front of a cheerful and enthusiastic crowd on Broadway. The new format projects video onto three large, deeply curved screens, creating extremely large images. It is considered the future of watching movies. However, it never got hold of the market, and in the end it fell into oblivion. The problem with Cinerama technology is, at least initially, it requires three projectors (and three projector drivers) to perfectly synchronize their projections at the same time. Without that, it won’t work properly, so Cinerama needs a lot of people and money to get it going. Most movie theaters are not ready to upgrade due to the cost. By the time the digital technology allows interconnecting projectors without many users, it is too late. There are still a handful of Cinerama locations in use across the country, but it’s a novelty rather than a “world-changing” movie medium. Flying car People have imagined a world full of flying cars even before cars were invented. Over the years, there have been a number of legitimate attempts to create them. Various models were developed in the early 20th century, but they never changed the world. In 1940, Henry Ford said: “Remember my promise: the combination of airplanes and cars will be born. You can smile, but it will come ”. He’s not completely wrong either. The Aerocar flew in the sky later this decade. That car never entered production, and neither did any other prototypes. The biggest problem with flying cars has to do with humans. Most of us are not trained to fly an airplane, much less a winged car or a jet that can keep it aloft. Because of this, there is no government that allows a person to fly around the country without serious regulation. Aerocar, for example, can only fly from airports and cannot simply take off from a highway. The dream is still there, for many inventors, and very often, a new flying car makes a stir around the world. In September 2020, Japan tested a new manned flying car for the first time and although it hasn’t changed the world, theoretically, maybe someday.