What is Digg?346 Comments
- AustinHannah, on 03/23/2008, -1/+217Kind of a funny place to introduce such a monumental invention. I sure hope it lives up to the hype.
- mdlestat, on 03/23/2008, -4/+165This could change mankind, and the disease that has burdened it for all of history could be forever diminished... I hope it's as real as it appears, and that it will be used!!!
- scrag10, on 03/23/2008, -1/+94It runs on babies.
- DBLaise, on 03/23/2008, -2/+77Its all fine and wonderful that it takes out poison and chemicals and disease but where do those go? Does it take them to the same place the dryer takes my socks?
- br0ck, on 03/23/2008, -3/+75Believe it or not, the best way to stabilze the world's population isn't to ensure that society has enough misery and death to keep populations in check.. the best way is by providing health, sanitation, women's rights, and education.
"Years of observation and experience have shown that families living in freedom and given the opportunity to fulfil their basic needs, have fewer children. These children are more likely to be healthy and educated. Societies that have satisfied the basic needs of their populations tend to reduce pollution and environmental destruction.
None of this should surprise us. Ground-breaking consensus was reached six years ago, when the International Conference on Development and Population - in Cairo - firmly established that development, poverty reduction and respect for women's reproductive rights are vital to stabilising the world's population."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/reith2000/lecture4.sht ... - hydratedsquash, on 03/23/2008, -3/+73You could hook that baby up to a public toilet on the in end and a fountain on the other. Mmmm....fresh water.
- smokeymcdank, on 03/23/2008, -2/+53i dont understand what happens to all the impurities you take out of the water. With no 'disposables' where do all the pee particles go?
- consoneo, on 03/23/2008, -20/+70We are our own disease... we perpetuate the problems that plague us. If we stop 50% of disease, we save countless lives, yes. But that increases our population. The increase in population taxes the resources the planet is capable of providing, and we create yet another problem just as serious. How, the question in my mind reads, do we control our increasing population, desire for war, shortages of food, and disease ridden waters all at once.
This is what will save mankind. Without the population control, we cannot have that peace and health. With peace and health, deaths occur less frequently than births and we run into overload quickly. It sounds cold, it sounds mean, but you know it's the truth. There is nothing stopping the human race from breeding itself further into starvation other than these wars, pestilences, and shortages.
I hope to heaven we can find a way to stem population growth. That is my one wish for this life time... to see that accomplished. - inactive, on 03/23/2008, -2/+51Or wait for the Pocket Edition and plug it to your dick and mouth, just make sure you don't do it the wrong way.
- whataboutdave, on 03/23/2008, -0/+42Nice. How does it work?
- consoneo, on 03/23/2008, -1/+41Yeah, no disposables, but where do the expelled pollutants end up?
- browwiw, on 03/23/2008, -5/+43I'm a licensed water plant operator. I'd really be interested to see what this unit uses for flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, and sanitation, especially in such a small unit. I'd have to assume that its using some kind of high efficiency reverse osmosis filter (which would account for removing viruses) or maybe even nanotubes (which I've only read about in trade journals, and only in relation to desalination).
This is a boon to tiny communities that need clean water immediately, but in the long run what 3rd world nations need are municipal scale water plants (millions of gallons of potable water a day, not just tens of gallons) and the infrastructure to maintain them. Baby steps, I suppose. - Matt2k, on 03/23/2008, -3/+41Dean Kamen is a modern day hero. Not everything he touches turns to gold, but we ride the backs of men and women like this.
- aaryn, on 03/23/2008, -4/+38I remember hearing about this when the Segway was still the "It project" hopefully this will have more of a positive impact for those who need it most
- SonicRush, on 03/23/2008, -0/+30Here are some of them: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2 ...
500 Watts, 10 Gallons per hour ~$1500 with no generator - Klowner, on 03/23/2008, -1/+27It transmutes them into Twinkies, duh
- Ozzsanity, on 03/23/2008, -4/+29If we did not invade Iraq we could have made enough of these for over 5 billion people
- schmitey, on 03/23/2008, -11/+36The humanitarian side of me says this is amazing and will improve billions of lives! The pessimistic side of me however realizes the implications of doubling the earth's population. I hate to say it, but disease/starvation does serve a purpose in keeping our earth from getting overburdened/overpopulated. Eventually, and sooner than we all think, we will run out of space/resources for our growing population. Yes its completely unfair that those poor people are mis fortuned while I am in a comfortable apartment with clean water and food to eat, but I didn't make it that way so don't flame me for pointing out the obvious. I'd personally rather have a smaller sustained human population than have an explosive growth and fizzle out...but that might be my biology background speaking as well. And again, before you all argue ethics or whatever this happens in the natural world ALL THE TIME.
- saxreturns, on 03/23/2008, -5/+30Why get Bono involved, can't we just tell him to ***** off?
- phronko, on 03/23/2008, -0/+24Well, that solves the population control issue.
- roblarmon, on 03/23/2008, -0/+24anyone know where the specifications are? Devil is always in the details...
- JRootabega, on 03/23/2008, -1/+24Onion, cumin, beans, it's all in there.
- gurellia53, on 03/23/2008, -3/+26Dean rocks my world!
FIRST has been an amazing experience for me, and now this can help so many people - ixid, on 03/23/2008, -0/+22There will be a tank that collects the highly concentrated impurities, no disposables means the machine doesn't require components that need replacing regularly, a serious issue in the 3rd world where a lack of supplies or poor maintainance can often mean that things are used well beyond the point at which they are safe.
- praisethelard, on 06/06/2008, -1/+22Yes, the gnomes take all the poisons.
- masterc, on 03/23/2008, -2/+21"I hope to heaven we can find a way to stem population growth."
We have a way already. It's called condoms and birth control. I know they're not foolproof, but they're a start. - krasotkin, on 03/23/2008, -1/+19Remember that Jack Black/Ben Stealer movie -- Envy? Where does the poop go when it's va-poorized?
- adml_shake, on 03/23/2008, -0/+18Of course I guess it didn't dawn on you that this is a first gen product. And if it proves feasible then people will look into ways of making it cheaper to make and operate in the next gen.
- dwcharn, on 03/23/2008, -0/+17I was working on a project dealing with the iBOT for Kamen's company several year back. They took me around and I remember them showing me this water purifier thing that was in development. If I remember right it took up part of the wall. It was a big mess of this and that as they were trying to get it functional.. Nice to see it complete and all put together. I will never forget how intelligent everyone was at DEKA on my visit. Just brilliant. They were explaining the hiring process and everything and were very accommodating. Quite interesting. And Kamen's house is a sight to see.
- CaptainM4d, on 03/23/2008, -0/+17Onion?
- manzoire, on 03/23/2008, -2/+18why isn't this on every major news network??? I know why, but the answer depresses me :(
- goomba323, on 03/23/2008, -6/+21But population growth is exponential. There is a tipping point. Some scientist agree that we already have reached that tipping point, and are pushing ourselves as a species right now. We are like a spreading disease, destroying our planet and resources until it eventually destroys us. It's bittersweet, but eventually it'll happen. It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when.
- Bensch, on 03/23/2008, -0/+15Actually, the Segway was mostly there to support Kamen's wheelchair, the ibot 3000 - which is not at all stupid, and allows an incredible amount of mobility for the disabled.
- rivalius13, on 03/23/2008, -7/+21While I commend him on his invention, this guy DID think the segway would revolutionise transport, so I'm not sure I trust his 50% figure.
- jaxter2010, on 06/17/2009, -8/+22This machine isn't going to make people live to 120 or anything, which would cause overload. This is to improve the lives of one billion people who don't have clean water to drink. You would rather have 20% of the world drink ***** for water to keep the population model consistent?
- rosullivan, on 03/23/2008, -0/+14Dean cares more about humankind than you ever will, buddy. His fame wasn't "claimed" by inventing an "impractical scooter" either... he was quite well-known before that. Yes, his profile was given a huge boost by the introduction of the Segway and put him in a larger, wider spotlight, but that didn't make him or break him. Look at the prosthetic "Luke Arm" he's been working on with DARPA for our soldiers and disabled. Look at the iBot wheelchair, the heart stents, the portable insulin pumps and portable dialysis machines on his impressive resume.
Of COURSE he wants to make money from his inventions... one would be a dumbass not to. In order to understand what drives men like Dean Kamen, though, you have to look at the breadth of their work... NOT the desire to profit... to see their true colors. Knowing so much about Dean Kamen and his incredible passion and desire to better this planet, I can overwhelmingly say that you can take your arrogant, uninformed opinion, roll it up, bend over, and shove it right up your ass, pal. - bossm4n, on 03/23/2008, -6/+19Kind of like your comments. You type characters together thinking they'll be funny, but only ***** comes out.
- illegalamigo, on 03/23/2008, -1/+14any publicity is good publicity
- deff, on 03/23/2008, -1/+14I just hope this doesn't end up to be... Get ready for it... Vapor-ware!
- n8f8, on 03/23/2008, -1/+13Kamen is a Hero in my book.
- jaxter2010, on 06/17/2009, -1/+13Yea, but isn't the production capacity of that like 16oz/day?
- mewho, on 03/23/2008, -1/+13Developed countries with educated people tend to have populations that favor fewer children. This is one of the first steps.
- CaptainM4d, on 03/23/2008, -4/+16If you think about it, Colbert Report viewers are more likely to get the word out about anything because most of them are part of the web 2.0 demographic.
- Rudzz34, on 03/23/2008, -0/+12He's comparing it with the segway because its the same inventor
- mrgeekguy, on 03/23/2008, -0/+11Lifestraw maybe a interim solution until the units can be mass produced.
http://www.lifestraw.com/en/low/low.asp - midriscoll09, on 03/23/2008, -0/+11Or, in Dean Kamen's case, we ride on his segway.
- getisboy, on 03/23/2008, -0/+11Even without the machine, that would be 10x cleaner than most fountains you find.
- stupidStan, on 03/23/2008, -1/+12I think me and you were the only ones who saw it...
- inactive, on 03/23/2008, -0/+10Would you be willing to, instead, say "Well, looks like a lot of money now but I guess every journey starts with a single step." ?
I know you're not a Pollyanna but by being a naysayer aren't you essentially going against _all of known history_ by damning the first generation of a product that may or may not in fact be easily improved? In other words "This 'Difference Engine' thing you have - looks stupid and its too big" or "Who would want a computer in their home?" etc etc. - bossm4n, on 03/23/2008, -1/+10You obviously know nothing about Dean Kamen if you think his only claim to fame is the Segway. This man is not only a brilliant inventor, he is a generous philanthropist and probably has done more to help bring science and engineering to high school students than anyone else on the planet. I wouldn't be surprised if he manufactures these and gives them away. What the ***** have you done to save people's lives?
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