Richard Freeman on 29 Jan 2010 11:16:38 -0800


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Re: [PLUG] no moving parts


On 01/29/2010 01:14 PM, JP Vossen wrote:
> I can imagine a computer with no moving parts though.  Use a projector
> for the display, and a laser/LED projection with an IR sensor for a
> keyboard (I'm pretty sure I read about that one already).

Are you sure that laser/LED projector doesn't have any moving parts 
(like a rapidly oscillating mirror)?

In any case, a computer requires neither a display, nor a keyboard.

However, manual input-output isn't really a problem.  The display is 
already easy, and for input just have an array of photodiodes shaped 
like a keyboard that you can point your flashlight at.  Actually, if you 
wanted to be really clever just type on them, and have the keyboard 
register the blocking of ambient light as each "button" is pressed.

Of course, this only qualifies as a computer with no moving macroscopic 
parts.  Once you start counting electrons and photons...  Then again, if 
electrons and photons do not occupy any particular discrete region of 
space, can they really be said to move?  :)
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