Star Trek at 50 - Tablet Computers

The tablet computer and its associated operating system began with the development of pen computing. Electrical devices with data input and output on a flat information display existed as early as 1888 with the telautograph, which used a sheet of paper as display and a pen attached to electromechanical actuators. Throughout the 20th century devices with these characteristics have been imagined and created whether as blueprints, prototypes, or commercial products. 

Tablet computers appeared in a number of works of science fiction in the second half of the 20th century; all helped to promote and disseminate the concept to a wider audience. Examples include Isaac Asimov with a Calculator Pad in his novel Foundation (1951), Stanislaw Lem with the Opton in his novel Return from the Stars (1961), and Arthur C. Clarke's NewsPad was depicted in Stanley Kubrick's film 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). There were numerous similar devices depicted by Gene Roddenberry in Star Trek: The Original Series which continued into Star Trek The Next Generation with tablet computers designated as PADDs.

And here were are again, reality imitating imagination. 

This week, a look at holding the future in the palm of your hands.

TTFN, Fred.

Quote of the week: "You either live life fully, face to the wind, with skinned knees, bruises and all or you turn your back to it all, wither away and die." - Captain Christopher Pike, Star Trek: The Original Series, “The Cage” (unaired pilot)

   ST50 - Tablet Computers

Stra Trek at 50 - Tricorder

Like some wizard, Dr. "Bones" McCoy needed only to wave his tricorder sensor like a talisman over Star Trek crew members to detect any ailment -- and to cure many of them. These futuristic sickbay tools presented a captivating vision of what medicine might one day achieve, inspiring legions of fans who later became some of the world's most inventive scientists.

Rather than undergo exploratory surgery, many patients now rest on tables similar to the Enterprise's sickbay bed while an automated scanner delivers diagnostic images of the body's interior. Blade-free "surgery" is possible with equipment like the CyberKnife, developed at Stanford University. Devices like McCoy's needle-free "hypospray" injections are now commonplace vaccination tools.

And what of the tricorder? Once again, the future is now.

This week, a look at holding a diagnostic lab in your hands.

TTFN, Fred.

Quote of the week: "Laws change depending on who's making them, but justice is justice." - Odo, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, “A Man Alone”

   ST50 - Tricorder

Star Trek at 50 - Universal Translator

The Prayer of Saint Francis, also known as the Peace Prayer, includes a wish "...to be understood as to understand..." There are plenty of times when I'm not understood, and if I was honest, a lot more when I didn't understand. A few years ago I was fortunate enough to travel to Italy and visit relatives, where our differences were fewer than our similarities, but the language barrier was a tough one to cross. Fortunately Google Translate was there when we needed stamps for postcards (francobolli per cartoline), non-dairy creamer for coffee (creamer non lattiero-caseari per il caffè) or a pencil (matita).

This week, a look at not being lost in translation.

TTFN, Fred.

Quote of the week: "Curious how often you humans manage to obtain that which you do not want." - Commander Spock, Star Trek: The Original Series, “Errand Of Mercy"

   ST50 - Universal Translator