Controlling The Uncontrollable
|
By: Paul S Cilwa |
Posted: 4/20/2007 Updated: 9/14/2017 |
|
Page Views: 2,505 |
| Hashtags: #GunControl |
| Are people really still talking about controlling access to guns? Because that ship has sailed. |
| Estimated reading time: 5 minute(s) (1068 words) |
The technology is called 3-D Printing, and it's here, today! Expensive, yes, but I'm sure the first Replicators will be, too.
A 3-D printer can manufacture the parts for any device. The files describing the device can be originals, purchased, or
shared. And once such a file exists, it can be used to create parts for one device, or for a million (although currently, 3-D
printing is really only cost-effective for one or a few items).
3-D printers have already been used to create custom implants for surgical patients, as well as toys and art.
The material from which the printer builds these items is supplied in cartridges, like the ink in an inkjet printer,
and can itself be made of almost anything from metal-hard plastic to food.
Which means that anyone who owns a 3-D printer can, if they wish to do so, "print" a gun.