The new dynomak fusion reactor could make fusion cheaper than coal

What does “cost competitive” mean? Well, relative to prior fusion projections, a Dynomak facility could be built for about a tenth the cost of competing fusion reactor designs and produce up to five times as much power. This lets it catch up to the price-per-watt of coal, though only at the gigawatt scale; a 1GW Dynomak reactor might cost $2.7 billion, to a modern average of $2.8 billion for comparable coal plants. It’s all theoretical of course — this team has presented a major improvement to reactor design, but it will be up to larger, better funded research teams to actually make use of it. What’s the big innovation, then?Fusion is back in the news, and not just because Lockheed is claiming to have solved the world’s every problem with magical million-dollar truck-sized generators. Historically, fusion research was all aboutpossible strategies and mechanisms that might one day allow for controlled fusion; today, researchers are now at the point that they know specifically which breakthroughs must occur to make the technology viable — and, as always occurs in such situations these days, the upgrades have been coming in quickly. Several large, well-funded teams are competing to be the first to generate one net joule of energy from fusion, but an academic team from the University of Washington may be doing that work that ends up winning. They’ve dreamed up a new fusion power design called a Dynomak, and it could make fusion power stations cost competitive with coal.

The team’s test rig, called HIT-SI3, has only three “helicity injectors.” The final version, HIT-SIX should have, uh, six. Click to zoom in.

There are two (major) schools in fusion tech right now: magnetic and laser confinement. In both cases you have to shrink down a sample of your fusion fuel — usually a mix of hydrogen and helium — so it get super-pressurized and thus super-heated, beginning the fusion process, and in both cases we need incredibly fine control of our inward pressing force. Whether it’s a complex magnetic field or the combined force of trillions of watts of laser light, getting strong-enough and fine-enough control of confinement is undoubtedly the biggest hurdle facing consumer fusion tech. The University of Washington’s work could make that process far more economical. By wading into the mathematics of magnetic confinement, they may have negated the need for magnets altogether.

Here’s a basic cross-section of a spheromak rector. Note: still very complex.

Probably the most widely publicized design for a magnetic fusion generator is based on a tokamak, a huge, donut-shaped magnet. The precisely shaped magnetic field it creates has been proven to be capable of containing a fusion reaction (just not while using less energy than the fusion itself creates). The costs are also prohibitive, as with the test model for ITER’s 30,000 pound super-conducting Slinky which recently arrived. Just as we’re finding with MRI machines, super-cooled magnets are a limiting factor for fusion power, and so we then developed another design called a spheromak — a magnetic fusion machine that creates its confining field by running current directly into the sphere of plasma at the power station’s heart.

This is obviously a huge improvement to the tokamak, but as you might imagine, just pumping electricity into a sample undergoing fusion isn’t very precise. Spheromak designs had the theoretical advantage in cost and efficiency, but struggled to show that they could actually work. Then, two years ago, this University of Washington team published an idea called imposed dynamo current drive (hence “Dynomak”), a proposed model for predicting the magnetic field based on the injection of outside magnetic fields. This was hailed at the time as having huge implications for fusion power, and now we’re seeing some hard numbers to the effect. 

Here’s the tokamak at the JET fusion lab in the UK – a smaller version of the tokamak that will eventually be installed at ITER

Essentially, the Dynomak is a precisely controlled spheromak reactor that uses imposed dynamo current drive to control the magnetic field it creates. This means we might be able to keep heated hydrogen isotopes in one spot without having to leverage several national economies to do it, or further deplete helium reserves and kill the birthdays of tomorrow.

That’s great, but this team’s test rig is only about 10% as big as it ought to be and uses only three of the final six “helicity injectors” that make the Dynomak possible. Until a full-scale test run is conducted, this will be just another fusion fairytale. Still, given the incredible cost benefits we’d enjoy if it is correct, this seems like an idea very worth exploring.

2014 holiday gift guide: High tech futuristic gift ideas for geeks and nerds part 4

Futuristic gifts for the nerd who wants to be a cyborg

And finally, we come to my favorite section of the gift guide: gadgets and devices that will make you (or whoever you’re buying a gift for) feel like they’re not quite one of us — like they’re currently living in 2024, rather than 2014. I’m talking about technology that is so advanced that it changes how you perceive and interact with the real world. Tech that, for all intents and purposes, makes you transhuman.

At-home USB gene sequencer – $1,000. Due to advances in nanotechnology and microfluidics, DNA sequencing devices have got a lot smaller and faster over the last few years, ultimately resulting in the MinION USB stick, priced at around $1,000. With your genome sequenced at home — by your laptop! — you could theoretically proceed to develop your own gene therapies, to provide enhancements and modifications akin to comic book superpowers.

A ‘gamer’ wearing the new Foc.us tDCS headset

tDCS headset – $200. tDCS, or transcranial direct current stimulation, is a technique thatreportedly boosts your brain’s performance — both in terms of learning new skills, and faster reaction times. As you might imagine, this apparently makes tDCS rather powerful for gamers — or for people learning a new language, perhaps. If you want something that’s almost ready to go, the Foc.us V2 is probably your best bet. Most tDCS headsets require some amount of DIY self-assembly, however. Just like those magnetic ball bearings, don’t buy tDCS equipment for a child — and make sure you do lots of reading before you actually try it out on yourself.

Google Glass or Samsung Gear VR – $800 and up. Google Glass, which puts a small display above your right eye, is probably the closest thing we have to a working, usefulwearable computer that augments reality. They’re still reasonably expensive, but you can pick one up second-hand on Ebay for around $800. If you know someone who already owns the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, it’s worth looking at the Gear VR — a $200 attachment that turns the Note 4 into something close to the Oculus Rift. The Gear VR seems to be quite hard to find in the US at the moment, but I think it should be fully available before Christmas.

Body hacking – $???. Body hacking, and more generally quantified self, covers everything from wearing a Fitbit exercise tracker ($100) — which you wear as a wristband — to embedding computers like the Fitbit underneath your skin. For the ultimate transhumanist Christmas gift, you could arrange an appointment with Steve Haworth, a body modification artist who will do subdermal implants for other people. If Haworth isn’t available, your local tattoo parlor might offer similar services, too.

Obviously, you should think quite carefully about this one — though, to be honest, thanks to the recent popularization of subdermal piercings and other body modifications, it is fairlysafe to implant a computer under your skin. If you don’t want a computer under your skin, I’ve heard that simply having small magnets implanted in your fingertips can give you a rather awesome “sixth sense” — and allow you to pick up paperclips more easily, of course.

If you have your own nerdy, geeky, or downright futuristic gift suggestions — or if you’re a futurist or transhumanist yourself, and there’s something you’d love to receive as a gift this holiday season — let us know in the comments below

2014 holiday gift guide: High tech futuristic gift ideas for geeks and nerds part 3

Futuristic gifts for on the move

Over the last few years, by far the largest gains in computing have been in mobility — both in terms of smartphones and wearable computers, but also when it comes to electric vehicles, self-driving cars, and other weird personal mobility devices like the Honda Uni-Cub. Here are the best and most high-tech devices and gadgets from the world of mobility and mobile computing.

Tesla Model S – $70,000 and up. Yes, I know, it’s stupid to include the Model S on a Holiday Gift Guide, but… well, if I had really rich kids, I’d love to receive a Tesla for Christmas. Almost everyone agrees: The Model S is amazing to drive, and it has technology that is essentially unmatched by anything other than the latest Mercedes S-Class (which costs even more). The latest version of the Model S has some impressive self-driving features, too. Really, if you’re wondering what to buy the tech nerd who has everything, the Model S would probably hit the spot.

Aftermarket car head-up display – $100. For about $100, the Garmin HUD+ will project your speed, turn-by-turn GPS directions, and the current speed limit onto your car’s windshield. It’s not quite as functional as the integrated HUDs that some modern BMWs have, but it’s still pretty good — and safer than glancing at your smartphone, which requires you to refocus your eyes and/or look away from the road.

Siva Cycle Atom – $130. For the cyclists out there, the Siva Cycle Atom is essentially a modern bicycle dynamo that can recharge your USB devices while you cycle to work. TheCopenhagen wheel, which turns a conventional bicycle into a hybrid electric bike, is even cooler — but sadly it’s only available to pre-order at the moment.

The Cruise RP-1 self-driving car kit, on an Audi A4

Self-driving car kit – $1000. The Cruise RP-1 is an aftermarket self-driving car kit that is mounted on the roof of your car, and then integrates into your car’s computer to provide semi-autonomous driving (basically adaptive cruise control plus lane keep assist). There are two caveats, though: a) It only works with the Audi A4/S4 for now, and b) it won’t be commercially available until sometime in 2015.

Android Wear smartwatch – $200. While it’s still fairly early days for smartwatches, the first round of Android Wear devices are surprisingly useful — as long as you don’t mind recharging them every night. The Samsung Gear Live ($200) is probably the best of the first round of Wear devices — or if you’re willing to spend a bit more, the LG G Watch R ($300) is probably a better choice. Obviously, come next year there’ll also be the Apple Watch to contend with — but the jury is certainly out on whether it’ll be worth the exorbitant price tag (plus, it will probably require an iPhone nearby to be useful).

2014 holiday gift guide: High tech futuristic gift ideas for geeks and nerds part 2

Livescribe smartpen – $100 – $150. If you still regularly use a pen or pencil at the office — to take notes, for sketching diagrams — then you should grab a Livescribe smartpen, which automatically digitizes your scriblings and beams them to your computer. Version 3 of the pen ($150) requires an iPhone or iPad; if you’d rather pair it with your Windows or OS X laptop, you’ll need the previous-gen Livescribe Echo ($100). The Livescribe pens also act as an audio recorder/dictaphone, which can be rather handy.

Laser projected keyboard – $100. For around $100, you can now buy a semi-decentprojected virtual Bluetooth keyboard. Just like the early laser keyboards, these newer ones still aren’t all that great — they’re just not that accurate — but they definitely still have theooh cool factor. If you know someone who does a lot of typing on a smartphone or tablet, a projected laser keyboard could be exactly what they need to boost productivity at the office.

Neodymium magnets – $20. Neodymium is a rare earth element that can be used to make incredibly strong permanent magnets — like, so strong that you’ll struggle to pull two quarter-inch neodymium magnets apart. Sadly, ball bearing neodymium magnets are now quite hard to get in the US, but little cube magnets are still easy to obtain on Amazon. If you can find some Buckyballs (the spherical neodymium magnets), they make for a fantastic executive toy — but please, keep them away from kids.

WiFi-enabled coffee maker – $150. If you want to make sure that your coffee is always perfectly fresh when you go to the office kitchen, check out the Mr. Coffee WiFi-enabled coffee machine. It’s essentially just a normal percolator, but with a companion WeMo smartphone app (iOS and Android) that lets you set up a brewing schedule, or to simply turn the machine on remotely.

The Chairless Chair – $???. The Noonee exoskeleton, which attaches to your hips and shoes, allows you to sit down anywhere at any time — just sit back, and the exoskeleton takes the weight. Obviously, this would be amazing for anyone who spends a lot of time standing up at work. Sadly, it isn’t commercially available yet — it’s being trialed by Audi and BMW on its production lines — but it might be available in time for next Christmas.

2014 holiday gift guide: High tech futuristic gift ideas for geeks and nerds part 1

Futuristic gifts for the home

In the future, our homes will be fully automated, with heating and air conditioning systems that learn your preferences, refrigerators that automatically order your groceries, and other weird and fantastical gizmos that will be enabled by the arrival of the Internet of Things. While we haven’t quite arrived at truly smart homes, there are a few gadgets that you can buy for the house that will get you most of the way there.

Nest Thermostat – $250. The Nest Learning Thermostat is still the best, easiest, and cheapest way to give your home’s heating system a jolt of intelligence. If your budget extends a few hundred more dollars, you can also grab a bunch of Nest Protect smoke detectors, too, and have the whole thing networked together and accessible from any internet-connected device. It’s pretty cool to be able to set your home’s temperature when you’re at the office, or out and about with your smartphone.

HP Sprout all-in-one PC – $1900. If there are some kids in your household, someone with a particularly creative bent, or just someone who likes trying out new and weird gadgets,the HP Sprout is worth a look. The Sprout all-in-one PC has an odd appendage that sprouts out the top of the screen, which contains a projector, a high-res camera, and a Kinect-like depth-sensing camera, pointing down at a 20-point trackpad. It’s not cheap, but it’s most futuristic PC on the market today.

Myo gesture control armband – $150. While commercialized brain-computer interfaces are still a little ways off, the Myo is a Bluetooth-connected armband that lets you control your smartphone, smart home, or simply a PowerPoint presentation with hand gestures. The Myo reads the myoelectrical pulses that arrive at your arm muscles — so, if you waggle your fingers, the Myo can read those electrical signals and send a command to an attached device.

LulzBot TAZ 4 3D printer

3D printer – $500 and up. This year finally sees the arrival of reasonably priced, easy-to-use 3D printers. Starting at about $500 for a no-frills Printrbot, or going up to around $2000 for the latest LulzBot TAZ 4, maybe it’s time you started printing your own cups, cutlery, and other about-the-house doodads? In a few months, at-home 3D printers might even be able to print computer circuit boards using conductive plastic — so it’s a good time to get in on the 3D printing bandwagon.