PRIMITIVE TOOLS VS NEW TECH
§ An amazing design does not need to be
complex, just look at the simple hammer which has not changed in hundreds of
years. Let's face it, the Flintstones were using one!
§ Could the IC chip soon be challenging
the human brain?
§ The ability to adapt to a specific
environment is often overlooked. However, you only need to look at the
development of the human race to see how this works and how it affects everyday
life.
When thinking
about what makes an amazing design, a fun thought experiment is to compare the
design of products to the natural evolution of different biological designs.
One could argue
that successful biological designs fall into three camps: first, simple designs
that have existed for millions of years due to their robust nature (the turtle,
for example, which has barely changed over millions of years); second,
“high-tech” systems which utilize complex systems to survive (like the human
brain); and third, laser-focused designs that optimize for one task (like a
cheetah). While these designs are very different, are they not all an amazing
design in their own right?
Likewise, when
comparing human-designed products one must grapple with whether a robust,
long-lasting simple product is a better design than a high-tech, complex system
or a highly optimized single-use product. Let’s look at some examples.
The
simple hammer – an amazing design!
A great example
of a simple design that has maintained its use over time is the hammer.
A descendent of the simplest of human tools (the rock), the hammer has slowly
evolved over time, not changing significantly but rather slowly improving in
simplicity, functionality, durability, and cheapness of manufacturing.
Like the turtle,
which manages to survive in many environments and has only evolved slightly
with time, the hammer has survived because of its simplicity, toughness and
adaptability. Forged from a single piece of steel with a simple leather or
rubber grip, the modern hammer is nearly identical to one from a hundred years
ago. It is highly resistant to breakage and can be used in any climate for a
huge variety of projects, from hanging posters to demolishing walls.
Like the ancient
turtle, one can expect that the hammer will continue to exist for a long time.
And like the turtle, its simplicity will allow it to outlast and outperform
more complex systems that may be ideal for one specific task or environment but
won’t hold up when the job or the weather changes.
Bridge
span machine
Now let’s look at
the other end of the spectrum. While the turtle may plod slowly and safely
along, it will never outrun a cheetah. That’s because the cheetah is designed
with only one task in mind: running fast. Instead of designing a hard shell for
security and a tough skin for durability, nature decided to sacrifice those
priorities to optimize for speed.
A human-made
design that one could compare with the cheetah is the Chinese-made Segmental Bridge Launching Machine (see video below).
This 580-ton monster machine was created for one thing: building bridge spans
as quickly as possible. And it does it well, allowing the rapid creation of
bridges over spans up to 50 meters long.
Unlike the humble
hammer, the bridge launcher is not useful for a variety of tasks. It is not the
best tool for straightening a nail or installing a picture frame. However, when
it comes to constructing bridge spans, it is a modern marvel. Like the cheetah,
it is the best in the world at what it does, at the expense of almost
everything else.
Growing
in complexity
Finally, let’s
look at some designs that use complexity to their advantage. In nature, biology
becomes more diverse and more complex over time, with the human brain commonly
thought of as the pinnacle of complexity. With this complexity comes extreme
adaptability. The human brain has allowed the species to survive and thrive in
every conceivable environment, and has even given rise to the concept of
human-designed technology!
This adaptability
is due to a network of flexible nodes, each of which can be adapted to a number
of tasks, from recognizing faces to designing airplane wings. These nodes are
organized into networks and connected to sensory inputs, creating the most
successful of nature’s biological systems!
More
powerful than a human brain?
Like the brain,
the integrated circuit chip (or IC chip) is composed of connected nodes, which
can be connected in a number of ways and replicated to amass enormous computing
power. Even though the connections in a computer chip can’t be re-arranged like
the human brain at the most basic level, they can be added together and
programmed to create an infinite variety of logical systems, which can control
an infinite variety of machines. These can even be connected together to form
vast networks of information like the internet and the emerging “internet of
things”.
Just as a single
human brain’s power is multiplied when combined with others, each computer
chip’s power and flexibility is multiplied when connected with other chips and
other inputs and outputs. Some people believe that the design of the IC chip
will lead to a design that is ultimately even more complex than the human brain
itself! We thought the human brain was an amazing design but the IC chip is
certainly catching up!
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