# Mundane uses for sci-fi tech **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 10, 2008, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-uses-for-sci-fi-tech/472088 "2008-11-10T19:41:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![runcible\_spoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@runcible\_spoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/runcible_spoon)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-uses-for-sci-fi-tech/472088/81 "2008-11-14T00:13:27Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > When they want to tow something, they just use the tractor beams and skip the “reel them in” part of the process. It’s come up a few times. Well, sure, if you want to be _practical_… ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-uses-for-sci-fi-tech/472088/82 "2008-11-14T02:42:04Z")
It occurs to me that you could use the forcefields on Star Trek (in TNG, they could block off a corridor, by DS9, they could contain a single person in a room, something they oddly never did when someone was _attacking_ the station) as a great practical joke, “shutting the door” on someone in a hurry. Yaknow, pass them a message saying the comms are on the Fritz, and the XO wants to talk to them _yesterday_, and when they take off for the door, BZZTflump. ---
**Author:** ![slitterst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecc23a/32.png) [@slitterst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slitterst)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-uses-for-sci-fi-tech/472088/83 "2008-11-15T03:26:26Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I wouldn’t trust force-field projectors in a building for fire escape. If the fire’s so bad that you can’t get to elevators, the generators aren’t going to be reliable. It would be better to use the resources on containing the fire. Just use your fire department point-to-point transporter to beam the fire out of the building. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-uses-for-sci-fi-tech/472088/84 "2008-11-15T05:44:21Z")
> [@slitterst](#): > > Just use your fire department point-to-point transporter to beam the fire out of the building. That one’s tricky. If you beam too much at once, I don’t imagine the vacuum created would do the building or its occupants any good. Big fancy holographic plotting table as seen in some sci-fi war movies, yaknow the big flat glass table with the 3D space map hovering over it? Great place for chow (not to mention watching movies) ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-uses-for-sci-fi-tech/472088/85 "2008-11-15T05:57:45Z")
> **[Identify Music with Verizon's V CAST Song ID](https://news.softpedia.com/news/Identify-Music-with-Verizon-039-s-V-CAST-Song-ID-55313.shtml)** > > The service identifies the song and lets users purchase a matching full-track song, ringtone or ringback tone Been able to ID songs by singing into your cell-phone for a while, already. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-uses-for-sci-fi-tech/472088/86 "2008-11-15T20:11:01Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > That one’s tricky. If you beam too much at once, I don’t imagine the vacuum created would do the building or its occupants any good. Yowza. Better to beam the occupants out first, then to get all high-tech on the fire. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-uses-for-sci-fi-tech/472088/87 "2008-11-20T03:12:23Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Yowza. Better to beam the occupants out first, then to get all high-tech on the fire. Just beaming in a water fogging device would probably be more effective and far less hazardous to any trapped occupants. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-uses-for-sci-fi-tech/472088/88 "2008-11-20T16:29:09Z")
I read a short story or a thread once where people used nanobots to keep their hair trimmed and in the proper shape. They could probably do scalp massage, too. ---
**Author:** ![Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f0a364/32.png) [@Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rube_E.Tewesday)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-uses-for-sci-fi-tech/472088/89 "2008-11-20T16:53:14Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > I read a short story or a thread once where people used nanobots to keep their hair trimmed and in the proper shape. They could probably do scalp massage, too. Probably also be great for ear was removal. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-uses-for-sci-fi-tech/472088/90 "2008-11-26T18:44:55Z")
T.A.R.D.I.S. Express, when it absolutely, positively has to get there _before_ you mailed it! > [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > I read a short story or a thread once where people used nanobots to keep their hair trimmed and in the proper shape. They could probably do scalp massage, too. Kinda’ like **Barb-O’-Mite** then? ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-uses-for-sci-fi-tech/472088/91 "2008-11-26T19:37:46Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > T.A.R.D.I.S. Express, when it absolutely, positively has to get there _before_ you mailed it! > Kinda’ like **Barb-O’-Mite** then? As someone who often forgets birthdays I would pay for this service. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-uses-for-sci-fi-tech/472088/92 "2008-11-26T22:47:17Z")
> [@Rube\_E.Tewesday](#): > > Probably also be great for ear was removal. See, that kind of typo is exactly why I don’t want to go the nano-bot route. One glitch and you’re Van Gogh. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-uses-for-sci-fi-tech/472088.md?page=4)