Mark, dream of the day when that device is perfected, miniaturized, and
cheap enough for the "average" caver to buy (most cavers are above
average, of course, and one of them may invent/perfect that device).
Will there be a movement to resurvey caves? Just the "significant" ones,
of course--longest, deepest, beautifulest, /ad infinitum--/on
every continent, country, province, state, county, municipio, /ad
infinitum/? And by then, our solar system and beyond?
When that day arrives, most likely AI will have evolved to the level
that human cavers will not be necessary. Their (our) artifacts and
stories will be displayed in virtual museums alongside odd mysterious
relics like torches, kerosene lanterns, carbide lamps, and Zebra lights;
tree roots, hemp rope, and Goldline; whale tails, racks, prusik knots,
Texas Prusik, Inchworm, . survey tapes, Brunton compasses, Suuntos,
film, flash bulbs,/ad nauseum./
Every generation of cavers benefits from the experiences (good and bad)
of those who precede them, and builds on that knowledge. The rate of
change is constantly accelerating, and the seemingly impossible has been
surpassed many times. So dream on Mark, and even if we don't see that
day, we've seen plenty we never could have dreamed of.
Just some late-night musings. You should probably delete this before you
read it.
Lowgun
On 3/12/2019 7:56 PM, mmin...@caver.net wrote:
DARPA is interested in underground mapping in a manner that would be
of interest to cavers. I've dreamed of the day we could just move
through a cave with a device on our body or helmet that would record
every move in 3D, sort of like LIDAR. When we get out, we could
download the results and have a point cloud or at least line plot
showing everywhere we had been. Instant map! Here's a chance to make
it big if you have an idea that might actually accomplish this.
<https://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2019/03/darpa-wants-tools-reimagine-underground-worlds-3d/155459/>
<https://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2018/08/darpa-wants-make-underground-maps-fly/150542/>
Mark Minton
mmin...@caver.net
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