Doctor Who’s sonic screwdriver is still fiction — but not forever

Kudos to Bristol University for catching our attention, and doing so in the name of promoting education. Professor of Ultrasonics Bruce Drinkwater is evoking a rather iconic name to better explain how cool science / engineering can be. Though already used in the manufacturing and medical fields — don’t yawn and look away just yet — Drinkwater expresses some confidence that the future of this technology could very well usher in a pocketable device similar to the sonic screwdriver fancied by a certain former resident of Gallifrey . You know, that do-it-all device that can repair electronic equipment, burn and cut items, fuse metals, scan for information, and render virtually any lock useless… except here we’re focusing on ultrasonic sound waves capable of fixing parts together and creating miniature force fields. As for the Time Lord himself, we know of at least one past Doctor who, as joked by a later incarnation, would rather “save the universe using a kettle and some string” (and has, in more recent iterations, pulled out miraculous victories with even a BlackBerry Storm ). Point is, you should maybe consider a degree in Physics and an eccentric outfit should you ever find yourself holding a working prototype. Doctor Who’s sonic screwdriver is still fiction — but not forever originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Dec 2010 02:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

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