David G Haren wrote on Thu, Jan 5, 1995 5:17 PM
>What you do is build a miniature pipe that has a small compressor
>vane set inside it, which when activated levers itself into the
>closed cell and fills it ...
>The macro template of cells gives you the item, you need, sunlight
>gives you the power plant. "grow your own furniture kit".
This sort of approach, perhaps without even bothering for a deflaction
option, sounds likea plausible concept for inflating the "Red Cross
Emergency Tents" that are discussed in the UNBOUNDING THE FUTURE
scenario where the remote production facility shifts its production
in response to a far-off earthquake. One question is, once the
tents are inflated, do you want to deploy some sort of nano-scale
latching mechanisms to lock the structure in place?
Tom McKendree
mckendre@chaph.usc.edu