Comment on Cambridge student sets fidget spinner world record

etherphon@piefed.world ⁨5⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

• fakeman_pretendname@feddit.uk ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  It’s a silly/playful example, but a low friction, high momentum flywheel could have a lot of engineering uses. His methods and research are likely very transferable - so it sounds silly, but it’s probably pretty good.

  source

  • etherphon@piefed.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    Something like that doesn’t exist outside of fidget spinners? I wouldn’t think fidget spinner would be on the cutting edge of research for a thing that has thousands of industrial applications but I’m sure this dude has it cracked.

    source

    • deft@lemmy.wtf ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

      I mean this historically is pretty common…

      The first steam engine was a toy. Speak and spell/furby shit massively helped AI. The Gameboy pushed LED screens further.

      source

      • Sylvartas@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

        I somehow doubt that fidget spinners are the most widespread/intensive applications of ball bearings at the moment, though.

        source

        • -> View More Comments
    • fakeman_pretendname@feddit.uk ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

      Sorry if I wasn’t clear, I don’t mean he personally is at the forefront of all engineering, I mean he’s learning how to improve an existing thing, and has been successful, and some part of that (exact process or just general thought) might have more practical uses in future.

      It may be that it’s literally a reusable concept or method and he has, as you say “cracked it”, though it’s a fairly low chance - but more likely he’s learnt a tiny step, that may be reusable in totally different things (by him, or anyone that saw it or heard about it).

      At worst, the process of working it out helps his learning for whatever he goes on to do in the future.

      source

      • etherphon@piefed.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

        Yes I understand I’m just being a jerk about it.

        source