September 27, 2000

1:24 PM

I want to be injected with respirocytes.They're little mechanical devices that do the same job as your red blood cells, but they're 236 times more efficient.

This is one of the coolest things I've seen in a long time, and could certainly be very useful. Among the examples they give for people who could benefit are firefighters (too much smoke? just hold your breath!), deep sea divers (tune the respirocytes to remove N2, and no more long decompression times), and choking victims (this one should be obvious).
posted by CrayDrygu (10 comments total)

Also: asthmatics, smokers, astronauts, magicians, little siblings... :)
posted by daveadams at 1:38 PM on September 27, 2000

Ah yes...almost forgot...they also might allow me to take a 15-minute bike ride without getting winded.

(No, I'm not *that* out of shape...the harder I work, the harder it is for me to breathe. It's like exercise-induced asthma.)
posted by CrayDrygu at 1:42 PM on September 27, 2000

Cray,
I have similar problems. But not just exercise-induced. In fact, lately, my asthma has been about the only symptom of my allergies, so instead of getting sniffly, I just can't breathe at all. I'm going through inhalers like candy. My doctor sounds like he's getting worried every time I call for a new prescription!
posted by daveadams at 2:26 PM on September 27, 2000

Err, aren't inhalers loaded with steroids? I can kinda see why your doctor might be concerned. Regular heavy use of steroids is pretty much always a bad thing, even if they're not anabolic. I had to take a mild steroid once, and the Red Cross wouldn't let me donate blood for six months... (I still don't see how the steroid could possibly ruin something like plasma; whole blood maybe, but oh well, better safe than sorry.)
posted by aramaic at 2:43 PM on September 27, 2000

i'm sorry, but all i can think of is "fantastic voyage" and "inner space." that would creep me out to no end.
posted by thc at 4:13 PM on September 27, 2000

Not all asthma inhalers are steroidal; 'rescue' inhalers (what you take to Stop Attacks Now) generally aren't, while the 'maintenance' inhalers (so you don't have to use the rescuers so often) usually are. Having been on examples of both types for upwards of fifteen years, I can't see anyone going through a maintenance inhaler quickly--there's no immediately noticeable benefit from taking one. Rescue inhalers are *easy* to overuse, though. Especially if you have an upper respiratory infection or are stuck in a high-allergen situation.

I'll take the low-level steroids in the inhalers over some of the heavy oral steroids I've been on in the past, though. Prednisone... ugh. Nasty stuff. Heck, I'd prefer being injected with fake red cells than go back on prednisone.
posted by darukaru at 5:27 PM on September 27, 2000

Whehey! It is "inner space! :) Can I get one that changes my haircolor from the inside out so I don't have to run off to the hairdressers all the time? Not *that* would be really useful. (Spoken like a true vanity freak)
posted by dabitch at 6:18 PM on September 27, 2000

Wow, this would be great for me! I have this odd kind of "weed-enduced asthma", and for the life of me, I can't figure out how to stop it, hehehe ;)
posted by ookamaka at 10:56 PM on September 27, 2000

I started reading the absract but stopped from two phrases: "molecular construction techniques promise" and "diamonoid". I hate to be this close-minded, but this seems like someone milking research money from the popularity of Neal Stephenson (The Diamond Age) the same way the AI research did in the 70's and 80's.

We still don't have thinking machines. I don't expect these either.
posted by plinth at 4:53 AM on September 28, 2000

Err, aren't inhalers loaded with steroids

Not mine. As darukaru points out, "rescue" inhalers (mine's albuterol) are easy to burn through in a high-allergen situation (which I'm currently in, apparently). I don't overdose, but they don't last long when you use them four times a day. Maybe it's overuse, but I'd rather overuse it for now than suffocate. I think you'd agree. ;)

Hopefully the situation will be improving soon. I'm allergic to some cats, you see. We've had one for a couple of years that affects me in no way, but we got another one this year and after a few months I started having these problems. I finally figured out it was the cat. Anyway, if anyone wants to adopt a wonderfully sweet, quiet, shy 1 1/2 year old brown and black tabby, please contact me. She needs a new home.

Wow, I've drifted this topic horribly, eh?
posted by daveadams at 11:05 AM on September 28, 2000