Talk:Rolamite
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Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (January 2007) |
It would be great if more details of this could be dug up. Reading over the contents of the compilation link that's currently on the page is very interesting - but also very dated. For instance, the articles frequently talk of nearly frictionless movement and it being an order of magnitude better than ball bearings. How would modern manufacture of this device compare to modern ball bearings, for instance? Is the rolamite used in anything? There was much speculation that it could be used in nearly countless applications. If it isn't being used - why not? Did the claims not live up to reality or something? The article on airbags in cars seems to say it had been used there but has been replaced in modern times by a different mechanism. Is rolamite no longer relevant - or is it simply forgotten? BigZaphod 07:52, 8 December 2006 (UTC)
Near the bottom of this webpage there's a really good answer. Summed up: most of the applications it could be used for are done better by other technology. One example I noticed on my own from the patent is the rolamite thermostat switch. Why make a switch with three moving parts that have to be precisely machined and put together when one can use a mercury switch with one moving part, viz. a blob of mercury? There's still uses for them though. TheDragoon (talk) 08:10, 8 January 2008 (UTC)
Via BoingBoing: http://home.wanadoo.nl/a.a.m.sol/1221e.htm A Rolamite scale. Way cool. :) Not sure if it should be worked into the article or not, but thought I'd point it out. BigZaphod 19:47, 8 December 2006 (UTC)
[edit] refs removed
remove by user:JzG... these should be reinstated ...
