There is an entire field of possible technological applications of GW. But for GW to have practical applications they have to be at high frequency and so not as the one discussed in the astrophysical context (these waves have frequencies that range between few Hz to thousands of Hz). This is because the amplitude of the waves is proportional to the frequency of the waves and the accelerating mass that produces them. A huge mass like a black hole would create low frequency waves but because of the large mass involved the waves would be big enough to be detected on earth.
For a human sized device (so small mass) to produce gravitational waves that can be detected by a receiver they have to be at Mega or even Giga Hz frequencies. Google high frequency gravitational waves. People wrote papers about possible applications. From fuel-less spaceships to cell phones that could communicate with another cell phone directly even across the entire earth (given GW can go across the earth without being disturbed, let alone a building or ocean or anything). Submarines could communicate with GW even if underwater and so on. Many interesting applications. On Fri, Feb 12, 2016 at 9:41 AM, Jed Rothwell <jedrothw...@gmail.com> wrote: > Russ George <russ.geo...@gmail.com> wrote: > > It seems the announcement of showing gravity waves are real is only of >> value to obscure academic discussions. Unless someone here might illuminate >> us about some practical derivatives that might be revealed due to the >> findings. >> > > You never know what might be practical. Einstein proposed stimulated > emission in 1917. This was not proved to exist for some time and it did not > result in anything useful until the discovery of the maser and later the > laser in 1960. The laser is one of the most useful devices ever invented, > but for many years it was called "a solution in search of a problem." > > When JJ Thompson discovered the electron and the cathode ray tube in 1897, > I recall one of the students said, "here's to the electron, long may it > remain useless!" It was an esoteric discovery at first. > > Radar was invented as part of an effort to measure the height of the > ionosphere. On the face of it, that was a purely academic question. > > - Jed > >
