Friday, May 11, 2007

THOSE DALEKS ARE IRRESISTABLE



While attempting to duck under the porn/cheesecake issue, it would seem that, in real life, human/robot love is on the rise (so to speak.) Valerie points out a fascinating tale recounted by Clive Thompson on Collision Detection (read the whole thing.)


At the Yuma Test Grounds in Arizona, the autonomous robot, 5 feet long and modeled on a stick-insect, strutted out for a live-fire test and worked beautifully, he says. Every time it found a mine, blew it up and lost a limb, it picked itself up and readjusted to move forward on its remaining legs, continuing to clear a path through the minefield. Finally it was down to one leg. Still, it pulled itself forward. Tilden was ecstatic. The machine was working splendidly. The human in command of the exercise, however -- an Army colonel -- blew a fuse. The colonel ordered the test stopped. “Why?” asked Tilden. “What's wrong?” The colonel just could not stand the pathos of watching the burned, scarred and crippled machine drag itself forward on its last leg. “This test,” he charged, “was inhumane.”


CRYPTIQUEDon’t ask, don’t tell, Will Robinson.

The secret word is Anthropomorphic

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Officers in love with their robots commanding GIs fighting the suicide bombers ofr The Prophet? Why does so much shit sound like one of your fucking books, Farren?

Anonymous said...

It's safe and easy to extend sympathy to something that makes no demands on you.

There's a good chance the Colonel wouldn't have found it as difficult to send a real soldier out to get maimed (to wit, Iraq).

Anonymous said...

See what happens when you encourage bots?
They come to your blog and advertise...

--Even Bots have names now :P

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