Hello
Here I am back from data hell, computer frozen and no access to my precious files. One day I will tell the tale of the twenty three DVDs and nineteen waking hours of blood sweat and tears and a dictionary of curse words.
In my life not a single day goes by when my mind does not think about robots. I got robot fever a while ago and if there was a cure I would not take it. I think about robots and philosophy, robots and business, robots and medicine. I could go on but by now you get the picture. I have found that thinking about the very technical details required to build robots the most fun. For it is in the building of robots that we build ourselves.
As I look at my calender I see that the year 2009 is past the halfway mark. Soon it will be the year 2012. I seem to recall that the Mayan calender ended in the latter part of 2012. Does this mean we have less than three years to build our robots.
Technology has been our most obedient servant. It has improved the lives of millions of human beings. Surely there are problems that are threatening to overwhelm us, but I feel by the proper use of our technology we can avoid catastrophe.
We have created new technologies and tools to fight back the dark ages and live in an enlightened world. In this century we are at a threshold that promises to overshadow a lot of what has occurred.
We are on the verge of creating tools with intelligence. These robots are going to help us continue to thrive as a species. How we treat our brain children as Hans Moravec and Daniel Dennett have named our robots will tell a great deal if we have matured.
Surely we will not condemn these products of wonder to be regulated to do demeaning chores. Granted unless we make robots do something we will not be able to sell them and make the billions dreamt about by some of those who cannot raise their eyes beyond the bottom, line.
If we narrow the applications of these robots we are limiting their potential. The future is still not that clear. However if the predictions about 2012 are accurate we do not have a lot of time. If we disappear, our legacy will have to carry on. I would like to be remembered well by my technological progeny.
We will continue well beyond 2012. Regardless of the problems we have , we will struggle through them. It may simply take an adjustment of our mind set. Possibly we will see our robots in a new light.
Take care,
Pius
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
Androids and Bots
I have several Google alerts to keep me up to date , if that is at all possible. One was titled 'android'. The next day after I had set this one up I awoke and ran, alright, walked to my computer to see what this alert would bring. I anticipated wonderful new ideas , articles about androids, the robots made to look more or less human. Well some company has gotten hold of this term to mean something quite different. From the files I deleted I gleamed it had something to do with the modern technological curse, the cell phone.
Another annoyance was the phrase ' bot attack' Now if I am not mistaken is not the first word derived from the word ' robot ' . Now what does this mean?? Are they the programs written by those vile crackers who prowl the internet and try to infect other computers and rip off legitimate users.
Can we not think up a new word or reach into the past and liberate an obscure phrase or two. Of course this would take a little effort. I guess it is just easier to use the words already there, doing the job they were supposed to do. Sure the new meanings sound very high tech, but to do this is so low brow.
As our society and technology progresses new things will be created and it is my hope that newer and brighter words are given them. Since we only have language to express ourselves it is vital we keep it alive and robust. Centuries from now our children's children will judge us on what we have accomplished and also on what we have written.
Take care
Pius
Another annoyance was the phrase ' bot attack' Now if I am not mistaken is not the first word derived from the word ' robot ' . Now what does this mean?? Are they the programs written by those vile crackers who prowl the internet and try to infect other computers and rip off legitimate users.
Can we not think up a new word or reach into the past and liberate an obscure phrase or two. Of course this would take a little effort. I guess it is just easier to use the words already there, doing the job they were supposed to do. Sure the new meanings sound very high tech, but to do this is so low brow.
As our society and technology progresses new things will be created and it is my hope that newer and brighter words are given them. Since we only have language to express ourselves it is vital we keep it alive and robust. Centuries from now our children's children will judge us on what we have accomplished and also on what we have written.
Take care
Pius
Friday, July 3, 2009
So nice to see you
Hello
Actually I am not really looking at you, but I do have your picture for now. Something as common as sight is often taken for granted by us humans who enjoy it.
To build a robot that does what we do from day to day is very hard .To have a robot go several feet and stop is not an easy task to accomplish. It takes months of building and programming. I usually build things from scratch and I program in machine language. To debug the hardware and software is time consuming.
To see is another task that is difficult to implement in our robots . For in us the eye is the organ of sight, but the brain does the actual seeing. So we may fit our machines with cameras but if we fail to provide with a simple type brain it is essentially blind. We use all our senses together in the symphony of life. However to write that song for robots is still in the future.
So each and everyone of us is truly a complex creature doing amazing things. I realized this when I tried to emulate the most basic of functions into a robot. With this insight please remember to treat yourself and others just a tad better.
Take care
Pius
Actually I am not really looking at you, but I do have your picture for now. Something as common as sight is often taken for granted by us humans who enjoy it.
To build a robot that does what we do from day to day is very hard .To have a robot go several feet and stop is not an easy task to accomplish. It takes months of building and programming. I usually build things from scratch and I program in machine language. To debug the hardware and software is time consuming.
To see is another task that is difficult to implement in our robots . For in us the eye is the organ of sight, but the brain does the actual seeing. So we may fit our machines with cameras but if we fail to provide with a simple type brain it is essentially blind. We use all our senses together in the symphony of life. However to write that song for robots is still in the future.
So each and everyone of us is truly a complex creature doing amazing things. I realized this when I tried to emulate the most basic of functions into a robot. With this insight please remember to treat yourself and others just a tad better.
Take care
Pius
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Welcome
To those who will join this site I have a habit of entering a suitable title and enter. This means that my post is awfully short. However I am learning to get back and enter at least a few words.
Steve Grand was kind enough to let me humbly take over some if not all the members at Grandoids. I actually mean if they are willing to take a look at this site. I just set up this blog as a place to talk out loud, or should I say type out loud my ideas, thoughts , work, research in , on or about robots.
I am learning to add a few bells and whistles but for the time being it is pretty simple and till I get my legs, so to speak it will stay that way. Now that does not mean that there will not be engaging and witty blogs. Yes I am expecting a few comments from others. Also I feel the art of robot building is a serious and challenging one. However as you can probably tel by my style of writing I attempt to keep it light and funny and most of all fun.
I have found that most things in life give back what a person puts in. Robotics is the only thing other than my family that gives back more than I invest.
By the way the name of this blog is a play on words from Star Trek IV. After the crew had built that giant tank and brought the whales on board Scotty said happily " There be whales here !!"
I always liked that phrase and when I organized my first library, lab in a room I printed my rendition of it and placed on the door.
Now I wait to see what will occur, regardless I will be posting hopefully on a daily basis.
Again welcome
Take Care
Pius
Steve Grand was kind enough to let me humbly take over some if not all the members at Grandoids. I actually mean if they are willing to take a look at this site. I just set up this blog as a place to talk out loud, or should I say type out loud my ideas, thoughts , work, research in , on or about robots.
I am learning to add a few bells and whistles but for the time being it is pretty simple and till I get my legs, so to speak it will stay that way. Now that does not mean that there will not be engaging and witty blogs. Yes I am expecting a few comments from others. Also I feel the art of robot building is a serious and challenging one. However as you can probably tel by my style of writing I attempt to keep it light and funny and most of all fun.
I have found that most things in life give back what a person puts in. Robotics is the only thing other than my family that gives back more than I invest.
By the way the name of this blog is a play on words from Star Trek IV. After the crew had built that giant tank and brought the whales on board Scotty said happily " There be whales here !!"
I always liked that phrase and when I organized my first library, lab in a room I printed my rendition of it and placed on the door.
Now I wait to see what will occur, regardless I will be posting hopefully on a daily basis.
Again welcome
Take Care
Pius
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
What only three
I just hit the enter button and this was going to be a short blog, just like the first one. Well I recovered it in time and this is going to be a bit long winded.
One motto I have had for a number of decades has been, if it is not broken do not fix it. As I pass through this world I sense that there are a lot of things broken and we are as a species coming to a crossroad. We need help if we are to survive.
I know that robots and the proper application of the robotic arts will ensure our future and we will thrive. For this very reason I have had a passion for robots for many , many years. I cannot get enough of them.
This blog is one of the ways I hope to make sure that the word goes out that it is not too late, we can change our world for the better.
I intend to make it work.
One motto I have had for a number of decades has been, if it is not broken do not fix it. As I pass through this world I sense that there are a lot of things broken and we are as a species coming to a crossroad. We need help if we are to survive.
I know that robots and the proper application of the robotic arts will ensure our future and we will thrive. For this very reason I have had a passion for robots for many , many years. I cannot get enough of them.
This blog is one of the ways I hope to make sure that the word goes out that it is not too late, we can change our world for the better.
I intend to make it work.
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