everything

Today I saw the new place of the department where I write my "Studienarbeit". The building is former children' clinic, pretty dark but somehow cosy despite of the ghosty atmosphere. I met there Dominik, who returned from a robotics conference in Japan few days ago. We chatted a little and this gave me the idea to make a list with the cutest robots, which won't be a simple task, because I don't know where to put the border. I mean, should I include also bots without any trace of intellect, or better choosing among the most advanced ones. However:

1st place: QRIO (Sony)

He's not only cute, but also clever. He can communicate with people, play football, but most importantly - he can learn. Unfortunately, this pleasure costs more than 50000$ (not exactly sure about the price).


2nd place: ApriPoko (Toshiba)

:) sweet: robot which is also universal remote control. He has camera and responds to a voice commands.


3rd place: PLEN (Systec Akazawa)

The unique thing for PLEN is his ability to balance very well when skating. Not simply task at all. And his price is also acceptable - around 2000$.


4th place: PaPeRo (NEC)

This babies can sing, send sms, talk with people and lots of other things. They are specially developed to watch over children. Wow. :) But the intelligence has its price...


5th place: Nuvo (ZMP)

Another home friend. He isn't an AI, but at least he can respond to some voice commands. Price: ~7000$.



And, btw, I also met Edy today. She is an african princess and owns the largest smile ever.

Unfortunately, Emilian wasn't there. He is no more with us. He must be sitting somewhere in Seattle working hardly for our enemy and not regretting for anything. Especially because he must have a new strawberry shaker and a huge sea window view. I miss him.. We used to play hacky sack. He has a very big heart, even bigger than Eddie's smile (if the both things are comparable).

After a hard emotional disaster, which left me disabled for the rest of my life, I'm again on my way. But one personal note: what doesn't kill you, doesn't make you stronger either.

machinery

Back from a seminar in France. I didn't want to write a word for this event, but will, because I was (and still am) amazed from the direction of one of the workshops, namely "humanoid robots".

I remember when i said to Monika, that I love my Mac (not just like, but love) and talk to him. She was very upset, because she could fast and easy imagine the old ever repeated ugly movie scenario, how machines are taking over the world and control the human race. I laughed, because it was funny and naive, but somehow the workshop discussion went in the same direction and it wasn't funny anymore. Because I saw people with 30 (maybe more) years of experience in science and technics, which shown the same strange fear of "conscious" robots. Couldn't believe it! Noooo way!

firstly: If we want to play Gods, then we have to be ready for eventual failure.

secondly: If we succeed, then it is a clear sign - the next stage of evolution has come. And in fact, all the knowledge we have worked for won't be lost, it'll continue living in another embodiment.

thirdly: We are pretty lonely creatures. The idea of feeling sympathy to an object without soul sounds perfect. It is solution. I don't say, that the computer-friend would substitute the human-human relationships, when they are present, but only when such lack.

fourth: Creating with our own tools a form of consciousness able to self organize is amazing achievement. I can't think of price, which is too high for not to be payed! We should afford it, because if the answer of the old stupid question about the meaning of life is self reproduction, then why the hell we try to develop all these fancy things? And if is not, then finding the secret of our own brain function seems to be a good candidate. The unique chance to solve the old puzzle stands in front of us, and discussing the morality of what we are trying to achieve should not be a stop sign. Call it another kind of moral, if necessary.

fifth and final: Lets not forget after all, that the discussed scenario has a very low probability. It won't happen if our job is well-done. Another topic is how strong we actually believe in ourselves?