XPost: comp.ai.philosophy   
   From: juhan@logicognosis.com   
      
   On Mon, 13 Sep 2004 23:50:11 -0700, JC wrote:   
   > bullmordt@yahoo.co.nz (G.K. Konnig) wrote in message news:<3ff   
   7a0d.0409130315.12cc07aa@posting.google.com>...   
   >> This is a shame, computers and robots are still dumber than blowflies.   
   >   
   > They have used cockroach-like walking in little   
   > robots for negotiating bumpy terrain.   
   >   
   >> Where are the terminators and HALs ?   
   >   
   > Most likely human like robot is a long way off.   
   >   
   >> I need a robot to mow my lawn, but no robot can do it.   
   >   
   > Yes they can. Do a google search.   
      
   I remember seeing a TV news bit years ago about a couple of big solar   
   powered robot lawn mowers used by either the FBI or CIA. The big giggle   
   was that they didn't want humans doing it (and peering in the windows?).   
   These looked like giant beetles covered with solar cells.   
      
   I don't remember how they recognized the boundaries of what they were   
   supposed to mow? Probably any random wandering over the lawn area would   
   work. Who cares if you mow the same spot again? as long as you don't   
   obviously miss any spots. Operationally, I don't think it is such a big   
   deal. What about those automated hockey puck robot vacuums? Same thing?   
      
   There was also a Canadian engineer in NB who built his own, and seemed to   
   be amazed that he actually got media interest tracking him down in his   
   backyard hammock, with his drink in his hand, while the mower mowed.   
      
   --   
   Juhan Leemet   
   Logicognosis, Inc.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)