AstroBoy Online Forums

If such an advanced creation as Astro existed, do you really think it would be public knowledge? I honestly wouldn't be surprised to learn that we've developed AI, robotics and nano-technology to the point of where a humanoid robot could exist (perhaps not 100,000 HP and jet boots -- rather in terms of intellect, extreme enhanced sensory perception and physically "fitting in" as a human).

I base this suggestion on my own experience. As a child of about 5, I remember visiting IBM with my family (circa 1957) at a special open house. My father (an engineer who helped develop System 360) pointed around a room full of huge machines (a SINGLE computer) -- and said to us, "Someday everyone will have a computer in their home! They’ll be a lot smaller by then." And sure enough, it has come to pass.

So, if we could shrink a single computer from a room full of equipment to something the size of small notebook in a half century – don’t you think “Astro Boy class” robots might very well be around (just kept secret for reasons of security)?

"AprilSeven" wrote:So, if we could shrink a single computer from a room full of equipment to something the size of small notebook in a half century – don’t you think “Astro Boy class” robots might very well be around (just kept secret for reasons of security)?

I was an electronics technician until about 12 years ago; I witnessed the shrinking of the components, especially the INTEGRATED CIRCUITS (ICs) from large clunky and easy to handle things to smaller ones with leads or 'pins' (connectors) so small, I could not tell one from another. Moreover, at the beginning while there were many of these required for a given function, when I left the field, there were fewer but with more pins on each. This is LSI Vs. VLSI (Large Scale Integration Vs. Very Large Scale Integration) and I little doubt that things have become smaller still, in the past 12 years.

It is also very likely that other areas have progressed a similar amount, such as robot eyes, etc. But there will always be a fairly fixed requirement for energy to drive the robots' artificial muscles; I cannot imagine how they could get around this. So, even if all the other things were ready for a child-like robot whose AI was a fair simulation of a real kid's, he would likely need an extension cord.

hi- is it not true that personal computers in our homes now are comparable to those use for the apollo space flights? thanks

I've probably posted this before, but it's worth another look. This Japanese inventor has said that his career in robotics was inspired by Astro Boy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikgxTeUtGtQ&feature=fvsr

"jeffbert" wrote:It is also very likely that other areas have progressed a similar amount, such as robot eyes, etc. But there will always be a fairly fixed requirement for energy to drive the robots' artificial muscles; I cannot imagine how they could get around this. So, even if all the other things were ready for a child-like robot whose AI was a fair simulation of a real kid's, he would likely need an extension cord.

What about advances in energy generation, that, I imagine, would also be kept under wraps? I’m thinking along the lines of a very compact “Mr. Fusion” (remember in “Back to the Future” where they filled it full of garbage to create fuel?).

This kind of technology could be built right into the robot – who would eat, and generate it’s own power. My guess is we might not be able to create a child-size robot right now – but an adult? And I doubt it would have super-strength or self-propulsion. I think they’d be focusing on the viability of protective skin and strength of “bone” structure – as well as enhanced freedom of movement (being able to twist into a pretzel, etc.).

I’m prone to believe the AI would also be a point of focus, and somehow feel the brain wouldn’t be “electronic” as much as it would be a genetically modified/enhanced device created from actual human brain cells – but structured to operate at higher capacity/efficiency. Like the “mentats” from Frank Herbert’s “Dune” (another favorite of mine – the books not the movie).

And – as a closing thought – I serve on a board for a regional music organization loaded with present-day IBMers. Something is going on over there. Two guys (both with backgrounds in different disciplines of physics) are now working on the same “team.” They’re talking back and forth (and around the table) in typical IBM code-ese and are really jazzed about what ever “it” is. I’m hoping "it" might have something to do with eliminating the need for the extension cord.


LOOKY WHAT I FOUND on the General Discussion forum (below) -- it's spooky and it looks VERY HUMAN and Jeffbert found it! (wonder if it has that extension cord!) I'm tellin' ya -- Astro is OUT THERE!

"jeffbert" wrote:I receive daily Gizmag emails, & today, this was among the new high-tech items:
Get your own robotic doppelganger
http://www.gizmag.com/robotic-doppelganger/13622/?utm_source=Gizmag+Subscribers&utm_campaign=50d4d4bdbb-UA-2235360-4&utm_medium=email

"avatargirl" wrote:hi- is it not true that personal computers in our homes now are comparable to those use for the apollo space flights? thanks

No; but not 'no' in the way you might think! Your digital watch has more computing power than the computers used to navigate to and from the moon.

yah, them old nasa computers were nothing more then fancy caculaters

hi- how is that possible please Jeffbert? thanks

"avatargirl" wrote:hi- how is that possible please Jeffbert? thanks

How is what possible? That the personal computers are more powerful than the navigation computers used in the Apollo spacecraft? As I understand it, those navigation computers were sufficient for their purpose, and needed no more power than what they had.

Drastic innovations in the field of integrated circuits made possible to embedded in a single ship what previously needed a complete room. And because it is smaller, it is also faster (electrons get quicker at their destinations). So it is no surprise that a watch constructed today has more computational power than the tons of metal that served as computers aboard Appollo flights.