From: Max M (maxmcorp@worldonline.dk)
Date: Sun Nov 05 2000 - 04:41:26 MST
From: Doug Jones
>Heh. Yeah, some of his ideas are okay, but old hat- of *course*, if you
>have fractal robots (the basic idea dating back to Hans Moravec's
>"christmas bush" concept) you can do very fine grain mechanical labor.
>As I see it, JM has overall negative value, by adding no useful new
>creative concepts with a huge ration of bogosity.
Lately I havn't been able to stop thinking about microrobotics being an idea
for the ultimate >H business. Great fun, practical and very educational.
Something like Lego Mindstorm but with a more practical approach.
Small components than can be easily assembled. A common mechanical end
electrical interface would be a must.
Together with a freely available 3D modeller/simulator where you can use
alle the building blocks to simulate a robot, then press the "order" button
and have all the components delivered it could really change how people
would view robotics, distributed intelligence and nanotechnology.
Somebody could even start their own business by developing a robot in
software, buy a single version, test it, and if OK design a robot assembly
line to assemble that kind of robot to sell in preassembled versions. Like
fruit pickers, hoover bots, surveillance bots etc.
If there is enough use for small robots it could have as big an impact as
the PC industry has had.
Even the software to run it could be emulated on the desktop. I can just
imagine:
"Are you now playing with that computer again?"
"But I am building an automated robotic floor-sweeper so we never have to
vacum again"
"ehh... Ok"
To bad it would be a very costly afair to start such a company. Developing
specifications and software.
Max M. W. Rasmussen, Denmark. New Media Director
private: maxmcorp@worldonline.dk work: maxm@normik.dk
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Specialization is for insects. - Robert A. Heinlein
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