Laws@SRI-AI.ARPA (08/03/84)
From: Ken Laws <Laws@SRI-AI.ARPA>
The following challenge appears in the Forum column of the August issue
of IEEE Spectrum:
The Canine Computer
Having seen the June issue, I would like to raise a question about the
ability of roboticists to fuse technology with canine capabilities,
let alone human ones. I hereby challenge the world's robot experts to
duplicate electronically the performance of my little dog, who is able
to catch morsels of raisin buns that I toss to him occasionally as he
sits patiently and expectantly beside the table.
His performance is spectacular. He is able to calculate the parabolic
trajectory of the morsel, regardless of its height or direction, and
catch it in his mouth, often in the split second before it has reached
its apogee. He can do this at all levels---from a crouch to catch low-
flying morsels, to a jump to catch high ones. His accuracy is
astounding, showing that his internal computer can calculate a parabolic
course and give complete and elaborate instructions to his nervous
system, including the opening and closing of his mouth at the right
microsecond. About 5 percent of the time the morsel hits the tip of
his nose and bounces off in a random direction. This event is followed
by a lightening retrieval from the floor where it lands. (On one
occasion he was able to catch a morsel on a second try after it had
bounced off his nose.)
My dog weighs 37 pounds. Can anyone build a robot that can equal this
dog's operation while on a smooth linoleum tile floor and in an
illumination of about 15 footcandles? Can it be done without the
37-pound restriction?
I offer no prize for this accomplishment. Perhaps some wealthy
philanthropic roboticist would like to step forward. Until electronic
technology can equal the computer in the brain of a little dog its
very honor is at stake.
William B. Elmer
Thornton, N.H.
The IEEE Spectrum editors then mention that John Billingsly is
organizing a contest for Ping-Pong playing robots, to be held at the
Computer Fair in London in 1985. Dr. Billingsly's address is:
Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Portsmouth Polytechnic,
Anglesea Road, Portsmouth, England. The International Personal
Robot Congress and Exposition will hold the U.S. trials for a 1986
Ping-Pong contest during the March 1985 meeting: contact IPRC, 777
Locust St., Denver, Colorado 80220.
This same issue contains a favorable book review of Ayres and Miller's
Robotics: Applications and Social Implications.
-- Ken Lawsmihran@uicsl.UUCP (08/08/84)
#R:sri-arpa:-72800:uicsl:12300002:000:561 uicsl!mihran Aug 7 20:20:00 1984 Forget about the dogs. Even an ant is quite sophisticated compared to the capabilities we want the robots to have, at least in the near future. I was watching one of these nature shows on PBS the other day which was showing the behaviour of the ants underground. I would guess that if the technology develops to the level of sophistication that allows us to implement the sensory-motor coordination that these ants have, our robots will probably be more than adequate to perform with great skill the necessary tasks at an assembly line or at a dangerous mine.
daryoush@sdcsvax.UUCP (Daryoush Morshedian) (10/12/84)
How much about each of the following do prominent figures in the
robotics industry know:
1) Manufacturing Engineering
2) Mechanical Engineering
3) AI
4) Robotics!
--id
P.S. I am not talking about people who specialize in one
certain aspect of this industry