Slashdot Mirror
Denver Couple Unveils Homemade Service Robot
An anonymous reader writes "Jim & Louise Gunderson, owners of a Denver-based computer software tool development company, have finally unveiled their autonomous robot, Basil. Basil is completely home built, runs Linux with some instructions in Java, uses a sonar-based 'reification' logic system, and can go get you a beer or a pot of tea. Quoting: 'The plan is this: The Gundersons will ask Basil to go to the bar, request a couple of stouts from the bartender, and then, once they're placed on the titanium tray perched on his head, bring them back to his creators. They haven't told him how to do this — there's no set script in his processors that tells him to roll a certain distance southwest, speak a certain command, then come back. He'll have to figure it all out on his own, using a basic knowledge of bars and beers and so on, reasoning skills and an ability to understand certain parts of the world. When his sonars capture the image of a person, for example, he knows it's a person, not just a nameless object to be avoided. And he knows that, in this case, that person wants a beer.'"
Don't let that bowtie fool you. I know a Dalek when I see one.
Beer? Great! But what is beer without titties?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwb1s1DYnDU
Where's the Kaboom?
There's supposed to be an Earth-shattering Kaboom.
Any UBC EEs from 83/84 will remember our robot, also called Basil, because it was somewhat faulty (Fawlty).
"...runs Linux with some instructions in Java..."
Uh-oh, they used the J-word. Wait until the Slashdot Religious Order gets their hands on them.
It's simple: I demand prosecution for torture.
welcome my beer. Thanks, robot underling.
Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
He'll have to figure it all out on his own, using a basic knowledge of bars and beers and so on, reasoning skills and an ability to understand certain parts of the world.
This strategy seemed to work very well for George W. Bush.
Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
Unless it can swim to Europe Hows it going to obey a command to fetch a REAL beer?
THIS is the kind of robot we need! I mean, I had a girlfriend who wouldn't get me a beer and wouldn't have sex, and who started nagging pretty much as soon as the sun came up, so the machine is already ahead on points.
I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
I hope it isn't fawlty...
Go east, to a place called Klamath. K-l-a-m-a-t-h. Find Vic. V-i-c. Ask for beer. B-e-e-r. *sigh* You are the chosen one. Find the beer. Be our salvation.
That's a simple algorithm:
if (object == person)
wants_beer = 1;
Sure there is going to be some margin of error in that algorithm, but it's going to be right most of the time.
Wouldn't it be more like "sudo get me a beer"?