[extropy-chat] Insect AI (was Wetware vs. Hardware)

[Mike Lorrey]

--- Adrian Tymes <wingcat at pacbell.net> wrote:

> --- Max M <maxm at mail.tele.dk> wrote:
> > But the major problem is not really the hardware. Even if we had it
> > today, we would not know what to do with it. As far as I know, not
> > even an insect has been modelled in a usefull way.
> > 
> > Otherwise my house would be filled with robots with insect
> > intelligence for cleaning, and my garden would be minded by another
> > bunch of them.
> 
> Actually, insects are being modelled today, although mainly for use
> as toys and experiments.  See, for example,
> http://www.jcminventures.com/Cybugs/cybug_~2.htm
> 
> I wonder whether it could be done, to have insect-bots programmed to
> wander one's lawn (using sensors on the feet: if they exit a
> grass-covered area, turn around immediately) and cut anything that's
> not too big and hard (like a sprinkler head, a tot's or pet's limb,

There was a mower-bot design in Popular Mechanics or Popular Science in
the early 90's which used a weed whacker head powered by an electric
moter, guided by off the shelf parts: pc board, leds and photosensors,
etc. which could find the edge of a lawn, mow along it and follow the
edge of its own previous path to mow the lawn in a conventional spiral
or back and forth pattern, avoiding obstacles, etc.

Mike Lorrey
Vice-Chair, 2nd District, Libertarian Party of NH
"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom.
It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves."
                                      -William Pitt (1759-1806) 
Blog: http://intlib.blogspot.com

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com