Newsgroups: comp.robotics
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From: simonpe@aisb.ed.ac.uk (Simon Perkins)
Subject: Re: more moan Foresight moan Institute moan
Message-ID: <D83spq.C98@aisb.ed.ac.uk>
Sender: news@aisb.ed.ac.uk (Network News Administrator)
Reply-To: Simon.Perkins@ed.ac.uk
Organization: Dept of AI, University of Edinburgh, Scotland
References:  <799637003snz@stellar.demon.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 5 May 1995 11:46:37 GMT
Lines: 59

# [Joseph `Stellar' Michael writes:]
#
# I've just asked the Foresight Institute if I can give a short
# presentation to anyone who might be willing to listen to the
# ideas behind the shape changing robots. These nano technology
# compatible fractal robots with self repair capability built in,
# self assembly & operator control at all scales is going to wipe
# out nano technology research as we know it today and replace
# it with something far cheaper and on a timescale that is far
# shorter than anyone could ever have imagined. To my complete
# shock, I have been told very much to get lost by the
# Foresight Institute!


Dear Michael,

As a regular reader of your frequently hilarious column, I too am
shocked by the lack of insight displayed by this so-called `Foresight
Institute'.

Everyone who reads your postings, must surely by now be aware that you
have single-handedly managed to solve every major problem in robotics
in a single masterstroke. And while there are a few larger issues I
still seem to be a bit unclear on, your attention to the most minor of
details is quite remarkable. I for one, await with considerable
anticipation your announcement of what colour your robots will be!

Who could fail to be struck by the simplicity and elegance of your
animations (I've shown them to all my colleagues) which show `cubies'
effortlessly clambering over each other without the need for power
sources, control, communications etc. (things which other researchers
still mistakenly believe are necessary).

It is quite clear to me that in fact nobody in robotics research
for the last forty odd years has done anything remotely interesting
compared to your own contributions - this is made quite plain in your
postings. The others certainly lack your unparalleled imagination!

It all now seems so simple - a robot that is highly intelligent,
completely self-regenerating, virtually indestructible, immensely
strong, incredibly flexible, remarkably cheap, and easily constructed
from recycled Rubik's cubes. Why didn't anyone think of it before?

Of course there will always be those who question your ability to
carry these startling ideas from paper into practice (there is of
course, in my mind, no doubt), but let me suggest that these
unworthies be the first to be rounded up by the new breed of Fractal
Cubie(tm) robots and forced to apologise publicly on USENET. That
should teach them.


All my regards,

-- 
<< Simon Perkins >>          Dept of AI, Edinburgh University
                             S.Perkins@ed.ac.uk
                             http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/students/simonpe/
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