Visit to the Ishiguro Robot Lab, is the Philip K. Dick future here?
Simon Laub
book, Early androids were detectable, because of their limited intelligence.
But then later on....
In connection with a Japan trip I found myself
standing in front of the ReplieeQ2 robot in the Ishiguro Laboratory in
saka -
It makes you wonder, if 'later on' has already started..?
Is ReplieeQ2 proof that Philip K. Dick was right about everything?
In e.g. The Electric Ant Dick gives us his vision:
- You're a successful man, Mr. Poole. But, Mr. Poole, you're not a man.
You're an electric ant.
- Christ, Poole said, stunned.
- So we can't really treat you here, now that we've found out. We knew, of
course,
as soon as we examined your injured right hand; we saw the electronic
components
and then we made torso x-rays and of course they bore out our hypothesis.
- What, Poole said, is an 'electric ant'? But he knew; he could decipher the
term.
A nurse said, An organic robot.
- I see, Poole said. Frigid perspiration rose to the surface of his skin,
across all his body.
- You didn't know, the doctor said.
- Your hand can be made at a reasonable expense, either to yourself, if
you're self-owned,
or to your owners, if such there are.
In any case you'll be back at your desk at Tri-Plan functioning just as
before.
- Except, Poole said, now I know. He wondered if Danceman or Sarah
or any of the others at the office knew.
...
I think I'll kill myself, he said to himself. But I'm probably programmed
not to do that;
it would be a costly waste which my owner would have to absorb. And he
wouldn't want to.
...
Scan me visually, he instructed the computer. And tell me where I will find
the
programming mechanism, which controls my thoughts and behavior.
The computer said, Remove your chest panel. Apply pressure at your
breastbone
and then ease outward.
He did so. A section of his chest came off; dizzily, he set it down on the
floor.
...
Two men bent over him, their hands full of tools. Maintenance men, he
realized.
They've been working on me.
One of the uniformed maintenance men said, - You've been playing around with
your reality tape.
------------
I have made a web page where you can see video and pics from our visit to
future land,
along with my thoughts on Philip K Dick science fiction and current robot
technology (Ishiguro).
Check it out at:
http://www.simonlaub.net/Robot/ishiguro/replieeQ2.html
or see a written account here:
http://www.simonlaub.net/Robot/ishiguro/ishiguro-en.pdf
FUT: rec.arts.sf.written
-Simon
byawhisker.wordpress.com