Hal the dog
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
In the film "2001 a Space Odyssey" the most intriguing character is Hal 9000, the computer.Hal is also the most articulate of the group not to mention the most active.Alas, he had to be shut off.In the real world today we have our genius chess player Kasparov playing the IBM Blue computer.Kasparov lost.And what did the reporters on the network news say when he lost ? Things like "the computer won the game but Kasparov showed the emotion.That is why he's supeior.IBM's Big Blue didn't kick the furniture and go into a hissy fit.Computers can't do that.I mean, there's no Mr.Data."I beg to differ.Mr. Data is on the way.I worked a convention on artificial intelligence or "AI" a few years ago and was struck by what I learned.MIT is working toward Mr. Data along with several other groups.Back in 1996 the different projects were not unified.One scientist in Japan was working with a program that displayed a baby on a tv monitor.The baby would respond to those who came up to the monitor and depending on what they did it would either cry or laugh or coo.It would throw a temper tantrum and toss its rattle when irritated.This was a "cute and lovable" program.Another group was working a computer that would learn and work conversationally with those who used its keyboard.John would sit down to the computer and then leave to replaced by Fred.When Fred sat down to the keyboard, the computer then asked Fred where John went.A different group altogether had an interactive dog that could fetch a virtual stick, play ball and fall asleep when not stimulated.All of these programs had some aspect of AI going for them.But as I said, they were not unified.Welcome to the new millenium and AIBO the dog.AIBO is Sony's answer to the robot pet.This dog wags a metallic tail and generally performs doglike tricks.The various programs integrate the disparate elements of intelligence these older aforementioned projects displayed.The ramifications of this seemingly simple program are staggering.
