4 ms·

Before any of this can happen key technologies need to experience massive evolutionary improvements: Computers: 10x computing power 1/10

Before any of this can happen key technologies need to experience massive evolutionary improvements: Computers: 10x computing power 1/10 the volume (think: fits in the robot's head) 1/10 the power consumption of a desktop computer 10x reduction in failure modes (can remain operational with some damage) Power: 2x to 10x the energy storage 1/2 to 1/10 the volume Less weight Electric vehicle market will help here! Actuators: 10x improvement in power-to-weight ratio 10x to 100x reduction in cost 10x to 100x reduction in weight 10x reduction in fragility (think: still works after impact from a fall) Moldability (think of the shape of every muscle in your body) There's more, of course, starting with software, languages, tools, etc.

JoeAltmaier 11y ago
Lots of numbers there. Compute power: I've heard for years that we're always just 10X away from useful AI. Any evidence its finally true? Why not cloud compute and have your bot just communicate, which means we have enough compute power in an Atom right now?
- zardo 11y ago
  For all we know, we've had the compute power for years, and we just need to find the algorithm. I doubt it, but we don't have a solid mathematical basis for what intelligence is. It isn't just a matter of building faster computers, we need the theory too.
gene-h 11y ago
I disagree on a couple points about actuators. First off brushless electric motors have pretty amazing power to weight ratios, problem is that they have really low torque to weight ratios. We don't need moldability if we take what we learned from electrical engineering and standardize everything. Cost is a huge issue though, but if we standardize and mass produce them then the problem could be solved. Series elastic actuators have solved some of the fragility problem.
- rebootthesystem 11y ago
  I am talking about the finished actuato rather than just the motor. This includes actuator electromics. Think of all the muscles required to operate a human arm, fromthe shoulder to the fingertip, again, including the electronics to drive them. And then build that into a robot. And then have that robot do gymnastics, MMA, compete in the American Ninja course, jog, trip and fall, in general, deal with, survive and adapt to impact and minor damage. In the context of actuators, not motors, we have a ways to go. It's not hopeless, of course, but we have to admit that the biological muscle is a really awesome machine. Series-elastic actuators don't really deal with fragilityy as much as they provide energy storage along one axis. Think of punching a boxing bag or tripping and falling. The actuators we use today are susceptible to damage from relatively minor impact from any direction outise of where they have compliance built in. I can punch you in the biceps and will not break it.

JoeAltmaier 11y ago

Lots of numbers there. Compute power: I've heard for years that we're always just 10X away from useful AI. Any evidence its finally true? Why not cloud compute and have your bot just communicate, which means we have enough compute power in an Atom right now?

zardo 11y ago
For all we know, we've had the compute power for years, and we just need to find the algorithm. I doubt it, but we don't have a solid mathematical basis for what intelligence is. It isn't just a matter of building faster computers, we need the theory too.

gene-h 11y ago

I disagree on a couple points about actuators. First off brushless electric motors have pretty amazing power to weight ratios, problem is that they have really low torque to weight ratios. We don't need moldability if we take what we learned from electrical engineering and standardize everything. Cost is a huge issue though, but if we standardize and mass produce them then the problem could be solved. Series elastic actuators have solved some of the fragility problem.

rebootthesystem 11y ago
I am talking about the finished actuato rather than just the motor. This includes actuator electromics. Think of all the muscles required to operate a human arm, fromthe shoulder to the fingertip, again, including the electronics to drive them. And then build that into a robot. And then have that robot do gymnastics, MMA, compete in the American Ninja course, jog, trip and fall, in general, deal with, survive and adapt to impact and minor damage. In the context of actuators, not motors, we have a ways to go. It's not hopeless, of course, but we have to admit that the biological muscle is a really awesome machine. Series-elastic actuators don't really deal with fragilityy as much as they provide energy storage along one axis. Think of punching a boxing bag or tripping and falling. The actuators we use today are susceptible to damage from relatively minor impact from any direction outise of where they have compliance built in. I can punch you in the biceps and will not break it.