Comments on: Future Science: the Lazy Man’s Snow Shovel

By: Teramis

Teramis — Wed, 19 May 2010 17:12:16 +0000

"then a few decades after that we can have SkyNet!"

Ha. That made me laugh out loud.

By: Bruce

Bruce — Wed, 19 May 2010 16:18:43 +0000

Now, I have to laugh at that. The lawn-mower Roomba received so little attention I had no idea such a thing existed!

I think in re the problems dealing with slopes and other things that are combos of judgment calls + reflex adjustments for humans, we probably won’t see significant inroads until we start using neural networks in small-scale AI type devices.

Gee, then a few decades after that we can have SkyNet… (!)

By: Teramis

Teramis — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:11:07 +0000

ooo, the 3 greatest discoveries in science in the last 50 years? That’s a good question.

My short list right now is, biotechnology, satellite-based telecommunications, and the internet, because all of those have been so incredibly transformative for society and the world as a whole. But depending what criteria I use, other lists come to mind as well. I need to blog about that. This would be a great conversation starter.

grabbit, a rabbit who can´t keep her paws from touching everything!

That cracks me up, grabbit.

A drive-by rabbit visit to the Lizard Lair.
Gotta love it.

Roar.

By: Tina Estrada

Tina Estrada — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:57:12 +0000

Dino,
Future Science news from the past is great!
What do you think are the 3 greatest discoveries in science of the past 50 years? For me it´s WWW, microwave (popcorn fast!) and airplane travel (I wanna be there Now!!).
I don´t miss the snow at all, but it sure was pretty to look at everything white.
till later,
grabbit, a rabbit who can´t keep her paws from touching everything!

By: Teramis

Teramis — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:13:41 +0000

Now, I have to laugh at that. The lawn-mower Roomba received so little attention I had no idea such a thing existed!

Gee, then a few decades after that we can have SkyNet… (!)

By: Bill

Bill — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:29:52 +0000

Considering how little attention the robotic lawn mower versions of the Roomba have gotten, I don’t think we’re going to see a Roomba-like snow blower any time soon.

The technological problem appears to be a matter of flatness. While room floors are truly flat, lawns are not. Thus the robotic lawnmowers have had lots of problems with slopes that a person pushing a lawnmower learns to deal with quite easily. I think a robotic snow blower will have the same difficulties, compounded by the problems inherent to snow.