(no subject)

[camrogers]

I think James Cameron called these things Hunter-Killers.

Still, once your robot blows someone's legs off... sell them robot legs.*

Whee.

God, we are so fucked sometimes.

My only hope is that with the rise of the Chinese as the major world power we'll see at least a little decline in world conflict. They don't seem like a war economy.



*AFAIK these are the products of two separate companies, but you just know that at some point a landmine manufacturer is going to get into prosthetics. Isn't Motorola the world's biggest landmine maker?

Comments

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

but you just know that at some point a landmine manufacturer is going to get into prosthetics

Vertical marketing they call it...

[damien-wise.livejournal.com]

"We can dominate this naturally-occurring silo."
Nope, not an insidious, self-perpetuating business-model at all. :-P

Seriously, though, they're unrelated so I'll stop with the jokes about "synergies".
They're both clever designs catering to a specific purpose. Part of me really admires the ingenuity it takes to think-up such machines, build and test them. But, despite arguments that one of them is saving lives by removing human occupants, I have some serous moral hangups.

WRT the legs, they're nice but there's a couple of more innovative approaches. One uses implanted nerve-sensors to get signals from now-redundant nerves. Eg: if you lose an arm but the nerve-fibres terminating at your shoulder still work, they can now make use of 'em.
Another possibility I'd like to see explored would use non-implant brain-sensors. As with all the best new tech these days, the "serious" research has chimps doing one or two things and but the "fun" stuff allows humans to play console games. In 20 years' time, your prosthetic legs will be powered by a Sony PS7.

[patchworkkid.livejournal.com]

In 20 years' time, your prosthetic legs will be powered by a Sony PS7.

Which will save on the legs' battery life as the operator will rarely be using them. :P

Still though, I find this all really interesting. Can't wait to see where we are in five years.

[greylock.livejournal.com]

Didn't a guy have his leg's nervous system rebuilt or something this week using stem cells or something similarly futuristic, so he could walk again?

My only hope is that with the rise of the Chinese as the major world power we'll see at least a little decline in world conflict. They don't seem like a war economy.

No. But being so centralised they can switch to a war economy easier than most. And (the Central Government at least) is pretty dismissive of non-Han Chinese types. And, in business negotiations, their word is about as solid as water until they actually sign on the dotted line. And they like occupying other countries and destroying the local culture.

[patchworkkid.livejournal.com]

RE stem cell thingy: no idea.

RE China: wah. Also illustrates why someone needs to rein in Google.

[greylock.livejournal.com]

Tada!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/6810546/MS-sufferer-walks-after-stem-cell-treatment.html

RE China: wah. Also illustrates why someone needs to rein in Google.

I suppose that's true. The issue of the ubiquity of google on diversity is potentially crushing. On the other hand, I'm optimistic.

[belegdel.livejournal.com]

My only hope is that with the rise of the Chinese as the major world power we'll see at least a little decline in world conflict.

A curious case of wishful thinking, I fear. Tibet?
China is certainly capable of warlike behaviour and I believe a rise in power would encourage further such behaviour. They're not committed to human rights nor averse to risking global condemnation.
I find the idea of China as a rising power unsettling. Not least because of what the US will risk in response.

[viscera.livejournal.com]

This.

[patchworkkid.livejournal.com]

Well, I hear China recently bailed out the US to the tune of god-knows-how-many trillions in the wake of the GFC. And in the midst of all their other international conflicts, ebbing morale, empty bank accounts and flagging international standing I can't see them mounting a land-war-in-Asia scenario anytime soon, especially against the world's most populous nation.

[greylock.livejournal.com]

I couldn't see the US electing to fight a land war on two fronts, or actually losing badly, and yet.... here we are.

[patchworkkid.livejournal.com]

Which means a third, and much larger blunder, is far less likely. Especially with the current President.

[viscera.livejournal.com]

My concern is not about the US reaction. Historically speaking, China was/is an aggressively warlike culture and i'm just not convinced that world conflict would decline in any way, or that somehow things would be better politically. This doesn't just go for China or the US, no matter who's on top, there's always a downside. As it were.

[patchworkkid.livejournal.com]

A few years ago a friend of mine worked for defence in infocrunching, and at the time they believed China wouldn't be aggressive as (from memory) they had disdain for cultures outside their own and no demonstrated interest in aggressive expansion. I guess I'm clinging to that.

[belegdel.livejournal.com]

ebbing morale, empty bank accounts and flagging international standing

Whereas, I see these as warning signs for a country that's in need of a surge in national pride, up against a wall financially and not particularly afraid of what the rest of the world thinks. I don't want to Godwin myself, but that calls post WW1 Germany to mind.

Don't China still tacitly support North Korea?

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see China stand tall and show the world how peace can be the way. I just don't see it happening.
Our best chance is a renewed Cold War that defuses much as the previous one did, hopefully with less loss of life along the way.

[patchworkkid.livejournal.com]

Whereas, I see these as warning signs for a country that's in need of a surge in national pride, up against a wall financially and not particularly afraid of what the rest of the world thinks. I don't want to Godwin myself, but that calls post WW1 Germany to mind.

Except national pride is being questioned by a large segment of the populace, being up against the wall has people looking to their own interests rather than beating up brown people overseas, and I think more and more they are realising they give a crap how the world views them. WWI Germany... I think this is a very different case, somehow. I'm not saying I think Obama is the Messiah, but I do think he's easily smart and sane enough to realise that invading mainland China would be a colossal exercise in immediate and humiliating failure. Morale would be shattered, finances would be lower than anyone ever dreamed possible, it proves the US is toothless and decrepit, it throws the gates open to anyone else that wants to take a crack at them, they'd look goddamned stupid... If Bush was President I'd be worried. I can't imagine Obama tying himself in knots to justify war with China. Not unless China invaded them.

Which, actually, if they were gonna make a single suddent and decisive move, would be a good one in order to rewrite the political map.

[belegdel.livejournal.com]

I thought your were talking about China regarding the ebbing morale etc.

No, the US would not be so foolish. I think even Bush and co. would have failed to push that through.

invading mainland China would be a colossal exercise in immediate and humiliating failure

Very well said :)

I wonder what would happen if China, say, invaded North Korea?

Nope

[drwally.livejournal.com]

Moto had some cheap parts (10c chips) found in landmines, but they do not manufacture them.

http://www.motorola.com/mot/doc/0/611_MotDoc.pdf

Re: Nope

[patchworkkid.livejournal.com]

I'm _sure_ they made some humanitarian watchdog's list of manufacturers and was right up there. If not them then some mobile phone manufacturer does. I could have sworn it was Motorola though.

Re: Nope

[drwally.livejournal.com]

It was probably Daewoo - they make assault rifles.

'With the help of a surprising ally, Human Rights Watch, the organization that brought the issue to Motorola's attention, Motorola produced a 50-page handbook to instruct employees on how to keep their products from ending up in the wrong hands through secondary markets'

So.. yeah, it was brought to their attention by Human Rights Watch.

[yamakasi.livejournal.com]

Man, I wish prosthetics were more advanced. And cheaper. (Hah. Too contradictory?)

[patchworkkid.livejournal.com]

Greylock mentioned something about recent... stem-cell surgery I think? Giving a guy back use of his legs? It's in one of the above comments.

But yeah. Ever since I was a teenager I've kinda liked the idea of a superchromed prosthetic arm. Not that it'd actually be any better (and probably a lot less capable) than a regular arm, realistically, but, y'know, coooooool...

[yamakasi.livejournal.com]

Ah, well, I was thinking of my friend who had to have his whole right leg cut off earlier this year (I don't think stem cell surgery would work in that case!). When he got a prosthetic it seemed so oddly basic. Anything more advanced cost tens of thousands of dollars and was really not that advanced at all. I think TV and films have ruined my image of just how far along we really are technologically in regards to prosthetics. :/ (I said to him that I was expecting something with a built in rocket launcher. :P)

[patchworkkid.livejournal.com]

Heh. Actually, the prosthetic legs with the lower half shaped like a rubberised question mark are pretty cool. I think a pair of the actually enable faster running speeds - provided you only lost both legs below the knee, though, I'm guessing.