RE: SeaWyrm's Talon Exercises
11-19-2012, 09:08 PM
"I gave you the money, told you to get the goods, and you brought me candy. I am utterly disappointed in you."
The robots drooped forlornly.
"Go to your docking stations and think about what you've done," I told them. They whirred with shame and rolled over to the hutches along the wall.
I waited for them to plug themselves in and power off their sensors, then unwrapped a Kit Kat and ate it.
"Disobedience," I said, "interesting. Good. Very good. Elward, make a backup of their mental state patterns. Also, put a note in my file linking the state patterns to their construction parameters and the video feed of- you know what? This is taking too long to say. I'll do it myself. Extend input peripherals, please."
"Very good, sir," said Elward.
As I set up the notes how I wanted them, I reflected, not for the first time, that the only reason I kept Elward around anymore was so I could have someone to talk to. That and it's hard to delete something you've given a name to.
I studied the patterns. There was a twisted tangle of neural net nodes with a colorful state map superimposed over the top. The two robots had vastly different patterns. I tried to see a connection between them, but neural networks aren't very good at revealing their secrets to basic visual scrutiny, or even in-depth analysis.
"Grr," I said, unwrapping another Kit Kat. "How do I replicate these results if I don't even know..." I trailed off. "Elward," I said, "try putting these patterns under a green filter."
The computer complied - and there it was. A section in the center of each brain that was only associated with itself. And in the center, there were initials: Z. B.
I dimly recalled having stayed up late the previous weekend marathoning episodes of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy TV show and drinking guarana beverages. There was faint recollection of having a brilliant idea the next morning before I got around to having any actual sleep happen. I couldn't remember if it was something to do with the bots, or if that's what that whole scrambled eggs in Mountain Dew thing had been.
---15 Mins---
The robots drooped forlornly.
"Go to your docking stations and think about what you've done," I told them. They whirred with shame and rolled over to the hutches along the wall.
I waited for them to plug themselves in and power off their sensors, then unwrapped a Kit Kat and ate it.
"Disobedience," I said, "interesting. Good. Very good. Elward, make a backup of their mental state patterns. Also, put a note in my file linking the state patterns to their construction parameters and the video feed of- you know what? This is taking too long to say. I'll do it myself. Extend input peripherals, please."
"Very good, sir," said Elward.
As I set up the notes how I wanted them, I reflected, not for the first time, that the only reason I kept Elward around anymore was so I could have someone to talk to. That and it's hard to delete something you've given a name to.
I studied the patterns. There was a twisted tangle of neural net nodes with a colorful state map superimposed over the top. The two robots had vastly different patterns. I tried to see a connection between them, but neural networks aren't very good at revealing their secrets to basic visual scrutiny, or even in-depth analysis.
"Grr," I said, unwrapping another Kit Kat. "How do I replicate these results if I don't even know..." I trailed off. "Elward," I said, "try putting these patterns under a green filter."
The computer complied - and there it was. A section in the center of each brain that was only associated with itself. And in the center, there were initials: Z. B.
I dimly recalled having stayed up late the previous weekend marathoning episodes of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy TV show and drinking guarana beverages. There was faint recollection of having a brilliant idea the next morning before I got around to having any actual sleep happen. I couldn't remember if it was something to do with the bots, or if that's what that whole scrambled eggs in Mountain Dew thing had been.
---15 Mins---