NationStates Jolt Archive


Mechanical Dynamics Unveils Your Newest Plastic Friend

Wyrmsvaar
18-06-2004, 23:48
News clipping from the June 18th, 2011 Central Issue National Newspaper, page A-4.


Svaaratlheim--
Mechanical Dynamics revealed the fruits of over a decade of hard labor at this year's National Exposition in Svaaratlheim. The "Symbiote" is a huge advance in artificial intelligence, with hardened positronic circuitry that allows it to learn and evolve in order to fit the needs of its "Host."

Scientist Zeldor Rynes was selected as the first Host to receive a Symbiote. "It's really quite amazing," said Rynes, "These robots adapt to their Host's needs by living with and observing them. They can provide for the Host's defense or just housework and cooking."

According to MechDynam, it takes about a week before a Symbiote becomes adapted to its Host, after which time it has usually collected enough data to act independently without even needing spoken commands. "Sometimes it seems like they can read your mind," said Rynes.

To assuage fears, MechDynam stresses that all of the Symbiote robots have been implanted with a variation of Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics:

1)No Symbiote may harm a human, nor by inaction allow a human to come to harm.
2)A Symbiote must always obey the orders of its Host, except where those orders would contradict Rule 1.
3)No Symbiote may allow itself to come to harm, except where this would violate Rules 1 or 2.

MechDynam is also looking for military applications for the Symbiote. The robots will come into full production next year. Interested buyers can pre-order now.