Boston Dynamics Next Generation Atlas Robot is startling in its ability to handle objects and walk over rough terrain. But even more interesting is the reaction of observers to the robot's plight as his handler Steve pushes him around with a hockey stick. The video has turned out to be an unintended social experiment, eliciting over 24,000 comments, many of which anthropomorphize the robot, while others veer toward paranoid, dystopian scenarios where Atlas is the advanced guard of a robot army. The robot balances by using sensors in its body and legs and LIDAR, a surveying technology that measures distance by illuminating a target with a laser light, as well as stereo sensors in its head to avoid obstacles and help navigate rough terrain and manipulate objects. Designed to operate outdoors and inside buildings, the new Atlas is 5' 9" tall, 180 pounds, electrically powered and hydraulically actuated. The real question is what will happen when Atlas shows up on the line at an Amazon Warehouse. Will co-workers see the robot as a friend or an enemy? … [Read more...] about Next Generation Atlas Robot Sparks Sympathy and Dread
Author Hugh Howey on Writing, Empathy and Creative Freedom
Hugh Howey is a true iconoclast. His newly released post apocalyptic novel, The Shell Collector, joins a body of inventive work exploring dystopian futures, interstellar travel, alien invasions, zombies and other curiosities. His career has also broken traditional barriers. Originally published by a small press, Hugh broke away to become an indie writer and subsequently made it to the NYT Best Seller List.There is something surprising about Hugh’s writing. His visions steal over the reader unobtrusively, the way one might notice the clarity of a sky or the scent of a spring day. His prose is lean, confident and unpretentious with moments of sheer philosophical grace. He sinks into the background so deeply, you forget you’re even reading. He extends an invitation, like a peep hole through a circus tent, and before you quite realize what’s happened, you’ve entered into a world of wonders. Odd wonders, to be sure. And once you’ve followed Hugh into a world, what unfolds is not always easy. His Sci Fi stories are fantastical but infused with a gritty reality borne from worldly … [Read more...] about Author Hugh Howey on Writing, Empathy and Creative Freedom
Author Michael Bunker on Dystopian Sci-Fi, Off-Grid Living and the Lessons of History
I first encountered Michael Bunker when I happened upon his novel Pennsylvania, the story of an exo-planet migration off world by the Amish. Amish? I thought, re-reading the tagline. Aren’t they the folks who’ve sworn off modern conveyances? Don’t they drive horse carts and milk cows and wear simple unadorned clothing? Yes indeed, Amish Science Fiction. I love having my mind blown so I investigated further. Michael stared out from the pages of Amazon with a taciturn expression, sporting a beard from olden times, yet active in social media. He was on Facebook. He had a blog. In fact, Michael was one of those Indie writers who takes your breath away. It was apparent from his output that he was a serious writer with enormous energy and discipline. In the last few years his popular works of dystopian sci-fi, including the Wick Omnibus, The Last Pilgrims, The Silo Archipelago and the Pennsylvania series have regularly appeared on Amazon’s best-seller lists. He also wrote a bestselling guide, Surviving Off-Off Grid and sure enough, he lived with his wife and four … [Read more...] about Author Michael Bunker on Dystopian Sci-Fi, Off-Grid Living and the Lessons of History
