While plugged in, the bot still has alot it can do. It's eyes, ears and arm still work, so why not let it continue to interact with the environment while its recharging??
Using an extension cord might work since they have these new extension cords that autoretract. So as the bot got closer to where the cord was plugged in, it would automatically take up the slack. As it moved further from the outlet, the cord would lengthen automatically, but would also put more resistance on the bots movement. Of course, it is still likely that the bot would get tangled as it turns thus countering the autoretract.. :( But perhaps this is something for it to learn: "Don't get tangled in the cord!" --Kevin ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ben Goertzel" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2003 8:10 AM Subject: RE: [agi] funky robot kits and AGI > > > > Taking a page from one of the essays or commentaries in _The Mind's I_ > > (Hofstadter & Dennett, eds.), you could add a plug to the movable arm > > and as one of the first training tasks, teach it to find an outlet and > > recharge itself when power levels fall below 7 percent... > > > > -- > > Cliff > > Yeah, that's true, of course ;-) The "bumper car rink" idea was primarily > posited for entertainment value... > > In your proposal, given the realities of contemporary battery chemistry, it > would spend a lot longer plugged in than rambling around, but I guess that > would just be its own peculiar cycle of life.... It would have to learn to > read its own battery-power monitors too. Then it would have the > psychological decision to make, at each point in time while plugged in, of > whether to leave the wall socket to amuse itself before it's fully charged, > or stand there bored and wait till it's fully charged.... And the > introduction of new, longer-life batteries would completely change its > psychology!! > > What would be better would be if its grabber arm and fingers were good > enough to enable it to swap a series of batteries in and out. Of course, > actuators of this quality exist and are in use in industrial robots, but > they don't appear to be available for this inexpensive bot. > > -- Ben G > > ------- > To unsubscribe, change your address, or temporarily deactivate your subscription, > please go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/[EMAIL PROTECTED] > ------- To unsubscribe, change your address, or temporarily deactivate your subscription, please go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
