Zoidbot

=v= Apparently they've developed a robot that cleans up your garden by eating slugs:

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011212/tc/britain_robot_dc_2.html

They call it "SlugBot" but I can think of a better name. :^) <_Jym_>

"Jym Dyer" schrieb

But what happens if there are no more slugs in the garden?

*bzzt* does - not - computer *bzzt* must - kill - all - humans *bzzt*

<< *bzzt* does - not - computer *bzzt* must - kill - all - humans *bzzt* >>

Apparently some people believe this! "One Time reader called the invention 'reckless' in a letter to the magazine. 'To create robots that devour flesh is to step over a line that we would be insane to cross,'' he said."

On Thu, 13 Dec 2001 19:10:57 GMT, "Robert J. Muldoon" wrote:

No, the insanity would be making them self replicating. If replication were perfect, they could get out of control and wipe out a species. If there were any mistakes (mutations) they could attack another life form like lemurs or sloths.

Since they have a limited "lifespan", it seems to me a great way to attack pests without using tons of environmentally hazardous chemicals. Of course, there will always be alarmists. "What a microwave that's also a convection oven? You're dabbling in god's domain!!"

I saw a solar powered, wheeled robot that drove between rows of crops and identified weeds by their IR image. It then sprayed the weeds with an herbicide. It used the same chemicals they currently use, but was more effective and used 99% less chemicals than over spraying. They are working on getting them affordable, which should happen in a couple of years.

--Larry

"What, a mop that wrings itself out with a twist of a handle? I'm pretty certain that's god's domain. Let me get my bible. . . "

<< "What, a mop that wrings itself out with a twist of a handle? I'm pretty certain that's god's domain. Let me get my bible. . . " >>

"Christianity's strength is Christ. Its weakness is Christians." -- Mohandas Gandhi

The realy cool thing is that it converts the slugs it catches into energy to power itself.

"Jym Dyer" wrote in message news:[email]...