Scientists Exiling Robots to Lonely, Desolate Work Camps
When scientists need to research a frigid, barren wasteland so inhospitable that humans stand no chance of survival, what do they do? Dispatch enslaved, persecuted, and voiceless robots, of course. With its excessively dry climate, low wind, and low atmospheric turbulence, Antarctica provides ideal star-gazing opportunities, but its negative-130-degree temperatures and geographical inaccessibility obviously make the job incredibly difficult for people.
Last year, under the leadership of the Polar Research Institute of China, scientists in Antarctica constructed the automated PLATeau Observatory (PLATO), a research station equipped with seven telescopes. Because of the success of PLATO, the National Science Foundation is constructing another unmanned, robot-controlled astronomical viewing station in an area known as Ridge A.
According to Wired, Ridge A offers unparalleled views of the stars, due to the darkness and dryness of it skies. Astronomer Will Saunders, of the Anglo-Australian Observatory, told Wired that a "modestly-sized telescope there would be as powerful as the largest telescopes anywhere else on Earth," and would cost a minute fraction of what it would take to launch similarly effective cameras or telescopes into orbit.
Since NASA and other scientific organizations often receive criticism for complex and extravagant projects, it's refreshing to see scientists construct more economically reasonable, yet still beneficial, facilities. And, since there will be no humans against whom to revolt, the lonely, freezing robots won't pose much of a threat. [From: Wired, via Gizmodo]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
rafrste said 1:42PM on 9-07-2009
I hope no one starts complaining about the unfair treatment given to robots.
Maybe it will become politically correct in the future to talk about robot rights and how robot deserve equality. There is always someone who has nothing to do in their lives and looks for causes to champion, no matter how ridiculous they are.
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HAL-9000 said 1:51PM on 9-07-2009
Dave, are you mad? Dave? Don't leave me here.
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lee260 said 2:19PM on 9-07-2009
Are you talking about HAL the computer in 2000 a space odysey? Did you know that HAL is IBM or I minus 1 B minus 1 and M minus 1 ? It was written
to be an evil machine. Machines or computers can be perceived as evil. Such as gears that will crush your fingers to hamburger if you don't respect their lethal
nature to do so.
Live long and prosper. Lee
Angela said 2:40PM on 9-07-2009
WTF? Dispatch "enslaved, persecuted, and voiceless robots" to inhospitable places? What is wrong with you people? They're ROBOTS. They are manmade machines designed to provide scientific feedback, not the latest minority group to be denied their Constitutional rights!
Maybe we just need new names for them, since "robot" makes most people think of electronic people. Some specific names like Fembots, Himbots, Spybots, and Notbots, for example.
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55TB.wordpress.com said 4:20PM on 9-07-2009
Amen. I was thinking "What on earth is a lonely robot?"