Omniquantism

There are folks who would love to have people believe just because they ordered it.

Bah, if you don't believe by choice, you're not really believing.

Anyhow, I've got to go. I have a talk to give. Catch you two later.

You guys landed a pretty good spiritual advisor.

I had my doubts when Qwerty hired a radical agnostic, but he's worked out rather well.

Robert the Robot from Fireball XL-5 © Gerry Anderson

Some of Mr. Post's talks have been quite useful, such as the history of leprosy and visual self examination.

Robot vision is very good. Our sense of touch, not so good. We bump into things and damage ourselves. With V.S.E. and inspection mirrors, early detection has cut our failure rate by 30 percent.

It's also cut the amount of time I've spent with a “Recycle me!” sign on my back by 85 percent.

Robot dog AIBO © 1999-2003, Sony Corp.

Speaking of recycling, I have some of Nickel's parts in my pocket.

Did you find out who is attacking other robots?

It was Quality Control. They were going after robots who had end of life inspections.

Quality Control! Oh! I have something to show you!

If we hurry you can see it before it explodes!

Perhaps it would be best if we don't hurry.

ED-209 from the movie Robocop © 1987, MGM/UA studios (Or Reaper from an old but well-deserved game Dark Colony)

I got the idea from early energy experiments. They used Muons to catalyze fusion reactions. The Muon replaced the Electron in Hydrogen allowing atoms to get much closer.

This experiment does the same thing on a larger scale. I've replaced the electrons in carbon atoms with muons and made a Bucky tube. They decay. New Muons have to be generated as fast as old ones vanish.

If we can stabilize the Muons, we can make materials that will be far denser and more energy resistant than their Electron bound counterparts.

Like so many nifty ideas in physics, so simple in concept, so difficult in execution.

Gigantor © Mitsuteru Yokoyama
Muon_catalysis

You have worked with starship engines. Do you know how to stabilize a Muon?

There are a couple ways, though none suitable for a building material.

Maybe we could create an artificial Muon. One that won't decay.

Picotech is a little beyond our current technology.

Maybe for now. But one day building with natural atoms will seem as quaint as living in log cabins.

Tik-Tok © L. Frank Baum

What do you know about local neural net manufacture?

Not much. There should be somebody here who knows more.

Found one. She's over in Triac's sewing class. The students have never had an organic model to fit before. Would you like to volunteer?

I know Triac. Is being a model for them going to be dangerous?

No worries. They're second tier students. If they make a mistake, it won't be anything that can't be fixed with a couple of welds and some spackling compound.

Brainiac © D.C. Comics

I do want to talk to someone who knows about the local neural nets. Okay. I volunteer to be their model.

Besides, people before me risked long voyages, obstacles, and overcame great hardship in their pursuit of knowledge. Surely I can brave apprentice tailors.

Ah, yes. Traffic jams on the way to the library. Card catalogs. The Dewey Decimal system!

Researchers were a tough and hearty breed in the days before the internet.

Rosie the Robot © Hanna-Barbera Productions

Robot tailors and robot consciousness

Triac and his students are in here. I'm going to use this time to make new legs for Nickel.

Oh! Wait! I need the parts in your pocket!

NAKED DOGGY!

DVORAK!

I need the parts and this robe needs to be washed. Really! You'll thank me later!

Twikki and Dr. Theopolis from the series Buck Rogers © Glen A. Larson
I know that Florence should be naked in any case, but this striptease makes me euphoric. (Жирафик Рафик)

Ms. Ambrose! Glad you could join us.

By the way, thank you for giving the robe I designed a most memorable entrance.

Purely Dvorak's idea, I assure you.

Huh. Who'd have guessed he had a flair for the dramatic?

Hel (aka The Maria Robot) from the film Metropolis directed by Fritz Lang

Students, this is Ms. Ambrose. Compared to a mechanical model, what is easier about fitting a biological model?

You can't damage them by blocking a body air vent.

They're completely sealed. You don't have to worry about fiber build up on joints and oil films.

They're self repairing. You can ignore small holes because they seal right up.

Technically correct, but it's considered sloppy workmanship to punch holes in your customers.

Johnny 5 from the film Short Circuit © Sony Tristar