Maybe I simply watch too much SciFi but when I read of this
‘Robo-scientist’s first findings’ about a Lab Robot called Adam I was extremely disappointed. You see I already thought we were at that stage. I recollect from many films like ‘The Andromeda Strain’ etc. where we send our samples off to labs to be grown and analysed. Results being displayed automatically for the scientists to examine with preliminary data being generated by the computers.
Maybe it is just a context thing though. Maybe it is something that can easily be added to the existing ‘lab helpers’. A bit like we have a tape library that pulls out the appropriate tape on demand. Link that with good management software and you can then enter your search into it and it will pull out the correct file. It still does all the fiddle arm waving and tape collecting but it is now smarter.
So I suspect that many Lab Assistant type robots could simply be vastly improved by the addition of some good software and, at least until our latest batch trickles through, UK software engineers are the best in the world.
Interestingly, the lab at Aberystwyth University, is now working on Adam’s upgrade called Eve.
Mmmm. I seem to remember that story. It’s not finished yet but if I remember it gets off to a bad start. Just keep it away from the food.
Watching SciFi can lead to disappointment
Maybe I simply watch too much SciFi but when I read of this
‘Robo-scientist’s first findings’ about a Lab Robot called Adam I was extremely disappointed. You see I already thought we were at that stage. I recollect from many films like ‘The Andromeda Strain’ etc. where we send our samples off to labs to be grown and analysed. Results being displayed automatically for the scientists to examine with preliminary data being generated by the computers.
Maybe it is just a context thing though. Maybe it is something that can easily be added to the existing ‘lab helpers’. A bit like we have a tape library that pulls out the appropriate tape on demand. Link that with good management software and you can then enter your search into it and it will pull out the correct file. It still does all the fiddle arm waving and tape collecting but it is now smarter.
So I suspect that many Lab Assistant type robots could simply be vastly improved by the addition of some good software and, at least until our latest batch trickles through, UK software engineers are the best in the world.
Interestingly, the lab at Aberystwyth University, is now working on Adam’s upgrade called Eve.
Mmmm. I seem to remember that story. It’s not finished yet but if I remember it gets off to a bad start. Just keep it away from the food.