R2D2 is coming by 2018

by gareth
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Darpa & HP are developing neuromorphic memristor chips.

They will have a synthetic mammalian brain chip by 2014 - it will only take 2 years to go commercial from there. So by 2018 we will all be able to make intelligent robots as good as R2D2.

Darpa's goal is a human level memristor based neuromorphic computer that uses as much power as 10 100 watt light bulbs, and is the size of a shoe box.

Tie this in with the forrester report projecting a 100% increase in the annual US IT spend by 2017 - in short a bigger IT boom than the 90's.

Also this boom will extend to China, europe and the developing nations so its way bigger than the 90's boom.

The technologies will be smart utilities, sensor networks, AI web systems - in short the infrastructure to implement robotics universally. But its not being sold as a robotic infrastructure at this point.

That will become apparent once the neuromorphic chips hit the market.
  • Profile picture of the author seasoned
    R2D2? You mean the robot that was SO stupid that it couldn't do all that much and needed C3Po to communicate with the outside world? GEE, don't we have that NOW! HECK, it even used the dolly type platform that is SO old that nobody even dares to say who created it! At least C3po could walk with and talk to the people.

    And WOW, why so much power? 1000watts and the size of a shoebox assuming all three dimensions are filled with circuitry? Up to now, computers have been VERY inefficient and even at a rather low wattage have generated a lot of heat. They have had plenty of surface area though, and people have managed to dissipate the heat fast enough for it to not be a problem. But 1000watts? The size of a shoe box? YIKES! HEY, HERE is a power supply that could work:

    http://www.pcpower.com/power-supply/...cool-1200.html

    BUT that is for an ATX case and:

    24-pin, Dual 8-pin, 4-pin M/B Connectors
    Six PCI-E and 17 Drive Connectors

    The 1200watts is NOT just for the motherboard.

    2 years ago:

    http://forums.cnet.com/7723-7591_102-310979.html

    About 140Watts for a CPU

    So computers today generate only so much heat because they are so low power, and have more space to dissipate it.

    STILL, the apple II worked by CONVECTION cooling. Many others didn't really have cooling at all. As I recall, the first IBM PCs just had small heatsinks. TODAY they have LARGE heat sinks with fans and even MORE! HECK, fidelity built a POOL for THEIR mainframe! The water in the pool is circulated through the WATER COOLING for their mainframe. GRANTED that is an older and bigger system, but it is due to power and space.

    BTW at 1000Watts, that robot will have a HARD time being autonomous. There's a reason why they are making low powered CPUs for portable gadgets.

    BTW shouldn't you be supporting TWIGGY!?!?!?

    Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author gareth
    The ratbots are coming seasoned - and when they do they'll read your posts.

    Actually I think robotics will move to a more distributed model both in terms of processing and the actual sensor networking. It makes more sense.
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    Gareth M Thomas
    Serial Entrepreneur
    Auckland, New Zealand

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    • Profile picture of the author seasoned
      Originally Posted by gareth View Post

      The ratbots are coming seasoned - and when they do they'll read your posts.
      YIKES! I better get OUT OF HERE! Does anyone know of an intergalactic freighter or something?

      Actually I think robotics will move to a more distributed model both in terms of processing and the actual sensor networking. It makes more sense.
      You have a point there. There are THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS of "expert systems". Alone, they are mere idiot savants, but if they could all communicate TOGETHER....

      BTW by idiot savant, I mean that expert systems generally only do things well in the area they are built for. For other things, they may be WORTHLESS.

      HECK, in DNC they have ALREADY started moving to distributed control in some cases. With PCs they are starting to move back to it somewhat. So it makes sense that they may network computing. In fact, the robot itself COULD become merely a peripheral. And HEY, that would mean the computer itself wouldn't have to be small, and power wouldn't be a concern.

      OK, I just realized that some people with dirty minds might thing I mean something else with DNC. HERE, DNC means Digital Numerical Control. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numerical_control

      Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author gareth
    Check out "photonic interconnect" in google

    Moores law is about to be blown to the weeds.
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    Gareth M Thomas
    Serial Entrepreneur
    Auckland, New Zealand

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