I would talk all about what I did this Spring Break, but seeing how I was sitting on my butt most of that time, it probably wouldn't be too interesting of a thing to write about.
Instead, I'm devoting this post to talking about a common misconception among general society: In marketing, anything that says 'automatic' or even 'robotic' is supposed to signify that no work will have to be done on the consumer's part to make it functional. Some people even stretch the definition of these terms, thinking that once the product is in their home, it will come out of the box at will, hook up whatever cables are required, if any, and perform its duty or task.
I'm sorry folks, but we haven't even been able to come up with a decent toaster that can get a slice of whole wheat to golden brown perfection without some assistance from the user, of which sometimes requires manipulation of metal untensils into the heating element, hopefully with the toaster unplgged. Why aren't we at this stage yet? For one, we don't have the resources to create such automations, though I've heard enough jokes about Al Gore's former 'charisma' to last me half a lifetime. Part of this also comes from people's love-hate relationship with technology, and even from the (sometimes entertaining) minority that believe that development and evolution of technology will result in it going all Skynet on us and wiping us out because it sees us as insignificant, wasteful beings. Can't argue with that, though.
To cite an example, those 'automated' robotic vaccums and mowers. Here's the sales pitch: It does the vaccuming and mowing for you, so you don't have to lug out your Oreck or John Deere. Here's the real deal: It ain't that easy. You have to create a 'fence' of cable around the area that it will work in, so it knows where to go. Then you have to keep getting up to empty them whenever they get full, because they have such a small capacity. And if your blade breaks or engine blows, I'm pretty sure Bob's Supply on East & 4th doesn't carry an engine with an intergrated CPU.
Now, we aren't anywhere close to automation, and I wouldn't be suprised if we only scratched the surface of getting it done in my lifetime. But these robotic vaccums and mowers may work better if 1) they would have larger capacities for trash and 2) they were remote-controlled, like an R/C car. I wouldn't mind sitting in the back yard on a summer day, in my lounge chair, and driving my little scooter-of-a-mower up and down my yard. Of course, I realize that from my position, I might end up striking something... living in the yard. A handy sensor would alert me to a living presense. Just to make sure I don't harm it physically, I'd switch my robot's mowing motion from "PCP addict with a machete" to "Alcatraz Perm". That field mouse would get some interesting remarks from its family when it returns to its burrow.
