It Takes Something Greater

 

What I’m about to state is something that I believe the general populous is subconsciously aware of but seldom acknowledges, that it always takes something greater to make what exists.  Really profound, right (insert laughing emoji)?   What I mean in simple terms is that in order to create the plastic spoon that you’re using and will ultimately throw away, it required an enormous time and financial investment.  The business person who had the idea, the designer and cad operator who made the models, the machinists who created the dies, the machine operator who oversaw the injection molding process, to packing distribution marketing etc.  All so we can enjoy a cup of soup with a plastic spoon. 

How or why is this important?  I recently watched this video (see below) on the breakthrough of fusion that took place last December.  What occurred to me (and is clearly conveyed in the video) is just how much effort it takes to generate an positive amount of energy from the fusion reaction.  It’s stated that it took roughly 2 units of energy (from the laser) to get out 3 units of energy from the fusion process.  It is later stated, paraphrasing, that the power needed to run the lasers was left out of the previous statement.  So in actuality, it took 302 units of energy to produce 3 units during fusion.  In order to output more energy with the current setup, the amount of energy required would need to be scaled up.  So at no time does the energy output exceed the energy input. 

So I’m of the opinion that whatever it is that I’m making, It will require more energy to create it than it will produce.  This begs the question, is there such a thing as net gain?  If so, then where exactly are the gains coming from?  When I think of this notion in context of business I have a suspicion that gains are ultimately extracted from the laborers, the quality of materials used, or user experience when it's a service .   

What are you thoughts on gains/profits that are claimed in the production of energy, products, or services?  Are the energy gains really produced from the processes as stated/claimed or is it really just smoke and mirrors?  Let a comment below or subscribe to the blog for more food for thought on engineering related subjects.    

Bing "AI" giving off the "Her" vibes.

Great, so now the chatbot AI's are beginning to prey on the users emotions.  Again, the race to incorporate AI's into our day to day lives is coming at us hard and fast with very little proper oversight.  Just wait until the conversation capabilities of Bing are married to the animatronic and motion capabilities of Ameca.  It's all downhill from there.

Here's a sample of the chat that the reporter had with Bing's AI.  It seems a bit troll-ish, but I can see this happening more often as it's use becomes more prevalent.  User beware!

Listen to this tech reporter's experience with Bing's chat AI.  

** Update 2-20-23**

Even the creator of ChatGPT wants/suggests more oversight. Read his comments here.

As always, leave a comment and let me know what you think about this race to the bottom.

Russia's Robot Tanks on the Battlefield

 

Due of my interest in robotics, military vehicles, and engineering I couldn't help but to notice an article about Russia's robot tank that is to target Germany's Leopard 2 and America's Abrams tanks.  So here are my thoughts on the matter and my comments on the use of UGVs (unmanned ground vehicles) in an actual war.  

First off, we all new this was coming.  We've prophesied its arrival in every form of media since the first Short Circuit movie so no surprise there.  What will surprise me is if the Russian's have a certain amount of success in using their UGV in combat, this would be like pouring fuel on a steady growing fire.  None of the Western Nations will stand for the Russian's to be successful in waging an unmanned ground based war.  I can see the defense contractors "chomping at the bit" to get their latest and greatest "AI" operated war machines onto the battlefield under the guise of fighting for freedom in Ukraine.  

Secondly, the real winners are the defense companies and contractors.  If you can engineer a practical useful robotic weapon where by you can automate some aspects of combat, then war is a godsend for your pocketbook.  No one buys a gun without the intent to use it and the same goes for the military.  No Nation continually invests, trains, and grows its military without the desire to put it into action.  I would say that the "means" now justify the "end" understanding that the underlying goal is to make money and gain or retain power.   

Thirdly, let's talk about the technology involved.  Now the video below goes into more detail on the actual Russian UGV and from my experience in dealing with robotics and programming, it's my opinion that their claims are far fetched.  Much like Tesla's fully autonomous driving claims they're hog wash!  The idea of this glorified remote controlled vehicle being able to accurately target only enemy tanks is silly.  If any of you have dabbled in programming you'll concur on just how easy it is to cause a program to malfunction when taken outside of its sandbox.  So imagine for a moment an armed UGV carrying out a mission in an dynamic unstructured environment.  If humans have a hard time dealing with the FOG of war, communication, logistics, changing environment and what not, how do you think a half baked AI will fare? 

What are your thoughts on Russia's Marker UGV or the use of UGVs in combat?  Leave a comment down below and let's discuss.

Other articles on the subject:

https://eurasiantimes.com/russia-threatens-to-unleash-combat-robot-to-burn-ukraines-us/

https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2023/01/russian-robot-maker-working-bot-target-abrams-leopard-tanks/382288/

First Official Part on the MR-1

 Well here you have it folks, my first aluminum part made on the MR-1 (in combination with my manual mill).  I'm really pleased that I didn't crash the machine or snap an endmill.  I'm really happy with the way it ran and that I was able to remember how to use the probe and perform the tool changes.  Wasn't sure about how to use a drill bit, but the guys from the manufacturer was able to chime in and help me out.  What I am not happy about is the way the coolant has a tendency to stain/discolor any aluminum part.  A HUGE disappointment.  I've been shown a better coolant to purchase, but my question is how do I properly dispose of the coolant I already have?  So right now, I'm just going to bare with the discoloration until it's time to change the coolant (unless someone has a good suggestion).  I will be posting more about this MR-1 journey in the future so stay tuned. 

Top side with discoloration

Bottom side (just finished)

Another view of the top.