Basically, it has to smell like a cockroach. The scientists coat the boxy robots with a chemical, a cockroach smell, so the real roaches won't run away.
"The cockroaches are not at all stressed by the robots because they are perceived as cockroaches," Halloy said. "So the cockroach is just accepting that kind of strange buddy. And that's the start of the game."
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Robots Infiltrate, Influence Cockroach Groups
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6 comments:
I found this actually a very charming story somehow. Hey, cockroaches are people too.
--W.M. Bear
Report from far away:
“Basically, it has to smell like a human being. The scientists coat the slender, two-legged robots with a chemical, a hominid smell, so the real primates won't run away.
’The human beings are not at all stressed by the robots because they are perceived as fellow human beings," Xrrwqy said. "So the primate is just accepting that kind of strange buddy. And that's the start of the game.’”
Re: Report from far away
Amendment by Zzzrqwert
The committee is in agreement with Xrrwqy’s basic methodology and we consider the infiltration of the bipedal primates known as Hominidae to be a game worth playing.
However, camouflage in the form of hominid smells is not sufficient for the invisible and undetectable penetration of this species.
We are therefore recommending that our robots are retro-fitted with pathologically conflicting ritualistic belief system sub-routines; that some are overtly aggressive; others are submissive to the point of exhibiting behavioral traits leading to homicide and/or suicide and that, overall, our robots do not engage in any long-term planning with a focus on sustainable development. Myopia and grandiloquent self-delusion must be hard-coded into the root code of our robot brains and be applied across spiritual, religious, philosophical, technological, racial and ethnic data clusters.
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Report from far away:
“Basically, it has to smell like a human being. The scientists coat the slender, two-legged robots with a chemical, a hominid smell, so the real primates won't run away.
’The human beings are not at all stressed by the robots because they are perceived as fellow human beings," Xrrwqy said. "So the primate is just accepting that kind of strange buddy. And that's the start of the game.’”
I can imagine a group of scientists in the lab trying to figure out which roach smell would be the best one to use in the experiment. Maybe it was a little like a wine tasting, each one passing the various vials of roach aroma under their nose and swirling it about. Then the eureka moment...
ahhh perfect!!
Michael
("Recursively Yours," for Elan)
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Report from _very_ far away:
[Cosmic Ultra Tippy-Top Secret(ion)]
Further update by Zzzrqwert, reference infiltration plans by Xrrwqy, as amended:
Despite implementing our amended plans to infiltrate the hominid bipedals known as "humans," by hard-coding our robots with the previously referenced characteristics noted above (including an applied tincture of "human smell"), which has been largely successful, there appear to be some bipedals who have noticed and are behaving in the presence of some of our "humbots" in unexpected and aberrant ways.
To whit--some of the "human beings," who themselves may be involved in the study and research of other potential forms of intelligent non-human life seem, in fact, to be somehow aware of our infiltration, and manifest reactions to this knowledge in one of three ways: 1) they call us "space brothers" or the like, and fondly appear genuinely interested in the purpose of our presence on their planet, and often ask for "help," or some kind of "assistance", the meaning of which we do not yet understand, 2) others, in turn, react very negatively, and think we are "up to no good," and suspect we may be abducting members of their species, mistreating said "abductees" in nefarious ways that make even Xrrwqy feel ill,** and 3) a few who, despite sensing our presence, take an agnostic, or non-judgemental, objective view of the possible presence among them of our modified "humbots," and the purposes of our game, and remain unpersuaded they really know what might be going on, as yet. This worries me. These beings are sometimes referred to as "scientific ufologists," for some, yet to be determined, reason.
These latter, category 3 bipedals are the ones of most concern. The prior two tend to discredit themselves willingly with their unproven dualistic biases when communicating their presumptions to other humans.
More research, however, must be done on the category 3 beings before the game can be allowed to continue unmodified, to compensate for any possible errors in our unfolding plans. We think the humans call this "ethics." We have not clearly defined this term so far, but this will be resolved by further modification of the overall plan, and we can expect no further difficulties afterward.
In addition, I [Zzzrqwert] have begun to consider the possibility that certain colleagues, in developing and implementing our long-range game plan, like Xrrwqy perhaps (due to his initial inadequate configuration of the humbots, for example, introduced at first without the required and belated behavioral hard-coding), may, dare I say it, not be "on the team," or, even (and I know this sounds faintly ridiculous) of "our kind," if you grop what I mean--there's just something... different about him. Always, with the questions. I just can't put my tentacle on it.
I guess, to put it bluntly, should we also investigate whether, in some similar, recursive way, we ourselves may be subject to such "gaming" by (and I am hesitant to even mention this, as it is so remote a possibility), yet "others" who may be engaged in simulating _us_ for parallel or other "game playing" purposes, as yet unbeknownst to even ourselves?
As superficially ludicrous as this idea may seem, I would like to suggest we at least consider this concept, so that we may hopefully elimate it, as needed, from our gaming scenario as an intrusive or disruptive factor before proceeding much further with the bipedals under behavioral analysis.
I'm not sure what, but something just doesn't seem right about how we are trying to go about the game, which, as we all know, requires nearly absolute secrecy and truly covert infiltration in order to meet and succeed in our goals of study and manipulation of the bipedals for eventual intelli-mod consumer purposes, among others.
Perhaps we should consider the consequences to both the bipedals and even the possible effects on ourselves, in turn, especially if my suspicions as noted above about possible "others" has any validity.
I suggest, regarding this latter issue, that we start by interrogating Xrrwqy, as he has begun to seemingly behave in an unusual manner, and I get the feeling he may resent my recent suggestions about improving the versimiltude of the humbots for greater effectiveness. Also, he has recently been asking questions about our game plan that seem unusual, and I have concerns he may be elicting "need to know" data above his existential grade.
[He's also been chatting up my juvenile group-mind offspring, Qrzzyia, which I find both disturbing and quite presumptuous, given she is already nearly "engaged" in trans-corporeal mitotic uberdivision with another. I don't need the trouble cross-fertilized Krzgrzz would yield.]
For all of the reasons above, we should meet soonest in order to sort this out before there are further repercussions to our game plan. I await your tenticular comments and responsilliar contractions.
Excruciatingly Yours,
Zzzrqwert
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**[Note to self: Do NOT provide any further encrypted copies of our bipedal evolutionary consciousness modification recipe book, To Serve Man, to members of the coordinating observation away team in "Earth" orbit--Xrrwqy has apparently misplaced or lost his copy, again! The consequences could be, well, unappetizing, to say the least!]
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(Thanks for the inspiration, Elan--btw, is that your REAL, humbot or otherwise, name? I have my suspicions! HA!) 8^}
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Original story source (with cute pict of cockroach with roachbot, and audio version of story):
http://tinyurl.com/32ekwz
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Attention: Supreme Botmander [SB]
(Multiple intercept and classified document from the Q race visiting planet E, ref. their "humbot" game strategy: action memo to follow from Z) Classified: Penultimate TS
WARNING: The Q's may be aware of us! Inform "Xrrwqy" to exfiltrate, immediately! Others to remain in corporeal place until further notice. Copy to intergalactic federation via FTL Xpress/COMINT-UMBRELLA/NF/25X9
Given the above, SB, if I may call you that, I have a curious question for you…
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Recursively Yours,
8^}
Quite possibly the coolest comment thread in Posthuman Blues history! :-)
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