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Article: Computer program lets robots think and sync.(Science/Health)
- Article from:
- The Washington Times (Washington, DC)
- Article date:
- February 21, 1999
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 News World Communications, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Remember the "I Love Lucy" episode in which Lucy can't keep up with the chocolate truffles coming down the factory assembly line?
Imagine a robot that falls behind while processing nuclear waste.
At the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, a computer program has solved that problem. With the new software, the robot can stop and think about any unplanned problems or disruptions that interrupt its programmed task - even attempt to solve the problem on its own, like a standup comic dealing with hecklers.
"Classically, there have been two ways to control a robot," said Lonnie Love, an engineer-scientist at Oak Ridge. "One way is ...