mechanized creature of either good or evil as more contemporary science-fiction authors had fantasized.
The industrial robot of the 1980s was basically a skilled, manipulating machine capable of welding and painting automobiles, transporting radioactive materials behind shielded walls, and sampling the mysteries of outer space in such adventures as the trip of Voyager 1.
Robots could currently be designed to resemble something from a science fiction novel, complete with mobility and an ability to speak English. But from a practical standpoint it was cheaper and more efficient to anchor them to an assembly line and plug them into a computer.
One of the factors currently limiting the type of work modern robots could perform was the limitation of sensory systems. A television camera was not an adequate substitute for a more sophisticated vision system and a claw which could measure size was not a very viable alternative to the sense of touch.
Lang Sterling’s contribution to the field of industrial robotics was a brilliant new concept for providing a programmable machine with far more advanced sensory systems than currently existed. The company which bought the rights to his patents would have a tremendous jump on the market.
It was a continuing source of amazement to Kali that the man who could have designed such technology could spend the nonbusiness side of his life thinking and acting in a manner which would have embarrassed any robot. How could a man with the ability to think so logically get drunk on his birthday and threaten a scene which would have been appropriate to the behavior of a gentleman from two or three hundred years in the past?
And why did that man insist on giving more attention to his ruined birthday celebration than to a discussion of the financial rewards he was going to earn as a result of his work?
„We both know I’m going to be rich,“ Lang drawled complacently. „But I don’t see any need to go into the details tonight. It is my birthday, after all. I really don’t care about foreign robot competition this evening.“
Kali tried a new tack. „One would think, judging from the way you’ve been living lately, that you already were rich…“
„The marvels of a credit card society,“ he returned blandly. „By the time the bills come due I will have collected for my patents. You don’t have to worry about me going into bankruptcy. Kind of you to be concerned, of course, but totally unnecessary. Just how much spying have you done on me?“
„I made it my business to find out something about you before I approached you.“ She shrugged with a wry twist to her lips. It was the truth. She didn’t believe in going into any venture unprepared. „I wanted to have a good shot at convincing you IAI could give you whatever you desired, within reason. It was necessary to learn a little about you.“
„All that work and you didn’t even learn that today was my birthday!“
Kali drew rein on her patience. „A slight oversight.“
„Perhaps as a birthday present and as a way of making up for your oversight, you could fix me some Scotch on the rocks?“ Lang favored her with a dazzling, alarmingly persuasive smile.
She thought about it, sipping her coffee with a slightly furrowed brow. „If I get you the Scotch would you settle down and talk business?“
„Trying to bribe me?“ he demanded interestedly.
„I suppose so.“
He made a clucking sound, shaking his head. „To what depths will IAI sink in order to get their greedy little hands on my patents?“
Kali set down her mug and got determinedly to her feet. „I’ll get you another glass of Scotch, but in return I expect a little cooperation, Lang.“
He watched her over the tip of his shoe as she moved across the living room to a sleek white and chrome liquor cabinet. „Don’t forget the twist.“
„I don’t have any lemon. You’ll have to drink it plain.“ She poured the drink grudgingly and came gliding back to
The industrial robot of the 1980s was basically a skilled, manipulating machine capable of welding and painting automobiles, transporting radioactive materials behind shielded walls, and sampling the mysteries of outer space in such adventures as the trip of Voyager 1.
Robots could currently be designed to resemble something from a science fiction novel, complete with mobility and an ability to speak English. But from a practical standpoint it was cheaper and more efficient to anchor them to an assembly line and plug them into a computer.
One of the factors currently limiting the type of work modern robots could perform was the limitation of sensory systems. A television camera was not an adequate substitute for a more sophisticated vision system and a claw which could measure size was not a very viable alternative to the sense of touch.
Lang Sterling’s contribution to the field of industrial robotics was a brilliant new concept for providing a programmable machine with far more advanced sensory systems than currently existed. The company which bought the rights to his patents would have a tremendous jump on the market.
It was a continuing source of amazement to Kali that the man who could have designed such technology could spend the nonbusiness side of his life thinking and acting in a manner which would have embarrassed any robot. How could a man with the ability to think so logically get drunk on his birthday and threaten a scene which would have been appropriate to the behavior of a gentleman from two or three hundred years in the past?
And why did that man insist on giving more attention to his ruined birthday celebration than to a discussion of the financial rewards he was going to earn as a result of his work?
„We both know I’m going to be rich,“ Lang drawled complacently. „But I don’t see any need to go into the details tonight. It is my birthday, after all. I really don’t care about foreign robot competition this evening.“
Kali tried a new tack. „One would think, judging from the way you’ve been living lately, that you already were rich…“
„The marvels of a credit card society,“ he returned blandly. „By the time the bills come due I will have collected for my patents. You don’t have to worry about me going into bankruptcy. Kind of you to be concerned, of course, but totally unnecessary. Just how much spying have you done on me?“
„I made it my business to find out something about you before I approached you.“ She shrugged with a wry twist to her lips. It was the truth. She didn’t believe in going into any venture unprepared. „I wanted to have a good shot at convincing you IAI could give you whatever you desired, within reason. It was necessary to learn a little about you.“
„All that work and you didn’t even learn that today was my birthday!“
Kali drew rein on her patience. „A slight oversight.“
„Perhaps as a birthday present and as a way of making up for your oversight, you could fix me some Scotch on the rocks?“ Lang favored her with a dazzling, alarmingly persuasive smile.
She thought about it, sipping her coffee with a slightly furrowed brow. „If I get you the Scotch would you settle down and talk business?“
„Trying to bribe me?“ he demanded interestedly.
„I suppose so.“
He made a clucking sound, shaking his head. „To what depths will IAI sink in order to get their greedy little hands on my patents?“
Kali set down her mug and got determinedly to her feet. „I’ll get you another glass of Scotch, but in return I expect a little cooperation, Lang.“
He watched her over the tip of his shoe as she moved across the living room to a sleek white and chrome liquor cabinet. „Don’t forget the twist.“
„I don’t have any lemon. You’ll have to drink it plain.“ She poured the drink grudgingly and came gliding back to
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