Outlook

Mindset

A New Outlook

            The actions you take in life are a direct result of your outlook. You have a reason for doing and not doing everything. Sometimes we think that we understand why we are acting and reacting in the way we are. Think of the most difficult task you have ever accomplished in your life. How did you perceive the situation before you started or at the moment you realized the work and effort involved? The point of struggle is the point of truth; will I give it all I have or will I give in?

            Imagine that you are an engineer. You are on the cutting edge of science and you understand most of the capabilities we have as well as the direction we are heading. Imagine that you have a boss who tells you the next assignment. “I want you to build a completely autonomous humanoid that has all of the dexterity we have as well as the ability to reason and generate thought. It does not have to take the same shape or form as us; it merely has to be able to function as equals or better then what we are capable of.”

            As your boss describes more and more of the task ahead you realize more and more that we are generations away from even knowing what such a program or piece of hardware looks like. You can imagine the whole thing of course, but you cannot picture the steps it would take to design this prototype. You go to work in your own mind trying to construct the entire thing but it keeps hitting a number of walls. The task is impossible and completely overwhelming.

            Then a thought enters your mind. When you see a man with an artificial arm at the grocery store. It all becomes clear to you now. Perhaps you are still many decades from success but you can see the first few steps and it is encouraging. You will build your prototype from this model. You will improve the autonomy of individuals with no mobility and as you work from this point of view you will see the problems you need solved getting solved.

            In the beginning of the scenario you were trying to start with nothing and build an amazing autonomous being from the ground up. More power to you if you think you have the ability… go to work. If on the other hand you do not know where to start… look at what we do know and work backwards. The first autonomous limb gives birth to the second and larger one that is more advanced. Soon the quadriplegics have entire body suits that respond from the thoughts streaming out of their minds. Next you imitate the thought patterns if such a thing is possible.

            My scenario is meant to be out of this world crazy and the point is much simpler. If you look at what you know and understand rather than what you do not know… you will build a bridge to what you cannot yet understand.  Keep looking from the point of view of what you already know and understand. I know little about robotics or engineering… I only know that we should take lessons from what is working now and build upon that knowledge in order to grow into the next level of knowledge that is out there.

            Your mind can always find a new outlook… just keep looking.