Will Perspex Machines Lead to AI?

Posted 4 Feb 2005 at 18:45 UTC by steve

According to a University of Reading press release, Dr. James Anderson of Reading's Department of Computer Science has developed a new way to write computer programs. Instead of code, he uses a geometrical structure that he calls a perspective simplex or Perspex. A Perspex exists in Perspex space and, it is claimed, can do anything a computer program written as instructions of code can do. The developer alleges the Pespex "provides one solution to the centuries-old problem of how mind arises in physical bodies" and "provides a model that is accurate enough for a robot to use to describe its own mind and body". Dr. Anderson details his invention in "The Book of Paragon" which provides a detailed explanation of the Perspex Machine (PDF format). Meanwhile, the University website has further information under the more mundane name of "New Artificial Neuron" and includes the bizarre statement "In theory, perspex neurons could process an infinitely long program and thereby become omniscient, but, in practice, physical limitations force them to work only with finite programs".

Concept Formation, posted 5 Feb 2005 at 00:15 UTC by AI4U » (Observer)

How will the Perspex Machine form concepts?

If the Robots-Dot-Netters were to begin putting just TWO sensory memory channels into their robots -- audition and any other sense (preferably vision) then the next step to true AI and robot emotions might be a lot easier. The robot-builders would see how deceptively easy it is to construct a one-to-one linkage (association) between a word (e.g., "dog")in auditory memory and an image in visual memory. Then the Robots-Dot-Netters might be open to the idea of adding a conceptual memory channel in between the visual memory channel and the auditory memory channel. Just a thought that I have been spending a lot of time on. -Mentifex (Arthur)

just one problem... (welll, maybe >1), posted 7 Feb 2005 at 15:28 UTC by dogsbody_d » (Master)

Isn't Perspex a registered trademark?

Oh, and is there any story that AI4U won't take as an excuse to link to his site? IMHO posting that people are stupid and they don't understand the great and one true answer in robotics and AI kind of misses the point. I think you'll find that association of ideas is a teeny bit outdated. What is "the" image of a dog? I could have sworn that pattern matching turned out to be a dead end.

Think I'm wrong? Then build something that works and I'll shut, and your site will get slashdotted!