Drunkard's Walk Forums

OK, blame M Fnord and the rest of the Candle crew for getting me off my ass and working on these. I was (as always, slowly. Grrr...) working on some fic ideas involving these when I caught the latest Mk. II Candle chapter and got inspired.

Why can't this happen for my stories?!?

Ahem.

Comment would be very welcome, as per usual.

First up, the Wrist-com update...

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==Com-links (Wrist-Com Mk. III)==

In 2016, A.C. significantly re-designed the wrist-coms using new technologies and tacking advantage of further technology development.

The first new technology introduced was ‘’’Quantum Dot Camera-Displays’’’, an array of fullerene structures that act as both display and camera. This allowed A.C. to remove the touch-screen and cameras, plus allowing full coverage stealth on the device. Besides being semi-projective and touch sensitive in themselves and allowing real-time 3D visuals, combined with advancements in other technologies (Li-Fi compatibility was also introduced), it allowed enough space for a proper holo-projector and the second new technology.

This was the ‘’’Neural Induction Pad’’’. An extrapolation of the Neural Induction Helments used by [[Fen Sports#King of Fen-ers|KoFen] among others, it attached to the users Kinaesthetic sense allowing the use of a holo-terminal (or AR terminal for those with privacy concerns).

Mil-spec com-links (called a ‘’Patrol Link’’, in keeping with tradition.’Tradition’ being one previous type, but you know Fen.) not only took advantage of the reduction in bulk granted by the civilian version, but with the combination of the bio-monitor and neural induction pad into the sensor arrayTechnically speaking, only the NIP got integrated, as it in combination with the sensor array could ‘’also’’ act as a bio-monitor. allowed the use of more powerful processors making it more of a computer than a smartphone.

==Omni-Tools==

Once it was shown to be possible to integrate interactive holo-graphics in a simple manner, several other companies started work on other products using the same features. One of the more common ideas was adaption of the [[Sensor Technology#Handheld Sensors|Tacorder]. The end result was like a cut-down version of the Patrol Link, pretty much a wearable Tablet PC with Wi-Fi and a sensor suite. These became popular with those who wanted or needed more computer power than a standard com-link and didn’t stray much from well-connected areas. These became known as ‘’’Omni-tools’’’.

==Mk. II Com-links/ Mk. IV Wrist-coms ==

2019 bought about another update to the Wrist-com/Com-link. Outside general improvements (higher resolution displays, faster data transmission, updated coms-protocols), the main improvements was in computing capacity. This allowed a ‘’’Muse’’’ to be installed, and allowed the use of several ‘’’V.I.s’’’ at once.
The Mil-spec version also had improved sensor ranges (up to 20 Metres).

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And now the A.I. update...

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=== Virtual Intelligences===

In 2016, [[ACP Engineering Company#Orion Computer Products|OCP] (a.k.a. [[Lebia Maverick]), released by GPL the ‘’’SmartEngine Agent’’’. Some wag on the InterWave called them ‘Visionaire Intelligences’, which was immediately turned into Virtual Intelligences and thus ‘’’V.I.s’’’.

These semi-autonomous agents are genius-level tools (they are rated 0.6 to 0.75 DeltaThat is, 60 to 75% above the base Delta classification.), performing their tasks far more quickly than any human.

They consist of four main components:
* The SmartEngine kernel
* A Persona module – This gives the agent some personality for interaction. Besides several generic options, several well-known A.I.s have licenced (or sell directly) their likenesses for this use.[[Trigon] also did this, but it got withdrawn and edited after it was found to be a bit ‘’too’’ much like him.
* A Memory Management Controller – This allows the agent to store settings and a small interaction database.
* The Knowledge Database – This is the most complicated part of the agent, consisting of a multi-path relational database of actions and reactions.

A V.I. is tremendously helpful, but quite hard to make the database for. To show the utility of the V.I. system, OPC arranged a demonstration. Two [[Warsies|Warsie] pilots were chosen and put into otherwise identical A-Wings at the Warsie flight school and set into a best of five dogfight. One was an A-Wing instructor, the other was a skilled X-Wing pilot who got the V.I.
The result was not the easy win for the instructor the observers expected, but a gruelling series of high-intensity dogfights that finished 3-2 to the instructor by the barest of margins.

It is possible to optimise a V.I., making it even faster and smaller, but it comes at the downside that it can’t swap databases or persona (as they are compiled into the agent), making it necessary to swap the complete agent to use another and to properly upgrade it rather than switch the database for an up-to-date version.
The main limitations to V.I.s are their focus and the difficulty of crafting the database for them. A system as complicated as a fighter is about all they can manage, requiring multiple specific V.I.s for a ship (engines, sensors, navigation, etc…) with a controller V.I. managing them.Unlike a ship-mind, which intrinsically knows how to manage and use all its components.

While their utility was proven, their uptake was slow due to the above-mentioned difficulty of DB construction (especially the more complicated devices) for anyone not a Class-C A.I. themselves. To speed things up in 2017 OCP released a Mk. II version (allowing the agent to read a second database while running another) along with an optimised V.I. specifically crafted to help construct the databases.Several other authors had already done so as they got used to the construction methods.

{|{{sidebar}}
|{{tableheader}}|A Multitude of Voices…
|-
|One problem that turned up as more V.I.s got used was how to refer to collections of them. What eventually became the common name was a ‘’’Chorus’’’. As is the way, this expanded.
|-
| * ‘’’Chorus’’’ – A collection of V.I. agents working for one goal (like running a ship).
| * ‘’’Conductor’’’ – The ultimate authority over the V.I.s in use. Normally the User, but may be a Muse.
| * ‘’’Lead’’’ – In the case where there are multiple ‘’’Chorus’’’ to be managed, a separate management V.I. is normally used per ‘’’Chorus’’’. This is called the ‘’’Lead’’’ V.I.
| * ‘’’Choir’’’ – A level of priority for agents. A ‘’’Chorus’’’ of ‘’Leads’’ are of a different ‘’’Choir’’’ in this case. Normally referred to by rank, with higher values being lower priority e.g. the second/2nd ‘’’Choir’’’ is of higher rank than the fourth/4th ‘’’Choir’’’.
| * ‘’’Orchestra’’’ – A large collection of V.I.s, normally of three or more ‘’’Choirs’’’. Sometimes broken into ‘’’Sections’’’.
| * ‘’’Section’’’ – A subdivision of an ‘’’Orchestra’’’.
|-
|The only known regularly in use Orchestra is in the systems of the [[Alexandria Archive].
|}

===Muses===

2018 saw the release of ‘’’Muses’’’, personal assistance agents with some learning abilities (normally used to learn the personality/behaviour of their User). They come with a bewildering array of persona options, and are able to manage most of its User’s equipment and V.I.s. This gives a Muse a 0.85 Delta rating.

Some people don’t seem to get on with muses; this is mostly down to not understanding that they take a few months to establish their reaction database and not choosing the persona options carefully.
Other people don’t like the idea of muses, and avoid them.

Those who ‘’do’’ get on with their muse find them an excellent partner, and wonder how they got on without one. No-one’s '‘married’’ their muse, but one user showed heavy grief when he lost his (and his arm). He lucked out, as muses can be backed up (and it had done so automatically).

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So, what do you think?

I think quite a few AIs will keep an eye on this... creating useful "non-sentient/sapient) expert systems is one thing, giving them learning capabilities might put them right onto the path of a "dumb/retarded full AI"... which will result in all kinds of unpleasant questions.

HRogge Wrote:I think quite a few AIs will keep an eye on this... creating useful "non-sentient/sapient) expert systems is one thing, giving them learning capabilities might put them right onto the path of a "dumb/retarded full AI"... which will result in all kinds of unpleasant questions.

It's more or less how I assumed adaptable Expert Systems actually worked. How TITANIC mostly worked..... being sort of a chaotic agglomeration and construction of the various open-source expert systems and VI's out there. (And possibly the largest and most powerful one in existance). And more specifically, exactly how the VOOMER core systems at the heart of the Knight Saber hardsuits are supposed to work. Although at the same time, VOOMER core is structurally different with a different origin in a way that'll be partly familiar to anyone who's watched Bubblegum Crisis 2040... and knows how Mackie was created.

I assumed VI's as a whole would be more common, and more generally available from different sources. And be the usual option for those who felt uncomfortable with the 'just wave an AI' approach to system control and monitoring.

There's one other disadvantage to adaptable VI's.... it takes them time to adapt to their new user, and there's a real possibility that a new user can be working at cross purposes with their VI, or spending more time correcting output from the VI than doing what they're supposed to be doing before the system adapts to their specific characteristics. For your average pilot, it can be annoying until they both merge. For a combat pilot, it could potentially be a lethal distraction, and introduce variances in control and behaviour between two spacecraft, ostensibly of the same type. (More than there might normally be)

There's also the potential for an adaptive system to pick up 'bad habits' from its users over time. But any adaptive system is vulnerable. Once you've got the ability to learn and adapt in there, there's no guarantee that it'll learn the 'right' thing to do. There's a joke I had in mind, about an autonomous, VI driven car built by Nekomi Motor Club. When it comes time to demonstrate it publicly, they take it out onto the streets of Kandor city.... only to find that instead of braking for a yellow light, it accelerates. It tailgates. It speeds everywhere. It cuts people off and generally drives a bit like a dick. The punchline being "Mackie's been driving it recently"

In Heavy Gear, 'Gear Trainer' is a specific profession of skilled Gear Pilot's, specifically to prevent new Gears from learning bad habits from their first pilots. While subsequent pilots are still capable of teaching them bad habits, to the point where older Gears can be pretty quirky.

It was also the reason why the individual Knight Sabers were specifically chosen. They had personalities specifically compatible with their hardsuit cores, which meant for less adaptation to the existing Stingray designs which are built around 4 specific people. VOOMER cores just aren't as adaptible.

VI's can also get in the way of a true expert on the topic - who will know where and how the limits can be exceeded, or when the standard 'best practice' will be exactly the wrong thing to do, or have developed their own techniques beyond what the expert system knows. Or for that matter, get in the way of a person's development and prevent them from becoming a true expert on the subject. They learn how to use the expert system and operate with its crutches, rather than actually learn what they are really doing. (It strikes me that this argument has been made before, many times..... whenever anything makes a 'computer' easier to use)

As an aside, someone in universe might also make the argument that an experienced X-Wing pilot might well have more (or more recent) direct combat experience than an A-wing instructor who spends the majority of their time transitioning pilots between types, or teaching newbies how to fly. For a proper, controlled test, the same combat trial would need to be run without the VI aiding the X-wing pilot..... but if you're trying to sell something you don't need a controlled test.

Not criticising or complaining, mind. Not at all.
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--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?

OK. I admit that I knocked these together in about 3 hours, so I probably didn't think as much as I should about possible effects. The Muse learning ability was a way of stepping up the capabilities of the V.I. interaction DB. In the V.I. case, it stores the best way to get info across to the User (i.e. a fighter V.I. speaking calmly during a malfunction to guide the pilot in fixing it if it can't, verses it yelling 'Break Right!' on a weapons lock). The Muse would have a far more nuanced DB of action-reaction links.

Yes, I'm trying to put Eclipse Phase Muses into Fenspace.

Still, I can change it to something like:
2018 saw the release of ‘’’Muses’’’, personal assistance agents with a far more nuanced interaction database generator used to learn the personality/behaviour of their User in multiple scenarios.

Better?

The idea is to give V.I.s and Muses personalities to interact with, much like any pet owner will tell you about their pets. None of them will pass a Turing test (I explicitly stated they were merely high Delta, not low Gamma), but that doesn't stop them being characters.

Nothing about the Wrist-com updates then?

Edit:
Dartz, there were probably more 'V.I.' systems out there, but they all had a bit of 'Wave in them to assist (cybernetics in particular use this system, adapting to the user while the user adapts to the arm. With the correct acclimatisation this allows very quick recovery from implantation, but the adaption is limited to smoothing out the interface between meat and electronics). The V.I.s I describe here are pretty much hardtech software. As long as your system has the 'omph' to run them, they'll work as designed. The 'Gear Trainer' is how the system/database gets debugged. All the cleverness is in the DB, mostly in how to shift from one state (flying along without trouble) to another (damaged, entering combat).

Quote:Nothing about the Wrist-com updates then?

We aren't all on the forums 24×7... Give me some time to read all this.
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

@CG: yes, thats better...

the wrist-com thing seems to be a pretty normal progression from the original one, so not that much to comment about. Just one thing (after second reading), the "sensor range 20m" doesn't really make sense unless you want to specify the type of active sensor. Passive sensors don't have a fixed "range" anyways.

I had a strange thought, but an interesting one.

These systems are adaptable and learning, as is the biological system they're implanted into? (From a cyber's perspective anyway)

The VI's start off as discrete devices, with discrete and separate signalling paths from the mind, but they are continuously adapting themselves to the mind, while at the same time the wetware of the mind is adapting to accommodate them.

Eventually, there must come a point where both cyber and VI have effectively merged into some form of combination. Some of the interfaces with the VI that might normally require conscious action now start happening unconsciously.... or for that matter, the VI being able to back-drive the brain (for want of a better term), using clusters of neurons and the like that are currently sitting idle and unused to do things that brains actually do reasonably well. Eventually, to the point where loosing the VI might be the equivelant of cutting a good chunk of the brain out...

It might make upgrades tricky. Or it might enable far more, especially if it's just the software.

When you get into things like this, there's no real limit to them. I fiddled with some concepts but wasn't sure how to broach them in fiction - and didn't just want to BLAT it onto the forum because I emit enough cruft..... but once you've got software agents that're effectively a physical part of the mind, there's no real rule that says they have to be running on hardware located within the body. Latency would be a concern, but for really crunchy computing tasks on an external system it might be faster to offload the work, then just have it reported back through some form of datalink.

This lets some really fun things happen. You've effectively made the human mind expandible now. It might even be a step towards enabling digital skillsoft's, or any number of Exciting New Things.

But it's possible to go even further, in the other direction. The interfaced hardware can now call on the cyber to do work for it as part of the exchange.

If you take, for example, Jet and a specially modified motorslave. Even when they're not docked with each other, the motoroid can effectively function as a part of Jet's 'body', while at the same time it's more advanced processors and sensors can be slipstreamed into the software-based VI's, accelerating their capabilities. It can ask her rapidly if a target is friend or foe, while Jet can rapidly communicate her intentions to it, having it either cover her, open fire on the targets she's selected, all the while with the machine's own intelligences working in concert with her own to enable both systems. Then, on docking, you get the full high bandwidth link... minimal latency.... it's like adding a massive expansion board. It's all just happening faster and faster... almost faster than the machine can actually go.

The real fun stuff comes if a luck shot knocks Jet unconscious while docked. Most of the major systems are probable still operating. Anyone sensible would probably have limiters in place to prevent this sort of thing, but Jet's probably got the right amount of smarts to be capable of trying it, and the right lack of foresight to maybe not realise it's a bade idea. Jet's experience, skill and abilities still remain locked inside her mind - the neurons are still physically connected and capable of firing - there's no reason they can't be triggered by an outside source and used by the systems of the motoroid for an emergency 'Get me home' function, or to keep fighting J1-style. (Rumours of a neutron bomb program being exagerrated - it's a drive system, honest.) Then again, there is the origin of Mackie to consider, which happened because a digital system tried to do just that, and the resulting damage to her self-identity....

It's mildly frustrating, because while I do like messing with these ideas. Messing with them in a way that produces a worthwhile an interesting story just isn't happening..... I doubt there's even wiki content in there.

But, some of what you've got up there, on a second reading, is starting to seem to me like it could be the beginning of the merging of Cybernetic Intelligence and Biological Intelligences into something new and exciting in a way that seems to be worth reaching for. (Or maybe I've launched off on a complete tangeant, my manager tells me I tend to do that).

It's a tantalising step towards a future where humanity begins to transcend the limits of being human and become a new and bigger form of life.
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--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?

OK, as we've had no comments for over a week, I've gone ahead and added the updates to the http://www.fenspace.net/index.php5?title=Wrist-coms]Wrist-coms and http://www.fenspace.net/index.php5?titl ... telligence]A.I. pages.