AlphaLab is a long term project. We will have different things we build in different parts of the system. In fact, the first steps will be the mechanical construction of the machine itself. We will build a robot skeleton, and then we will add flesh and skin and flesh to it. We will build it in stages, and build the first prototypes as we go. In this stage of the project we will be building a lot of things, and not just the building itself.
When we add components to the machine, we will understand what they can do. We will be able to make sure we have the right components and connect them properly. If we do the design work well, the build will be more than it needs to be. We will build AlphaLab in sections. We will do it in stages.
“Wait.” he said. “When you build it, why do you have to build it in stages?”
“Well, because some things will only work when the thing around it is working. A car engine, for example, is a big, complicated system of pistons and valves and exhaust manifolds and a whole lot of other parts. To work, it needs a whole lot of parts to work together. If you built it all at once, and tried to build the car engine from the inside out, it would all fit, and you would be fine. But, you wouldn’t have any pistons or valves or exhaust manifolds or exhaust pipes or oil pans. You would need some parts to build the others before you could even start building the car engine, but it would only be a pile of parts, nothing that you could make a car out of.”
“Why would you build the AI system out of stages?”
“Well, because you can’t build an AI system that is completely new, from scratch. There are too many factors that you have to understand and calculate. You have to understand all of the parts you are using, and you have to understand how they interact. If you made the components at the same time, you might need a special component that you are planning on building, but you don’t have, yet. Or, you might need to start your thinking on what components to build a long time before you are even sure you have the component. If you build in stages, then you know for sure you can make everything you need before you even start building any of it.”
“So, how do you build the robot in stages?”
“We will put it together in stages. We will build the motor first, and put it in a special holder for the robot. Then we will build the robot, and put it in a robot-shaped holding machine. Then we will build the legs and the body, and put them in the final robot body. Once we have it working, we will build the last few components, and put them in the final robot.”
“How will you know when you are ready?”
“Well, you will build the body first. The body will be the hardest part.”
AlphaLab will be a body. “So, what is the body for?”
“The body is for AlphaLab. It is a holder for the whole thing. Once we get the whole thing working, it will be possible to build the motor and the holding machine and put them in the body, and use them for other projects. But, you are right, a body without a skeleton is just a pile of parts. If the motor is already working, you can start thinking about the rest of the parts.”
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