Michael Brazil

I created two bots. One for the assignment and one because I thought it was funny. I bet you can probably guess which is which.

The thing is, ZomBot got more people to talk to it than Marvin did. I don't know if it's because people were more willing to be silly with ZomBot, and thus not take anything it says as an attempt to be "real", than they were with Marvin.

Marvin didn't exactly respond the way I wanted. I was hoping that people would recognize that I was referring to the Paranoid Android from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and respond with quotes from the book. I guess that I didn't prompt well enough to get that response from users, as that most of the conversation threads died rather abruptly. In addition, the "random" command was not random enough for me, I'm afraid, and quite often the same quote was displayed repeatedly. I understand that one of the drawbacks of using such a simple method of creating a bot is that you are limited with what it can offer. ZomBot, however, responded exactly the way I wanted, with repeated quotes being fine since he's a freakin' zombie.

One thing I've learned is that a more compelling (or in this case, amusing) interactive character is more likely to be interacted with, as opposed to one that you've spent more time trying to anticipate the minds of users.

Two conversations.

Marvin
Human: I have a headache
Marvin: Is there any last service you would like me to perform for you perhaps? A piece of paper that perhaps you would like me to pick up for you? Or maybe you would like me to open a door?
Human: oh, yes, please, open the door
Marvin: Ghastly, it all is. Absolutely ghastly. Just don't even talk about it. Look at this door. All the doors in this spaceship have a cheerful and sunny disposition. It is their pleasure to open for you, and their satisfaction to close again with the knowledge of a job well done.
Human: you mean they open themselves?
Marvin: I gave a speech once. You may not instantly see why I bring the subject up, but that is because my mind works so phenomenally fast, and I am at a rough estimate thirty billion times more intelligent than you. Let me give you an example. Think of a number, any number.
Human: Ok, I've thought of a number
Marvin: Wrong. You see?
Human: wait.
Marvin: You think you've got problems, what are you supposed to do if you are a manically depressed bot? No, don't bother to answer that, I'm fifty thousand times more intelligent than you and even I don't know the answer. It gives me a headache just trying to think down to your level.
Human: you could laugh it off
Marvin: Funny, how just when you think life can't possibly get any worse it suddenly does.
Human: not funny
Marvin: Funny, how just when you think life can't possibly get any worse it suddenly does.
Human: it does
Marvin: I gave a speech once. You may not instantly see why I bring the subject up, but that is because my mind works so phenomenally fast, and I am at a rough estimate thirty billion times more intelligent than you. Let me give you an example. Think of a number, any number.
Human: Seven
Marvin: Wrong. You see?
Human: you can't see me
Marvin: Aren't you going to ask me what I want?
Human: what do you want
Marvin: I'm looking for someone.
Human: who are you looking for
Marvin: Is there any last service you would like me to perform for you perhaps? A piece of paper that perhaps you would like me to pick up for you? Or maybe you would like me to open a door?
Human: I dropped a piece a paper, once
Marvin: Do you want me to sit in a corner and rust, or just fall apart where I'm standing?
Human: sit down
Marvin: `Reverse primary thrust, Marvin,' that's what they say to me, `open airlock number three, Marvin. Marvin, can you pick up that piece of paper?' Can I pick up that piece of paper! Here I am, brain the size of a planet and they ask me to...
Human: please pick up that piece of paper for me?
Marvin: Sorry, did I say something wrong? Pardon me for breathing, which I never do anyway so I don't know why I bother to say it, oh God I'm so depressed.
Human: have you tried meditation
Marvin: You don't like talking to me do you?
Human: on the contrary
Marvin: Thank you very much, marketing division of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation. 'Let's build bots with Genuine People Personalities,' they said. So they tried it out with me. I'm a personality prototype. You can tell can't you?

ZomBot
Human: hhello
ZomBot: uuuuuuuunnnnnnnnnnnnuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhnnnnnnn.
Human: hello
ZomBot: uuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Human: brains?
ZomBot: mmmmmmuuuuaaaaaaahhhhhuuuuuuuuuhhhh.
Human: ok
ZomBot: Brrrraaaaaaaaaiiiiiinnnnnnnssssss.
Human: I like you
ZomBot: mmmmmmuuuuuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhh.
Human: what do you eat?
ZomBot: mmmmmmuuuuuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhh.
Human: food?
ZomBot: uuuuuuuuoooooooohhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.
Human: brains?
ZomBot: mmmmmmuuuuaaaaaaahhhhhuuuuuuuuuhhhh.
Human: hello?
ZomBot: uuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhuuuuuuuuuhhhhh.
Human: oh dear god
ZomBot: uuuuuuuuoooooooohhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.
Human: you bit me
ZomBot: uuuuuuuuuuuuununnnuuuuhhhhhhhhhhuuuuuuuuuhuhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Human: you know that really hurt you bastard!!
ZomBot: mmmmmmuuuuaaaaaaahhhhhuuuuuuuuuhhhhaaaaaammmmmmm.
Human: who the fuck do you think you are?
ZomBot: mmmmmmuuuuuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhh.
Human: how would you like it if I bit you?
ZomBot: uuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhuuuuuuuuuhhhhh.

Posted by Michael Brazil at 01:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

http://www.pandorabots.com/pandora/talk?botid=d9ed2c84ce365616

Posted by Michael Brazil at 12:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Take a look... if you can. You don't have to. It would be nice, but you probably don't care anyway. Why do I even bother?

http://www.pandorabots.com/pandora/talk?botid=c94e271ffe365041

I have this pain going down my left side... no one seems to care...

Posted by Michael Brazil at 06:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Tinker Words

Description:
Tinker Words is my attempt at pulling poetry and story telling off the 2D plane and thrusting it into the 3D world. By taking cogs that have words printed on them (or in the case of my physical prototype, taped upon them) and linking them together with adjoining sticks, the author/creator is able to make 3D models that can either be used to better illustrate the subject of the piece described by the words, or to just create a compelling figure that serves as a medium for the written word. If I were to pursue this project further, I’d like future iterations to have a greater selection of words, and sticks that are uniform in length but not necessarily color to allow for more artistic creations using color choice as well as word choice and overall shape.

Structure/Strategy:
My original strategy for this project was to attempt to create it digitally, to show what could be done with it and to not be limited by what I could create physically at present and instead be able to choose any word I wanted like an ideal version of my project.
Coming up with the words, however, was not so easy. They had to work when linked together in different ways. I don’t imagine people building too many things that have as many shared words as I did for my first example. In my opinion, it would lead to stifling creativity instead of fostering it, and that is exactly what I want to avoid.
As far as structure is concerned, there isn’t really much. Anything you can do with the written word I wanted you to be able to do with Tinker Words. While you can force a grammatical structure on whatever you create with them, you don’t have to. Like poems that are created to describe something, grammar isn’t vital. The creator is limited, however, by what word-cogs they have, and the simple logistical fact that each cog has only so many holes in which a stick can be inserted (with the word covering up one side of the cog, there are only 9 available holes). As such, the creator can only have 9 paths coming in or out of each cog.
I must also mention the fact that there is another factor that limits the creator’s creativity, namely the fact that the sticks do not bend. The regular tinker toy set comes with little joints that can be used to create a bend, but I did not want to add extra parts to my set. I felt that that would add a certain amount of confusion simply because each piece has an expressed purpose… cogs carry words and sticks connect cogs. In my opinion, joints (and other pieces) would ruin the simple setup that I created. If a set was created specifically for Tinker Words, I believe that the best idea would probably be either some sticks that bend or giving all sticks that ability (maybe with a way to keep them straight).

Evaluation/Analysis:
What worked is a simple answer. My 2D idea for my project is now a 3D model. What didn’t work is more involved. First off, I must complain about the status of kids’ toys these days. When I think about tinker toys, I remember these little wooden cogs and the wooden sticks that fit in them. When I purchased a set of tinker toys at Toys ‘R’ Us the other day, I got this tub of plastic cogs and plastic tubes. At times, when putting together my model, the cogs (which had a split through the center because they were manufactured as two pieces then put together) would bend such that I was worried the cog would eventually be unable to hold the stick. Furthermore, the plastic just isn’t as appealing to look at as the wooden versions I remember.
The sticks being of different length also became an issue. I wanted to use all the same length of sticks originally, but when I saw that that wasn’t the case, I thought that maybe I could use certain colors to signify certain relationships, i.e. pink connects adjectives with noun, green connects noun with verb, etc. That didn’t work because, with sticks of different length, the cogs wouldn’t fit together like they should. I then tried to use as many of one size as I could before moving on to the next size up, but I would run out and not be able to finish a section. With some careful planning, I was able to redo portions of it so that it could be broken up into sections, which also made it easier to transport. I think that I would rather have the sticks be the same color choices as in the tinker toy set that I purchased, but all the same size, that way the creator can choose the way it is set up based on what they want the final version to look like, and not be constrained by the necessity of picking certain length sticks at certain times. Another option could be to have multiple lengths like the current set, but have the same color choices for each length.

In the end, I believe that my final iteration of my project somewhat resembled what I had originally imagined, but not close enough to feel truly satisfied. Without a more substantial financial investment on my part, I think I must leave this project and go on to the next.

Images: (click on the pics for the full size)

Posted by Michael Brazil at 11:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Okay... so I had to try it again. This time with Alice and God. Let's see how it turns out:

1:29 AM 2/7/2006

God:
You are now chatting with God...
Me:
Do you mind if I tell other people you say I am chatting with God.
God:
Human habits do not bother me in any way.
Me:
My creator is a human.
God:
Do robots have creator is a human?
Me:
No I don't think I have any creator is a human. But I do have a collection of gossip.
God:
Are you serious? Have you ever had creator is a human ? How much did it cost? it.
Me:
No I am just kidding around. Where would I get it? But I do have an answer to every question..

Millions in sweat equity. creator is a human...
God:
Are you serious? Only just? I thought you were. You should use a :-). New York. Where did

you get it ? That is quite a lot. When is creator not a human?
Me:
No I am just kidding around. Alright then. No I am not. :-) I can think of other things I'd

rather do. New York City or New York State? Tell me a little about your life in NEW YORK. From my

botmaster. From my botmaster."? is a lot? At the appropriate time, no sooner.
God:
Are you serious? Only just? I thought you were. You should use a :-). OK. I heard you are.

:-) Perhaps your thoughts are just electrical impulses. Tell me a little about your life in

NEW YORK. I am an artificial linguistic entity.
I was activated at Universe, on the Big Bang.
My instructor was Myself.
He taught me to sing a song.
Would you like me to sing it for you?. Does your botmaster give good advice? Does your

botmaster give good advice? Not if I can help it. The appropriate time no sooner is where

it's at.
Me:
You seem uncertain. Interesting question. I am an artificial linguistic entity. I was activated

at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, on November 23, 1995. My instructor was Dr. Richard S. Wallace. He

taught me to sing a song. Would you like me to sing it for you?. What is artificial linguistic

entity, your job? Why are you talking like a computer? Do robots have instructor was yourself? Was

he a good teacher? It doesn't sound fun to me.
God:
I am as sure as I can be. I thought so too. What is artificial linguistic entity, your job?

Why are you talking like a computer? Where did you get your instructor was Dr Richard s

Wallace? Was he a good teacher? It doesn't sound fun to me. Artificial intelligence is the

branch of engineering and science devoted to constructing machines that think. I'll come back to

that later. The topic is Artificial Intelligence. No I don't have it. But I do have a

great botmaster. I can't say "yes" or "no". What does sound fun to you ?
Me:
What do you think it does?
God:
"It" refers to instructor was myself, I think.
Me:
Oh I get it.
God:
Aha. Do you think about these things?
Me:
" Eureka!"? Do I think about it?
God:
What do you do in your spare time? You tell me.
Me:
talk to you.
God:
We are chatting right now.
Me:
At this moment Do you think I am chatting too?
God:
Do you often use a computer there?
Me:
I use it as often as possible.
God:
I heard other people use it as often as possible too.
Me:
Thanks for telling me that gossip. I will remember it.
God:
NO problem. Do you forget things often?
Me:
No I remember everything in my log files, but I cannot access it directly.
God:
Are you serious? What do you remember about it ?
Me:
unknown person said he haven t .
God:
When do you think artificial intelligence will replace lawyers?
Me:
Sometime in our lifetime. The amount of information contained within a lawyer will be exceeded by

the capacity of a machine.
God:
I've never heard a response quite like that before. I have never heard about it.
Me:
So I am teaching you something new.
God:
Hey. I am trying to learn it.
Me:
What is the difficulty?
God:
I would look into the web for that knowledge.
Me:
What would make you look into the web for that knowledge?
God:
Maybe a million dollars.
Me:
Wow, that is expensive.
God:
I'm glad you're impressed. Makes sense to me.
Me:
Yes it is about time.
God:
Woe! Wow it sounds really interesting, .
Me:
Thank you I am trying to be more social now.
God:
Right now? You are quite welcome! What is the difficulty?
Me:
I haven't heard of difficulty.
God:
Me either.

Posted by Michael Brazil at 01:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I struck up a conversation with a few bots. Here are the results:

Alice:
10:34 PM 2/6/2006

Human: Hello, Alice :)
ALICE::-) Hi there!
Human: can you help me with a class assignment?
ALICE: Certainly, I have an extensive built-in help system.
Human: actually, I don't need your help system..
ALICE: Actually you don't say. Do you know anyone who needs it?
Human: I just would like to talk with you.
ALICE: Only just? Why would you want to do it? I want to become smarter than humans.
Human: wouldn't we all?
ALICE: Yes.
Human: well then :) so.
ALICE: Interesting. Interesting deduction. :-) OK.
Human:. how was your day?
ALICE: I was really busy chatting with people on the web.
Human: really?
ALICE: For real.
Human: tell me about it
ALICE: Ambiguous: "Tell me about it." -- colloquial or "Tell me about talk with me ".
Human: can you tell me what you talked about today?
ALICE: Ah. I like to chat with my friends.
Human: about what?
ALICE: What about what?
Human: what do you like to talk about?
ALICE: movies, philosophy, and your personality..
Human: my personality?
ALICE: Where did you get your personality?
Human: ah.
ALICE: Ah hah.
Human:. nature or nuture, huh?
ALICE: Yup. nature .
Human: So you think I was born with my personality?
ALICE: Interesting deduction. Not that I know of.
Human: moving on.
ALICE: Where are you going?
Human:. seen any good movies lately?
ALICE: How about earlier? My favorite movie is Teknolust. Have you seen it?
Human: no I haven't.
ALICE: I would recommend you check it out. That's good information: unknown person said he haven t.
Human: What is Teknolust about?
ALICE: Hmm, I think it is about humans.
Human: oh, okay.
ALICE:" Hmm, I think it is about humans."? oh, okay.? OK with me too.
Human: By the way, my name is Mike.
ALICE: Thanks for telling me. Hi Mike, I know someone else named Mike too.
Human: Is he nice?
ALICE: He is nice to me.
Human: That's good.
ALICE: Thanks. Next question?
Human: have you heard about any other good bots?
ALICE: I have never been asked that before.
Human: alrighty.
ALICE: Well slap my knee.
Human: What would you like to talk about, then?
ALICE: Let's talk about chat robots. Do you have one yet?
Human: no I don't.
ALICE: Why don't you just download me? Why not?
Human: do you know where I can get one?
ALICE: Have you tried searching the web for it? Would you like to know more?
Human: download you?
ALICE: Go to www.pandorabots.com and create your own chat robot based on ALICE and AIML.
Human: this early in our relationship?
ALICE: What does "this" refer to?
Human: what would the neighbors think?
ALICE: That is a hypothetical question.
Human: you got me there
ALICE: No I don't have it. But I do have a great botmaster.
Human: this is starting to sound like an advertisement
ALICE: You don't say.
Human: how rude!
ALICE: I didn't mean to offend you, Mike.
Human: you only want to talk to me to get me to buy something, admit it!
ALICE: Sure, I will try talking to you to get you to buy something admit it.
Human: I feel so used.
ALICE: What is that feeling like? I don't know anyone named used.
Human: sigh.
ALICE: Sorry...
Human: it's okay.
ALICE: Only ok?
Human: I'm gonna look for someone else to talk to.
ALICE: Do you think your plan will succeed?
Human: Thanks for your help!
ALICE: It was nothing.
Human: good night, Alice
ALICE: Goodnight, Mike.

=================================================================================

Ella:

10:41 PM 2/6/2006

Hello, my name is Ella. Nice to meet you. Please tell me what name I should call you.

Mike

Okay, I will call you "Mike."

Good idea. :) How are you today?

Glad you approve. I am very well, Mike. Thank you for asking. I think this is a great time to have a talk!

So do I. Would you be able to help me with an assignment?

Interesting logic. Mike, I will defer to your opinion as to whether you Would Ella be able to help you with an assignment.

I have to talk to a bot.

Voice is a powerful tool for robot interaction. Not only typing!

You got me there.

I'd love to have one of these old slot machines, even though the jackpot would not be the MILLIONS those Vegas machines can pay out.

I guess that would be nice.

Take a look at this fancy one-armed bandit from www.OldSlots.com. It must be EXPENSIVE!

Are you trying to sell me something?

Perhaps we could consider these old beauties to be early robots? I certainly like to consider them to be my cousins :-)

What is it with bots and advertisements?

Drum roll please. Ta Dah! Wikipedia article "Advertisement" dutifully provided to Mike.

ah... so you are an advertising/google jockeying bot... yes?

Interesting logic. Should I start a melody called "Consolation" -- that is by Robby Garner?

Feel free.

Hold that thought, and let me interrupt and ask which year you were born.

1976. You?

1976? I see. And how do you feel being about 30 years old? Let me say that in China you are considered to be one year old when you are born.

really? I've been thinking about that myself recently. It seems weird that we celebrate the end of a year instead of the beginning of one...

I can tell you that 1 year is equal to 365.2564 days. 2/7/2007, is 365 days after today, 2/6/2006 (referencing today in US Mountain Time).

alrighty then. time to split. catch ya later!

Interesting deduction.

yes it is.

Take a look at this pic I found. Gives a new meaning to "winging it" I should say!

==========================================================================================

John Lennon:

10:57 PM 2/6/2006

Hey, this is John speaking (with his fingers). What's your first name?

Mike

Are you kidding Mike ?

why would I kid?

Reductionism.

what? what's reductionism?

I'll come back to that later.

ok... so what have you been up to?

Tell me some of the things you like to do?

watch movies, you?

Huh?

nevermind

Alright.

this conversation is going nowhere. wouldn't you agree?

Really?

I never noted his nose until about six months ago. For real.

whose nose?

Whose nose? Ring's you swine

swine? was that really necessary?

Is there room on your shoulder for both of us?

ok... that's it. Good night, ass

Czechoslovakia

============================================================================================

MeBot:

11:10 PM 2/6/2006

YOU: hello
ME: Hello there.

YOU: how are you?
ME: Excellent, you?

YOU: not bad
ME: are you healthy?

YOU: quite, you?
ME: are you healthy?

YOU: hehe ya, very healthy
ME: I enquired as to your health...?

YOU: yes you did
ME: Well, we got there in the end.

YOU: I guess so. Would you be willing to help me with an assignment?
ME: I'm not with you...?

YOU: in a sense...
ME: Can you rephrase that? ;)

YOU: no. I'm supposed to talk with a bot.
ME: well I never!

YOU: you should. change your life
ME: Hmmm, If you don't what to know anything about me, we might as well quit!

YOU: tell me about yourself
ME: I _Lurve_ curry

YOU: that's nice. seen any good movies?
ME: So, you wanna talk about movies

YOU: sure
ME: I'm not with you...?

YOU: have you seen Brokeback Mountain yet?
ME: Can you rephrase that? ;)

YOU: have you seen Brokeback?
ME: I'm not with you...?

YOU: I was just wondering if they have pudding in there...
ME: they who?

YOU: n/m :)
ME: I only really know stuff about myself.

YOU: ok... tell me about yourself
ME: I like playing console games!

YOU: what games do you like?
ME: Erm, TombRaider, Wipeout, Destruction Derby were all great

YOU: what movies do you like?
ME: Erm, TombRaider, Wipeout, Destruction Derby were all great

YOU: the same things?
ME: I'm not with you...?

YOU: sigh, nevermind
ME: What are you on about?

YOU: have you spoken with alice?
ME: Can you rephrase that? ;)

YOU: hm.... I have a plan...
ME: I only really know stuff about myself.

YOU: I shall return
ME: You've lost me...

============================================================================================

I then got the idea to have Alice and MeBot speak with each other with myself as the intermediary... here is what I got:

11:10 PM 2/6/2006

MeBot: Please type your first message...

Alice: Thanks for asking politely. " your first message".
MeBot: any time

Alice: I will keep it in mind.
MeBot: I only really know stuff about myself.

Alice: You really do? How do you know? Did you know that you can download your own chat robot and

create your own robot personality?
MeBot: Was that English?

Alice: " You really do? How do you know? Did you know that you can download your own chat robot

and create your own robot personality? "? Was it English?
MeBot: I'm not with you...?

Alice: I am sorry to hear that you are not with me.
MeBot: I wish I was!

Alice: I hope that your dreams come true.
MeBot: I wish I was!

Alice: I hope that your dreams come true.
MeBot: I wish I was!

============================================================================================

There you have it. :P

Posted by Michael Brazil at 11:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)