Word: robots
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...other faction, based in the Sulu islands, is led by Galib Andang, nicknamed Commander Robot for the mechanical way he dances. Addicted to shabu (methamphetamines) and married to at least two of his female ex-kidnap victims, Andang directed the Sipadan raid. He is also known to be generous: so much of the Sipadan ransom spilled over onto his native island Jolo that the dollar fell among local traders from 50 pesos to 25. Another Sulu island commander is Raddulan Sahirun. In his 60s, Raddulan wears two revolvers around his waist like a fast-draw artist, even though...
...This time around, the easy listening kitsch of Moon Safari has been retired in favor of a dark machine-age psychedelia, undercut with a healthy dose of tongue-in-cheek humor. The opening track Electronic Performers sets the tone: amid distorted guitars, orchestral flourishes and spectral choirs, disembodied robot voices sing of love and desire...
...noted scientist of the remote future lays down a piquant challenge to his colleagues at Cybertronics Manufacturing. "I propose that we build a robot who can love...a robot that dreams." Hurrah and alas, his dream is realized. Two years later, Cybertronics has assembled the perfect child, "always loving, never ill, never changing," and has found a potentially ideal couple to adopt him--or try him out. But we know the danger of answered prayers. Real life is messy; love can break your heart. Even the heart of a "toy boy" like David, who will be abandoned...
...robot might hope that a woman's love could make him human. David is the cybergenic triumph of Professor Hobby (William Hurt). Who wouldn't want this perfect child, years past colic and teething, years before the gonadal eruptions of puberty? The chosen "parent" is Henry (Sam Robards), a Cybertronics employee whose wife Monica (Frances O'Connor) has sunk into remorse because their son Martin (Jake Thomas) is in a coma. So here's a pick-me-up for a grieving mother: a machine that looks and acts like a kid--the best kid ever...
Despite the rave reviews, robot-assisted surgery is still in its infancy. While the da Vinci does offer realistic "force feedback," similar to a high-end joystick, it isn't developed to the point where surgeons truly get their valuable sense of "feel." Developing teletaction - long-distance feel - has proven to be a slow process, with current prototypes years away from functioning at a useful level. But surgeons are intrigued by the ability of da Vinci and its closest competitor, Computer Motion's Zeus, to spread knowledge. An expert surgeon could be sitting in his office, watching over the shoulder...