Astromech Droids vs Exocomps

[spaceluigi]

Just to clear this up, it is a modern, 20th Century space shuttle. Apparently the clue about landing at Kennedy Space Center didn't make it clear enough for some people. I chose the modern space shuttle so that the project did not involve constructing an item directly associated with any particular SF series; the technology should be easily within the grasp of any space-faring race.

There you have it.

I state again that the exocomps do not entirely need designs and schematics of the tool that which they want to replicate. To be sentient is to have self-will, and they could use that self-will to think up a tool for the job. Not to mention, they may have god knows how many tools in their data storage. Again, the astromechs are good, no doubt, but their limited tools will be a burden. Not to mention, that some of them would be absolutely useless toward the construction of a space shuttle, such as the little thing that shot the lightsaber out, or the buzz thing (shooting Ewoks, not the buzzsaw).

[Master of Ossus]

A dog could fix starships systems, with ease. Dogs were simply not meant to. Perhaps if Earth was an enormous starship with plasma relays and EPS conduits, dogs could do that. But, because dogs evolved on a planet without plasma relays and EPS conduits, they didn't evolve to incorporate those abilities.

Since dogs don't have opposable digits, I would be very surprised if they could repair anything.

Robots of today can store and actually repair current ships, they simply have yet to be put into space. Robots of today use computers of today, which are easily beaten by (as cited from Stephen Hawking's The Universe in a Nutshell) "...the brain of a humble earthworm." Dogs have larger brains, and a more complex nervous system. They require more to survive, yet they cannot build the ISS. Keep in mind, intelligence has nothing to do with being able to build something. Sentience would probably get in the way, as something without the clouded vision of emotion and thought would choose the most efficient way of constructing something, were it programmed to do so.

That doesn't make them better or worse than another system, it just makes them currently feasible.

A dog, were we to tap into its brain and reprogram it to fit our needs, would be the most advanced robot for YEARS to come.

So what? What does this have to do with the debate?

PS: I have no questionable ability to type. "Carboxylus the Beast", whom I know, has a slight typing impediment.

Okay.

PPS: Really and honestly, we're not the same person.

That's good to know.

[Isolder74]

R2 units Standerd Tool include

Heavy Lifting Arm
Fine work lifting Arm
Arc Welder
Cirular Saw
Fire Extinguisher
A rotating tool arm that he uses for mixing drinks
Hover Jets
At least 5 different computer linkage units


Plus twenty other unmaned tool that pop oiut when he is hit in RoTJ
he has at least 30 tool ports and it appears that more than one tool can come out of each one.

[CNS Sarajevo]

Just being annoying...

Here's why the astromechs win. The starting conditions say:

The Star Trek side gets a group of exocomps programmed to construct, maintain, and operate a Space Shuttle. The Star Wars side gets an equal number of Astromech Droids programmed to construct, maintain, and operate a Space Shuttle.

The astromech droids will begin building the shuttle on their own initiative. Actually what they'd probably do is build a transmitter, call NASA and say, "Please send a shuttle and bring us home." Anyway, the exocomps will sit there and do nothing until given human direction. The starting conditions don't specify that the order is already given.



I was about to give this one to the comps because they will be able to fabricate better tools--come on, people, they probably can--BUT...I don't think they can fly the shuttle home. They're advanced repair robots, not pilots, and astromechs have flown spacecraft before.

The comps finish theirs first but don't make it home. Mechs win. [/i]