Highest Rated Comments


janscheuermann967 karma

Because he looked like a Hector, Silly! He was modeled after a man's arm, so it had to be a male name. Coincidentally, we found out later that Hector means "to grasp" in Greek.

janscheuermann665 karma

At first, the arm didn't feel natural at all. Controlling it took a lot of concentration and effort. But within a couple weeks, I realized that thinking of it as my arm and trying to move it as I would my own arm made it work better, faster, and more smoothly. I don't think about controlling it anymore -- I just look at the target, and Hector moves there. I don't have to think "up, down, back, twist" -- I just envision what I want Hector to do, and he does it.

I can't imagine people ever deliberately cutting off healthy limbs to replace them with robotic ones. To me, that is the stuff of movies and science fiction.

janscheuermann580 karma

I could beat you at arm wrestling, but the arm is too slow to use as a weapon. Given enough time, Hector (the robotic arm) could write a disparaging comment about you.

janscheuermann553 karma

Thank you very much, on behalf of the entire research team! Some of the researchers have been working towards this end for 25 years, and I am so happy to help them achieve their goal.

janscheuermann504 karma

Cool, thanks for asking!

I would write a Murder Mystery script for as many guests as my client had, usually 10-20 characters. I gave each character a background, telling them their job, about a couple of key relationships, and their secret. When they got to the party, in costume as their character, I gave them scripts for the evening. I didn't give anyone lines; it was all ad-libbed by the guests. For instance, "At 9 o'clock, be in the dining room. Your ex-husband will be there. Tell him he has missed his last three alimony payments, and when he tries to make excuses, call him every name in the book." By the end of the evening, one of the characters would lay dead. As Inspector Clueless, I would lead the investigation and discussion, making sure all the clues came out. The guests would vote for who they thought was the killer, then the solution was revealed, and prizes awarded. I did this for 10 years, until my health failed, and it was the most fun and rewarding job I can imagine.