Slog - Comments on A.I.: Asshole Intelligence http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence In the future, robots will be crawling up your ass. Seriously. As if the idea of colonoscopies didn't sound uncomfortable enough, now researchers are developing self-propelling probes that crawl inside the colon and grip its sides with the aid of sticky films. Still, these slithery devices could lead to better, safer, more comfortable colonoscopies to help uncover cancerous polyps.... Copyright 2008 Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:13:55 -0800 Sat, 29 Mar 2008 05:10:17 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by Johnny I have to have a colonoscopy soon and am dreading it. I'd much rather have teeny robots running around inside of me that a long tube.

]]> Johnny http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984109 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984109 Science Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:22:22 -0800 Comment by Hernandez This may threaten the job security of Richard Gere's gerbil.

]]> Hernandez http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984124 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984124 Science Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:28:21 -0800 Comment by Westside forever they can call it the "hagfish"

]]> Westside forever http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984125 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984125 Science Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:29:24 -0800 Comment by keshmeshi Time for another remake of I Am Legend.

]]> keshmeshi http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984140 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984140 Science Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:41:03 -0800 Comment by Fnarf I'm with Johnny. "Sticky films" sound a lot better than "man jamming fifty feet of tube up my ass".

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984149 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984149 Science Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:47:38 -0800 Comment by No Big Deal @ #1

They aren't a big deal. I actually had my first colonoscopy this morning. I strongly recommend "twighlight anesthesia" - you don't feel or remember a thing (Kinda like an IV "roofie").

But please don't put it off. In my line of work, I've talked to quite a few YOUNG people who ended up with colostomy bags, because they didn't get things checked out soon enough.

Good luck!

]]> No Big Deal http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984157 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984157 Science Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:54:04 -0800 Comment by Tlazolteotl crawl inside the colon and grip its sides with the aid of sticky films

Oh sure - that sounds comfortable. (Doc, can I have another Vicodin, please? kthx!)

]]> Tlazolteotl http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984166 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984166 Science Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:58:03 -0800 Comment by Mike of Renton I would be worried that the robot would get lost and not find it's way out.

]]> Mike of Renton http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984171 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984171 Science Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:01:50 -0800 Comment by Mike It shouldn't have any trouble finding its way out. It might not come out the right end, but there are only two directions.

]]> Mike http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984178 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984178 Science Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:04:19 -0800 Comment by COMTE @8:

One would think the adhesive film would break down over time, and the lil' fella would eventually pass out through the normal means of egress from the colon.

I can't wait for the day when the OED adds the term "roboshit" to the English language

]]> COMTE http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984183 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984183 Science Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:06:03 -0800 Comment by John Gotta agree with #6.

The worst part of my colonoscopy was the nasty salty laxative you have to take as prep, and the entire night of painfull cramps and shooting liquid out my ass that it caused. I don't even remember anything from the proceedure itsself, just a big blank from them injecting something into the IV and me getting woken up in the recovery room an hour later.

]]> John http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984185 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984185 Science Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:08:09 -0800 Comment by Mike Roboshit, huh? Is anyone else thinking Terminator 5?

]]> Mike http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984187 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984187 Science Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:08:57 -0800 Comment by Collin Oh my god! They've invented gay robots! Someone call Focus on the family!

]]> Collin http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984198 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984198 Science Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:15:26 -0800 Comment by NapoleonXIV Nice to see our government finally putting its top-secret space alien technology to work.

]]> NapoleonXIV http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984200 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984200 Science Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:16:33 -0800 Comment by Heather This is not news. NASA sent a probe to Uranus over 20 years ago.

]]> Heather http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984210 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984210 Science Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:20:06 -0800 Comment by michael strangeways GO, GO, ASSBOTS!!

]]> michael strangeways http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984224 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984224 Science Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:25:27 -0800 Comment by Mike in MO Will they be equipped with anti-pin worm phasers?

]]> Mike in MO http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984240 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984240 Science Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:34:41 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle I think Johnny wins. I just hope they don't run on a Microsoft OS ...

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984249 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984249 Science Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:40:11 -0800 Comment by Madashell Hey 1 and 6, Happy Post-Colonoscopy to you!
I'm involved with patient care around these procedures, and you're right on about the nasty, colon-blowing prep. That really is the worst part - during the procedure, the patient usually gets via IV a narcotic, along with a drug in the same family as valium. That cocktail keeps you loopy and comfortable throughout the procedure.
If there was any more immediate need of improvement (rather than scopes vs robots), I'd say it would be great to have a better prep medication than the big jug of stuff you have to drink beforehand. IMO that's the hardest part of having one of these done.

]]> Madashell http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984356 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984356 Science Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:50:47 -0800 Comment by Madashell Oops, I meant 6 & 11. But 1, really, just get through the prep and you should be OK.

]]> Madashell http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984364 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984364 Science Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:52:56 -0800 Comment by elenchos If you're going to give away the whole plot of the new Pixar flick, at least say add a spoiler alert at the top.

]]> elenchos http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984432 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c984432 Science Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:36:39 -0800 Comment by Geni @15 gave me my first hearty laugh of the day, for the oldest pun in the book, used in precisely the perfect context.

]]> Geni http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c985079 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c985079 Science Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:50:57 -0800 Comment by Johnny Thanks for the words of encouragement, everybody. Of course, I'm not going to put it off. I'm sure colon cancer would be a much bigger ordeal.

]]> Johnny http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c985377 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/ai_asshole_intelligence#c985377 Science Sat, 29 Mar 2008 05:10:17 -0800