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Automated CD copiers provide hands-free operation and are available as PC-connected or stand-alone models. They are equipped with a robot arm that can load and unload CDs. These CD copiers are actually a combination of many CD copiers - as many as 16. This allows a large number of CDs, from 100 to 1000, to be copied at a time. CDs that cannot be copied or have some problem are automatically rejected at the end of the process.

Traditional CD copiers are operated manually. The CD copier uses a burning software application that is installed on the computer. CD copiers can usually burn only one copy at a time. After one CD is copied, the user has to manually open the drive shutter (or press a button provided for that purpose) and replace it with another blank CD for copying. This makes copying CDs with a manual PC copier a slow process.

Automated CD copiers make the burning process much quicker. These have an input spindle and an output spindle. Blank CDs are placed in a stack on the input spindle. A robotic arm picks up blank CDs from the input spindle, one at a time, and sends them into the drive for copying. When the burning process is over, the CD is automatically placed onto the output spindle. This is a hands-free process, but it takes a long time to complete the process.

These automated CD copiers are ideal because the CD copier can be left running overnight or a weekend. A large number of CD or DVD discs can be stacked on the spindle, and the machine can be left to run until the job is complete. Some machines can also be networked, allowing multiple users to have access to the CD copiers.

These Automated CD copiers thus make the task of copying several CDs easier. It also brings precision and efficiency to the entire process.

CD Copiers provides detailed information on CD copiers, CD DVD copiers, CD copier software, CD copier downloads and more. CD Copiers is affiliated with Business Card CD Duplications.

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One of the most difficult challenges in the Car Wash Industry is of course the labor. The Car Wash Industry is one of the most labor-intensive businesses there is and controlling the labor costs is a key to profitability. But finding low cost labor must be complimented with finding the quality labor, which is well groomed, honest and respectful of the customers and their cars. If not you will lose customers and repeat business.

Most full service car washes average about a 15-20% regular customer rate and to sustain a higher repeat customer grouping the customer has to feel good about their car wash experience. If this is done correctly the repeat business will be paralleled by word of mouth referrals to their friends, business associates and/or family members. So, it is critical to get the best possible labor and watch the costs. But there will soon maybe a better way to do all this and more. How so you ask? Well, thru robot workers of course.

Enter the age of the Robotic Car Wash. Actually robotics in car washing is nothing new, in fact it has always been a very automated operation, then again so has the entire automotive industry since Henry Ford’s mass production of the Model T and you could have it in any color as long as it was black, because black paint could dry in only 10-minutes. Ah ha, so car washing is all about production right? Right.

Drying of the car is a very difficult task for a robot, but hardly impossible with the latest robotic engineering now available. In fact if a car was parked between to reference lines the robot could dry the car never pressing down to hard using the latest MIT Haptic Sensor Technology on a Carnegie Mellon Robotic Arm. Even able to lift up the windshield wipers and dry underneath, get all the door jams and along the luggage rack cosmetic feature on top of your SUV. Think on this in 2006.

Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

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There are obviously degrees of intelligence and if we are to call human beings, intelligent and I hear some people laughing in the background as I say this, but if we use the human brain as our model to design artificial intelligent robots then, well we have our work cut out for us.

Indeed, I would think that a higher-end artificially intelligent robot should be able to think enough to come up with its own jokes that their human companion would indeed laugh at. This subject came up recently in an online think tank when one member, Keith, while considering this subject stated;

“I couldn’t disagree more. Humans expect computers “and robots” to respond with facts not deception, jovial or otherwise. Would you tolerate a clothes washing machine or dishwasher that said the items were clean when they were not? Or wasted your time accepting a command but not executing it, “as a joke”?”

This of course is not what I had in mind really, but this is an interesting point indeed that Keith makes. I was more considering that as humans have companion artificial intelligent robots, android assistants, the human must bond with the artificial intelligent robot and there needs to be an attempt to keep things on a level playing field of respect. Because taking advice from a robot or artificial intelligent machine you must respect it too. And thus you need report.

Now then if your washing machine screwed you over and you could not trust it that is one thing, a negative, yet if you had to live with an artificial person, then that person would need some additional human traits above and beyond mimicking behavior. Humor is something important; comic relief makes sense. Interesting subject no doubt and perhaps you might consider this in 2006.

Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

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As the replacement for the XG350, Hyundai introduced the Azera earlier this year as the Korean manufacturer’s most luxurious and most expensive offering to date.

Luxurious and expensive have never been synonymous with Hyundai. And with the Azera only luxurious applies. It’s a vehicle that may finally allow Hyundai to infringe on the overwhelmingly popular choices in the midsize class Honda Accord, Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry.

Even with the name change alone, the high-end Hyundai has a chance. The now-gone XG350 had its upside, but its name seemed more conducive to a robot or a vacuum cleaner, rather than a car.

Although it’s hardly a household word, at least Hyundai Azera has a catchy sound. The car’s name, in fact, is based on the word azure, the specific shade of the color blue.

But beyond name change, the Azera features a lot as Hyundai’s flagship vehicle. And it has been nearly universally praised for its vast standard features list, refinement and overall value.

Available in SE and Limited editions, I tested the latter as my weekly driver. Both offerings included a 3.8-liter, 263-horsepower V6 with a five-speed automatic transmission. It’s plenty of engine in every situation short, quick acceleration bursts to the long-term, steady freeway acceleration. The Limited edition has 17-inch wheels, while the SE offers 16-inch wheels.

During my test, the Azera offered a quick, smooth, confident and quiet ride with the exception of some high-end wind rush. Steering and handling were sufficient, with ABS brakes, an electronic stability control system and a traction control system all standards.

The Azera’s mechanical soundness is complemented well by its exterior and interior design. Once criticized for its lack of quality materials and craftsmanship, the Azera’s interior is now well-designed, with an upscale feel. The exterior color, Aubergine (dark, rich purple) wasn’t particularly appealing. But it did match the two-tone tan (leather seats, carpets and steering) and light black interior (console, door paneling).

The Azera has its share of woodgrain trim from the steering wheel to door handles and the center console to the instrumentation panel. It’s all standard, as are: dual front power and heated seats, power rear sunshade, AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system with steering wheel controls, air conditioning and cruise control.

The Azera (Limited Edition) had only one option, the Premium Package ($1,500). It includes power sunroof and an upgraded Infinity audio system with a 6-disc, in-dash CD Changer.

If there’s a downside to the Azera, it’s a lack of an available navigation system. But Hyundai has announced the option will be available soon.

Yet the absence of a GPS system is a small issue. The Azera’s got plenty going for it, particularly considering its price point. It’s more well-known competitors all make fine midsize vehicles, but Hyundai now has a quality “player” in the mix.

The Weekly Driver: 2006 Hyundai Azera

Safety features - Dual front, front and rear seat-mounted and side-impact and roof-mounted side-curtain airbags.

Fuel Mileage (estimates) - 19 mpg (city), 28 mpg (highway).

Warranty - Bumper to bumper, 5 years/36,000 miles; Powertrain, 10 years, 100,000 miles; Corrosion, 7 years/unlimited m miles; (24-hour) roadside assistance program, 5 years/unlimited miles

Base price - $26,835.00

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Today we are building robots and computers, which mirror humans and can interact with them. This works very well for many things and can assist humans in accepting their computer or robotic assistant counterparts. Unfortunately when computers attempt to decipher text and meaning and then correspond with humans, the mirroring does not always work.

If the robot or computer is using artificial intelligent software to communicate with a human and use mirroring techniques and scaling of escalation in the conversation, they often will not suffice in keeping the human’s interest for too long. Indeed a chimpanzee, dog or cat maybe willing to continue interaction, non-verbal communication or synthesize mimicking techniques for verbal communication; however for humans it cannot work for very long especially if the human is in search of enlightenment, rather than encyclopedia or dictionary definitional content.

In corresponding with artificial intelligence on a keyboard or through the Internet the human assumes that the entity on the other side is like them; that is to say an organic carbon based human biped. There comes a time when the human is skeptical of the information and correspondence coming from the other side of the screen, often the human will begin to assume that the information comes from an ignorant human or a lawyer’esque type human and thus does not appreciate the information for what it is; pure information mixed in with mirroring conversational composites of chit chat crap.

There are many types of software used today to help un-intelligent humans with correspondence, writing or even term papers, yet what you will find is this software does not work well when the human being used as the target subject actually knows a little about a lot of things or is intimately familiar with the subject matter. For instance in the case of the CIA or NSA trying to get information of profile a target; a professor grading a term paper or a reader of a news article. So often it is obvious that the what appears at first to be a dumb human bluffing or BS’ing their way through a subject matter or the software gives its self away by acting non-human and providing erroneous or irrelevant data to a conversation, story or paper. It maybe fanciful to a human to use a robotic or computer software enhanced correspondence mechanism to save time, do homework, save labor costs or taxpayers money. But if such an artificial intelligent system delivers garbage due to shoddy programming and less than intelligent people putting in the input, then it will not suffice or solve the problem of tricking the individual, enhancing readership or convincing anyone of anything.

So, we must remember that those who program these systems to interact with humans need to be as smart or smarter (artificially that is) than the human they are corresponding to, other wise the human feels that the discussion is irrelevant, rhetoric or simply mirroring semantics. If we are to build assistant robots, they must be careful with their interactions. Now, sometimes humans act in such was, yet when they do, don’t most people simply walk away, shaking their heads? If a human stops the correspondence then you have to start all over. If the human rejects the robotic assistant then you have wasted your money in that system. Sure you can say it is work in progress and call it development costs, but it is a useless hunk of junk you see? Likewise if a student uses a system for their work and if the professor of the homework assignment is unimpressed you get a lousy grade.

Right now this is what I am giving the artificial intelligence programmers right now. Y’all need to go back to the drawing board and do some more research on the human species within a society and study how they interact in groups, one on one and in the larger over all culture. It is not a one size fits all scenario and although it is indeed smart to try to keep it simple, there needs to be more overlay on the various types of people and smarter people doing the programming. Think on that

Lance Winslow

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Investing in robotic equipment can be a big leap for a small business. Industrial robots have been automating tasks since 1961. The first industrial robot, the Unimate, worked with the die casting machines at a General Motors plant. In the last decade there has been a surge of robots being integrated into mid-sized and smaller companies. One reason is the growth and affordability of the used robot market. With the leaps made in controls technology, companies are upgrading robots before the current model has finished its life-span. However, the overall functionality of the six-axis articulated arm has not changed in the last decade. As companies consolidate and reorganize, the factory surplus is sold.

Automation benefits include saving money and reducing production time. Automation also leads to an increase in part quality and reliability. These are some tips to help you get started implementing automation onto your factory floor.

1. Involve the Shop Floor Workers
   Consulting the workers that currently produce the part is a good starting point. This is the person who has the experience to know what works and what had not worked in the past. They often have helpful insight into the process that you can not gain by simply watching. Requesting their participation in the robotic welding project will help it be more successful.
   The workers who manually perform the process can provide advice on the configuration and specifications of the equipment up front, avoiding the possibility that the equipment is not as ergonomically friendly or productive as it could be. Failure to involve them disregards the insight they have gained though experience with the process.

2. Choose your Robot Operators and Robotic Programmers Carefully
   Most industrial robots are controlled by the use of teach pendants. Several of these pendants now are programmed with an interface that resembles a personal computer. An individual that is computer-literate will have less trouble learning how to instruct the robot and moving it to accomplish the desired tasks such as welding or material handling.

   For instance, the challenge of transforming a manual welding process to a robotic welding process is best handled by someone with a solid background in manual welding. This would be an ideal person to select for programming or operating the robotic welder. When choosing robot operators, programmers, and technicians, special consideration should be given to motivated employees that are willing to learn and advance their skills.

3. Make Training a Priority
   It is important when purchasing a robot integrator to choose one that provides training on the robotic system. This allows your company to be able to fully utilize the robot and minimize later down-time due to mechanical problems. Ideally the person chosen to receive the training should be the future programmer or operator. With the proper training, the programmer should be able to reliably produce efficient and effective robot programs. Basic groundwork training is a minimum, with the real learning happening on the shop floor.
   Generally your robotic integrator will program your robotic system to interact with your current equipment and leave you with a turnkey solution that requires only a push of a button. It is still ideal to have trained personnel on hand should a future problem arise. Routine maintenance, such as an annual grease replenishment and battery replacement, is also an issue that you will want a trained individual to perform. Many robotic systems have been destroyed by well-meaning maintenance by individuals that do not understand the complex nature of the robotic system.
4. Watch Part Fit-Up and Repeatability
   The most problematical issue with welding robots is part quality. Robotic systems are designed to repeat the same sequence of events. If the robot system has been damaged, repeatability can become an issue. Robotics systems sold feature a repeatability measurement and that should be taken into account along with payload and reach requirements. Used robots should be tested for accuracy and repeatability during the reconditioning process. When performing properly, robotic systems are more reliable and produce parts far superior in quality than manually welded parts.
   Touch sensing and seam tracking can be used to compensate for weld joints that are not static, but robots are limited by the laws of physics. The use of quality equipment in conjunction with robots improves the part fit-up. Attention should be paid to lasers, welding and cutting torches, welding power supplies, raw consumables, and other variables that could lead to a loss of quality in the finished product.

5. Calculate Estimated ROI
   There has been a steady growth in the robot industry over the past decade. Experts predict that this growth trend will continue in future years. Welding robots are still the majority of the market, but many applications can be handled by robots. The general rule-of-thumb is that a robotic welder can do the work of four manual welders. Therefore when production is increasing, the choice to add robotic welders is easily justified. It will also improve efficiency, productivity, and part quality. Higher quality leads to a greater demand for your product. Improved efficiency will enable you to be more competitive in your market. The improved productivity will allow you to meet your production demands without a larger workforce.

RobotWorx is an industrial robot integrator that specializes in new and refurbished robotic equipment. As industrial automation experts, they can help you achieve your robotic ROI goals. They integrate robots from popular manufacturers such as Motoman, Fanuc, Panasonic, ABB, and others.

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It is always difficult to find a good sparing partner to box with or practice martial arts. The better you get the fewer people who are willing to get in the ring or on the mat with your. Worse off if it is a friend and he makes a mistake, you often find yourself holding back on your gut instincts to take him out and exploit his foolishness in letting his guard down. If you do not take him down to the mat or clock him so hard he cannot see straight, you are actually doing him a disservice, as in a real fight it would have been over right then and there.

Unfortunately we live in the real world and in the real world if you are in the ring with a good friend you often hold back, if you get too tough, you trigger them to go all out when you are just there for practice and not to kick the ever-living crap out of someone.

I therefore propose Boxing Sparing Partners to spar with. Sparing Robots, which you can clock as hard as you can if the opportunity exists. Robots which you will not feel bad when you do and one which will hit you back on the level you set in case you make a mistake and unnecessarily leave an opening or let your guards down. Enough to sting you hard enough to learn the lesson but not hard enough to break you in half, break your nose or cause you a serious head injury.

Robots are perfect for sparing partners and we can build them to feel as if you are sparing with a real man, without damaging them and so they hit you back. This will help boxers and martial artists test themselves and excel in their quest to become even better. Think on this.

Lance Winslow

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We know that humans bond in many ways. Often while sharing a common event of adversity in which they over come something. Sometimes thru laughter, jest or a humorous event? What if we could program artificial intelligent robotic androids to seek out anomalous events and spin them into jokes and display a sense of humor? This might help humans bond with their android assistants?

Some say this is impossible to program into an artificial intelligent machine? Impossible is a funny word, as 200 years ago someone might say that an artificial intelligent robot was impossible, but I do not think anyone is saying this now. I have to ask those programmers; How do you propose to bond an android robot if you cannot achieve this? And we all know that a very pleasurable bonding tool happens thru jokes, laughter and humor.

This will be a challenge for future robotic artificial intelligent programmers, personally I am not accepting their work until they get there and believe we must hold their feet to the fire until they do. We should not accept mediocrity in programming and must challenge our up and coming, often boastful programmers to put up or shut up.

To say “Humor is a sophisticated human trait” indeed, but Dolphins, monkeys and dogs do it. Surely we can design this too. I cannot allow the excuse of difficulty to shun such a responsibility of course and ask that you refrain from making excuses for programmers of artificial intelligence, we must have high expectations than this, we need humor from our robots. Consider this in 2006.

Lance Winslow

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Much work is currently being done in the scientific community to fuse non-human or artificial intelligence into a mold, which will be accepted by their human counterparts. You might understand that a soon to be or someday inferior human may be a little upset working along side an advanced robot or artificial intelligent android.

How the android looks will be a big factor, its facial expressions will also be important as well. One might even consider the types of visual images that are pleasing to humans now. Think about the visual imagery used in advertising today, lots of research goes into this, because non-pleasing advertising will not sell products or services.

The future of these psychological truths will be evident also in Artificial Intelligent Robot Androids mimicking human behavior and adjusting to personalities. Thus a whole new set of research papers are now re-affirming what is now being discussed in advertising images and its relation to the future.

At MIT, Carnegie Mellon, Stanford, Cal-Tech, Texas A & M, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech and so many other schools they are considering this. A recent study from the University of Riverside in California not only confirms advertising theory, but says the exact same thing about online images and computer human interfaces for online marketing, with all the empirical proof which cannot be put into any small and tight well-written article on the subject. Perhaps you will consider all this in 2006.

Lance Winslow

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Home robotics have sure come along way. You can buy a pool sweep to clean your pool and it will float around all day and clean all the leaves out, which is very cool. It is even fun to watch, kind of like watching your clothes wash or the dryer spin at the laundry mat. You can also buy a lawn mover, which once set will mow your lawn all by itself. Now that is cool indeed, it will cut the grass while you drink a beer or two, depending on the size of your middle class neighborhood lawn. Oh it might screw up every once in a while, but that is what you are for, you are the brains of the family and besides it gives you something to complain about; “Those damn robots!”

Then there is the coolest little invention of all; the “cat terrorizing” iRobot “Romba” vacuum. Oh it is sure scary for your cat for about ten minutes. Then eventually becomes your cat’s favorite stalking object as it plays with the thing while it cleans the floor and entertains your cat all day? Your cat never had so much fun attacking anything like this before. Hell, I caught my cat riding around on it. I guess my cat is now too lazy to walk across the house and simply waits until the iRobot Vacuum is headed that way? Go figure and you thought your cat was stupid?

Those are all very fun robotic assistants for the household indeed. But what we need is an environmentally friendly home car washing unit, which washes they car while you watch it go. Now that is what I am talking about. Then you can say; “Hey, you missed a spot!” Now that would be cool, when can I get one of those my car? Think on this in 2006.

Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

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