We will create conscious machines in the future.

Interview with the Nobel Laureate Gerald Edelman.

Gerald Edelman

In the last two decades Edelman has become one of the most respectable researchers in the field of neurology, and he has founded a research institute in San Diego where he leads a reduced team of young scientists whose goal is to solve the mystery of consciousness. This week Edelman has visited Valencia (Spain) to participate in Jaime I prizes as judge. The following is a transcription and translation of an interview with Gerald Edelman published in Spanish by elmundo.es:

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RoboChamps

Microsoft have recently launched the RoboChamps simulation robotics competition and portal.

The Robochamps.com portal supports the league competitions with training, access to software, and community features. Robochamps is based on simulation, therefore you don't need any real robotics hardware in order to compete. The idea is that you can start programming robots simply using the Microsoft Developer Studio 2008 and Visual Studio.

As the competition is based on MRDS 2008 and its simulation capabilities you can use any .NET language to program your simulated robot. The good thing is that you could use exactly the same code to control a real physical robot. Anyhow, the great advantage of this software simulated competition is that you are provided with rich simulation environments. Usually, it is really hard to build an scenario like that in the real world, so using these simulation environment allow us to test and train our robot controllers in nearly real world situations. Imagine controlling your rescue robot in a city that has just suffer a natural dissaster or a terrorist attack, or let your autonomous car drive under intense traffic conditions... or the much more relaxing exploration of the surface of Mars. These are some of the challenges proposed in RoboChamps.

Each challenge consist of a 3D simulation environment, a robots, a chanllenge scenario, and a set of rules for completing the scenario. Also, a referee service will monitor your control service, ensuring that the rules are followed, and determining your score and submitting it to RoboChamps.com.

The available RoboChamp challenges are:

• AMAZED CHALLENGE:  Use your sensors to avoid traps and other surprises as you navigate the twists and turns of Amazed.
  
  

• MARS ROVER: CHALLENGE: Next Stop, Mars! Navigate the terrain of the red planet and collect data for analysis back on Earth.
  
  
• URBAN CHALLENGE: Do you hate driving downtown? What if you could program a car to do the driving itself? Now you can.
  
  
• SEARCH & RESCUE CHALLENGE: Ready to be a hero? Scour thought the post-disaster rubble to find and rescue survivors in this challenge.
  
  
• SUMO CHALLENGE: Two robots. One ring. It's sumo time! Outmaneuver your opponent and push it out of the ring to reign victorious.
  
  
• TOURNAMENT: Are you the best of the best? Take to the field with your robot and your best code to compete head to head against fellow leaguers.
  
  

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