Introduction

           IlookedatmynotesandIdidn’tlikethem.I’dspentthreedaysatU.S.RobotsandmightaswellhavespentthemathomewiththeEncyclopediaTellurica.

           SusanCalvinhadbeenbornintheyear1982,theysaid,whichmadeherseventy-fivenow.Everyoneknewthat.Appropriatelyenough,U.S.RobotandMechanicalMen,Inc.wasseventy-fivealso,sinceithadbeenintheyearofDr.Calvin’sbirththatLawrenceRobertsonhadfirsttakenoutincorporationpapersforwhateventuallybecamethestrangestindustrialgiantinman’shistory.Well,everyoneknewthat,too.

           Attheageoftwenty,SusanCalvinhadbeenpartoftheparticularPsycho-MathseminaratwhichDr.AlfredLanningofU.S.Robotshaddemonstratedthefirstmobilerobottobeequippedwithavoice.Itwasalarge,clumsyunbeautifulrobot,smellingofmachine-oilanddestinedfortheprojectedminesonMercury.Butitcouldspeakandmakesense.

           Susansaidnothingatthatseminar;tooknopartinthehecticdiscussionperiodthatfollowed.Shewasafrostygirl,plainandcolorless,whoprotectedherselfagainstaworldshedislikedbyamasklikeexpressionandahypertrophyofintellect.Butasshewatchedandlistened,shefeltthestirringsofacoldenthusiasm.

           Sheobtainedherbachelor’sdegreeatColumbiain2003andbegangraduateworkincybernetics.

           Allthathadbeendoneinthemid-twentiethcenturyon"calculatingmachines"hadbeenupsetbyRobertsonandhispositronicbrain-paths.Themilesofrelaysandphotocellshadgivenwaytothespongyglobeofplantinumiridiumaboutthesizeofahumanbrain.