Positronic Brain (Asimov's World)

A positronic brain is an advanced computing device, usually used in positronic robots, functioning as the robot's central processing unit (CPU). Unlike other solid-state computing hardware, such as the integrated circuit, a postronic brain utilizes a 'neural net', allowing it to learn and develop, much like an organic brain, enabling it to achive what some have termed 'artificial sentience'.

Overview
First invented in 1972 by Dr. Alfred J. Lanning, a positronic brain operates by the steady decay of positrons, which due to the interaction of the particles and the platinum-iridium housing began to form neural pathways. Much like in a human brain, the pathways are constantly changing; older, unused pathways eventually 'die off' to a certain degree, while newer, more frequently used pathways are strengthened.

Postronic brains are vulnerable to certain types of radiation and involve a type of volatile memory, once activated, a positonic brain cannon be shut off without completely and irreparably damaging the neural net, rending it unusable. As a result, robots must be connected to a power source when shut down.

If left active for a long period of time without a memory wipe, a positronic brain will often develop various 'personality quirks', frequently displaying traits of independence, stubbornness, and even arrogance. As such most manufactures recommend that positronic brains receive regular memory wipes at least once a year.

The Three Laws

A positronic brain cannot function without some sort of framework as a basis for its programing. Traditionally, this framework has been--with some minor alterations--the Three Laws of Robotics (although, in recent years, different types of framework coding for different types of positronic brains have been utilized).

Although variations exist, the most common forms of the Three Laws are as follows:


 * 1) Law 1: A robot may not injure or harm a human being or, though inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
 * 2) Law 2: A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings, except in such instances where such an order would conflict with the First Law.
 * 3) Law 3: A robot must protect its own existence except where such protection would conflict with the First or Second Laws.

In recent years, some companies have installed a so-called 'fourth law', which prevents a robot from modifying itself beyond factory specifications, this is prevent more independent robots (those who have not had frequent memory wipes) from altering themselves and possibly becoming a danger to humans.

The Three Laws exist within a positronic brain in a form analogous to 'instincts', and any system utilizing a positronic operating system will act on the Laws without conscious input from its user.

Uses of positronic brains

The most common use of the positronic brain is in positronic robots. Starting in 1982 with the "Robbie" series released by U.S. Robots to the modern "Nestor" classes four and five. Since then positronic robots have been utilized in childcare, housekeeping, mining, postal delivery, waste disposal and management, and even in law enforcement, most famously during the Post-Soviet dissolution of the early-1990s

Despite efforts by some coperations, lawmakers worldwide have almost universially outlawed the use of positronic robots in warfare, with late-U.S, Senator John McCain declaring the idea to be an 'unpredictable variable'. Owning to the First Law of Robotics: 'a robot many not harm a human being', many robotists doubt that a robotic solider could even be built. Indeed most police robots are limited to crowd control and cannot use deadly force.

As long as the robot body remains in good condition, a poistronic brain can continue functioning indefinitely, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, the longest active positronic robot was a Robbie-series known as 'Grandmother' which cared for the children of the Rodgers family of New York City. Much loved by the family, "Grandmother" remained active for more than thirty years, caring for the grandchildren and great grandchildren of its original charges before finally suffering a cascade failure in its neural net in 1995.

Despite this longevity, a positronic brain cannot be transferred from one robot body to another, doing so would result in damage to the neural net owing to minute differences between each housing, causing at best distinct personality changes, to even a failure of the Three Laws, resulting in what is known as the 'Lawless Protocol'.

Data from a positronic brain also cannot be transferred from brain to another, owing to the same reasons as above.

History

The positronic brain was first invented in 1972 by Dr. Alfred J. Lanning, one of the most brilliant minds of his time and revolutionized the robotics and computer industry

More to come