Asimov's World

Asimov World

Overview
In 1939, author Isaac Asimov first began writing a series of short stories focusing on 'positronic robots', each outfitted with the 'Three Laws of Robotics' which prevents them from harming human beings. Although pure, fantastical fiction, what if it wasn't? What if it was all real...?

Point of Divergence
in 1972, Dr. Alfred J. Lanning, one of the world's leading experts on the then-burgeoning science of computers, makes a breakthrough in computing technology: the 'positronic brain', contained within a small, spongy sphere of platinum and iridium, this revolutionary device is a thousand times more advanced than any computer being used at the time, even to the point of the device bypassing artificial intelligence to achieve what could be called 'artificial sentience'.

With this incredible breakthrough, the entire world is changed forever. In 1982--ten years after his incredible breakthrough--Dr. Lanning, together with his business partner and friend, Andrew Robinson found 'U.S. Robots & Mechanical Men' in a garage in Schenectady, New York, later shortening the company's name to 'U.S. Robots' and, eventually, to 'USR'.

That same year, the new company produces the first 'domestic robot', a humanoid robot controlled by the positronic brain. Although large, bulky, slow, cumbersome, and incapable of speech, the 'Robbie'-series as its called, is a hit and its sale quickly makes U.S. Robots one of the richest companies in the country, and soon, the world, equal to companies like Microsoft or Apple in OTL if not more so.

Difference between ATL and OTL
Because of this remarkable change, the world of science and technology, in particular computer science is changed, as are human society.

Technological Changes


 * The personal computer is still developed, but as a cheaper, less powerful alternative to robots, and Steve Jobs and Apple are often scoffed at for trying to compete with U.S. Robots success, Bill Gates however is hailed for his philanthropic efforts
 * Because positronic robots are so advanced, devices like the iPhone and iPad and digital assistants like Siri and Alexa are never developed, with robots taking their place in ATL