Sensing

From boyhood, I've been very nearsighted, and almost blind without my glasses (5 spherical). Of course, I need my glasses to drive, bike, use the PC, and watch TV, but not to read nor to work out. Matter of fact, there are advantages to taking my glasses off when on a cardio machine or while lifting weights: it's easier to wipe the sweat off, and I can concentrate better, shutting off the world around me. One problem is that people think I'm unfriendly.

Without glasses, I can only see motion and color, so from a distance I can only recognize two of the guys (and none of the gals) because they shave their heads. If I see a blurry moving figure with light reflecting off their heads, it's likely to be either Charlie or the new guy. And I can tell it's Charlie if there's another moving figure with him, since he's a personal trainer and the new guy isn't. So, there's some sensing that gives me a 50-50 chance of it being Charlie, but there's some intelligence used too that brings that chance to 100% being Charlie.

The same process is used in missile algorithms. The dumb seeker can see only motion and contrast, but the computer inside carries "rules" that increase the probability of what it sees as being the target. For instance, similarly to the Charlie discussion, if the seeker (first rule) finds motion and color/contrast but (second rule) it's only one moving spot, then it may not be a tank, since tanks usually move in packs, and then (third rule) size, color, shape, heat (or whatever) is pursued.

If your dumb eyes tell you that your significant other is (first rule) coming towards you, but (second rule) she's spewing bile, and (third rule) normally doesn't want anything to do with you, then that's not really a significant other. Duh!

- © 2008 by Willy
.