Chapter 1 - From the journal of Nitrogen Nickel
Nitrogen Nickel
Canterlot Labs; Section XII
Experiment Day #1
7:35, evening
Entry 1
Before I begin, some backstory. My name is Nitrogen Nickel and this is the project I’ve dreamed of since I was young. I remember when I was very young, visions of: pouring concrete, large drills, and a large applause at a dam. When its ribbon was cut and the water started flowing. It was there I recall my first observation of electricity, an entity unlike any other. It was unlike magic, not to be controlled but instead directed. You get it to where you want it to go and it thankfully does what it needs to do when it gets there. It was a free substance, it was a living entity, and early on it made me set a life goal. To create life, not of organic being but of electrical.
Most of the early technology in Equestria was invented by my father, and I’ve improved on much of it. Along the way I met others that helped with these improvements, and when I received the funding for this project it was from this group of past colleague that I hoof-picked to help.
First there is Mechan Gears. She’s in charge of internal structures such as bone structure, which her brother, Cast Iron, will make after the blueprints are drawn. She will be figuring out with the energy supply, and cooling system if needed, as well as spare room for the many system chips that will be needed for the project to function. She will also be making the jaw, vocals, eyes, and ears. She’s going to have her brother, Micro Structure, make the skin, since its going to need extremely tiny parts, which he specializes in. Each of her brothers will get a building room for the course of the project.
Next there is Cyndy Cair, or as everyone normally calls her, CC. She will be in charge of internal functions such as wiring and muscle placement. For the metallic muscles she had already told me what she will be using. It will be CC and Mechan who draw up the blueprints over the next few days.
Lastly there is Binary Digit. If anypony could program this thing, it would be him. As a starter I need to write a set of commands that the project will follow, and I intend to do that over the next few days while the prints are being drawn.
Now that the introductions are done, here is what the project is. We are going to make a Synthetically Intelligent Neutral Equine, or SINE for short. The goal of this project is to create artificial life, if that goal is met then it will be observed until interest fades away or a major defect is found. The acronym broken down means Synthetically for its creation. Intelligent for its capabilities to apply gathered information. Neutral for its lack of outside exposure. Equine because it will take the form of a pony, more specifically, a mare.
The real work begins tomorrow for each of us, and I look forward to it. I have been for years.
Nitrogen Nickel
Canterlot Labs; Section XII
Experiment Day #3
4:15, morning
Entry 2
I have the basic protocols done that will govern it’s task processing and action sequences. They are as follows.
1. Gather information and store it in layers with relating previous information, if available. This allows it to build on old information to come to previously unknown conclusions. Such as, by knowing that 2+2=4, and that 3+3=6, it will be able to conclude that 2+3=5.
2. Avoid harm from all proximities, including the unknown. A point on top of 1, this make sure that the avoidance of harm is quickly learned.
3. Maintain core system functions. In shortest possible terms, survive.
I have yet to hear on how the blueprints are going from Mechan or CC.
Nitrogen Nickel
Canterlot Labs; Section XII
Experiment Day #4
7:15, evening
Entry 3
I just heard from Mechan about the blueprints, they’re done and now construction can begin. Here are the worded schematics.
Support structures will be comprised of heavily ionized nitrogen and carbon, mixed with titanium to form an alloy. ‘Bones’ will have wires running through them to carry electrical currents controlled by the Primary Coordination Unit to metallic muscles to perform movement. The metallic muscles will be made of the alloy Detrahendum in a layered mesh. When current is ran into it the fibers will contract, the strength of the current sent from the Primary Coordination Unit will determine how strong the contraction is. Placement of muscles will allow full replication of organic movement. Hydraulic slime under the skin will act as a lubricant and padding. If skin is breached and slime is lost, more can be synthesized with water and plant matter. The skin will have sensors in it to gather information from fiber-like rods sticking out of the skin. Set in dense pairings they will act as fur. Special synthesizing molecules in the base will be able to slowly push out fibers for newer fibers using carbon as a building block. Each rod will detect one of three things including pressure, temperature, and texture. A mane of longer rods will run from the top of the head to center of the shoulders along the neck. The longest rods will form the tail. All information from the sensors in the skin will be sent to the Sensum Unit for analyzation. The skin itself will be made of Tangunt, a mildly flexible substance that is resistant to damage and able to refuse to itself if cut or damaged.
Primary power will come from Corsery, a crystalike stone, in the chest cavity. Cooling will come from optional breathing. When breathing is not enough to keep the Corsery from overheating valves in the shoulders will allow heat to drain more directly. Excess power can be released through the hooves and into the ground. Power will be allowed to flow freely through the hydraulic slime to the skin so the sensors will have power. Direct current will flow through wires to the multiple task units and ultimately the main board for solid data collection and transference. Air flowing through the neck from breathing will be allowed to be directed by metallic muscles to form sound. Metallic muscles in the jaw and mouth will allow further direction. Sound will be detectable in the ears by analyzing the rapid subtle shifts in air pressure created by a sound wave. Information gathered will be processed in the Sonus Unit. There will be a snout, but it will serve no purpose outside of looks and a second airway. The eyes will be on a double axis and information gather across the spectrum of 800 nm - 360 nm will be processed by the Visum Unit. Eyes will have a 205 degree by 170 degree view with a primary 5 by 4 degree area of focus to avoid a heavy information load.
Data from all other sensory units will go to the Cerebrum Unit. Instructions for actions will be sent, based on the basic protocols, to the Primary Coordination Unit.
CC told me she sent the information on the skin to Micro Structure, and Mechan has passed on the blueprints to Cast to begin making the metallic bones. As the project supervisor my work is done for now, but I will be observing heavily during the construction.
Nitrogen Nickel
Canterlot Labs; Section XII
Experiment Day #25
3:20, morning
Entry 4
Approximately three weeks have passed since my last entry, this is due entirely to my own procrastination of putting if off until the next day. The bones were done by the end of the first week, and CC immediately started attachment of the muscles to conjoin them. Binary Digit has been programming the Primary Coordination Unit to be able to move each one individually. I don’t know how those details work. I got a sample of the skin from Micro Structure, in the middle of the second week, it felt like real hide. We can expect the full skin to be done in two more weeks.
Just yesterday, Mechan showed me the first eye and how it will interlink with the Visum Unit, and how the ears will commute data to the Sonus Unit. The Corsery has been on the table in her work room for a few days now, although heat to the room has been cut off the stone still keeps the room somewhat warm. The understanding of the magical substance is a science all its own, but all we need to know is that it gives off a constant energy supply in heat and electricity. In times of winter, the heat aspect will serve some purpose but, in all conditions, the electric properties are what will be harnessing.
I haven’t heard too much from Binary Digit. I know he’s been busy with all the programming, but it would be nice to hear something from the guy. I tried sitting in and talking to him but he was so enwrapped in what he was doing he didn’t even notice me. I know the largest part of the project for him is the programming of the Primary Coordination Unit, and it’s programming requires him being there to program each detrahendum muscle as CC puts it on. I guess sometime in the near future I’ll sit in on that process for a bit.
Nitrogen Nickel
Canterlot Labs; Section XII
Experiment Day #30
11:30, evening
Entry 5
Progress continues on as it should. I was able to sit in for a bit on the choreographed process of putting in the metallic muscles. It starts with CC taking several ‘strips’ of detrahendum mesh and putting them in place and connecting it with a fusion spell, taking off the extra in the process. Binary Digit then connects each ending and programs into the Primary Coordination Unit the ID of the muscle. This way when it wants to use it, it will know where to send the electric current for the mesh to tighten, as a muscle does.
I wasn’t told this, I had to figure it out by observation since they didn’t talk at all to each other, yet their synchronization was astounding. CC puts it in and fuses it, Binary Digit programs the PCU, then as he finishes that, CC would be putting in the next. It only took 10 to 12 seconds each. While that may sound fast the ears alone have 16 muscles. There are thousands that will need to be installed, but I’d say it’s nothing they couldn’t manage.
Mechan pulled me into her workspace to show me the finished ears. They have extendable and retractable antennas on them to allow for as she said, deeper hearing. I don’t understand why it would need the ability to hear things that we cannot, but I don’t have the heart to tell her no after she worked so hard on making them.
Nitrogen Nickel
Canterlot Labs; Section XII
Experiment Day #40
5:25, morning
Entry 6
CC and Binary Digit finished the muscles, and just in time too. We got here to find the skin had been delivered, just need to use the fusing spell to get it on it. Mechan just has to put in the last eye and wire it up then the skin can be applied. The Corsery has already been in for two days now, everything has been except the Cerebrum Unit. Once the CU is in and data starts being sorted it will be on with no off button.
I think I speak for us all when I say that we look forward to seeing what happens next. If only Mechan would put in that last eye already. The one thing I don’t look so forward to is the array of test that will need to be done to make sure everything works.
Once it’s on it will be taken to an observation room for study, mostly tests. After all that we will just need to see what it does, and this is the part I look forward to. Yet somehow, I’m already having second thoughts.
Chapter 2 - Listen and learn
The room holds a silence, and a rock sturdy sense of stillness. From outside the sound of hoofsteps echo through the hall. A door opens to inside the room and two stallions enter. One is white with a labcoat on and has a silverish mane, the other is green with a stubby black and white mane, and wearing glasses.
“Nitrogen, you clearly said to get a loaf of bread, and if they had apples to get sixty.” The one with glasses said, following the other through the door.
“Binary, you came back with sixty loaves of bread.” Nitrogen said in a slightly annoyed voice as he closed the door with his blue magic.
“They had apples!” Binary yelled out in defence.
Nitrogen sighed. “Forget it, next time I’m sending you with a list.” He looked to the back of the room where two metallic eyes were already staring back. “You ready to run the functional diagnostics?” He asked Binary without looking.
“Already started.” Binary said, walking to the back of the room with a flashlight.
“Have you figured out a way we could talk to it yet?” Nitrogen asked, looking back at Binary, who was pointing a light in one of the eyes.
“No, we never put in how to talk, but it does have the capability to learn." He turned his head around to Nitrogen. "Remember how the first few days it didn’t move, and now it can sit like it is now?”
Nitrogen nodded to himself before speaking. “Yeah, it just laid there.”
Binary moved the light to the second eye, which immediately tightened in the center as the other had. “It’s still learning how to use its PCU, but the automatic functions in the eye all work.” He turned off the light and set it on the ground, freeing it from his tan-colored magic. Still looking at they eye, he saw the inner part untighten. “Mechan really did a good job with the eyes.”
“Nothing she does fails to amaze me.” Nitrogen said, looking over what he wrote down in a notebook.
~ ~ ~
Nitrogen Nickel
Canterlot Labs; Section XII
Experiment Day #51
6:20, afternoon
Entry 15
Subject SINE was still sitting upon my and Binary’s entrance into the room. Other than the eyes following us, the subject remained still, and quiet over the course of observation. Automatic functions of the eye are reportedly operational.
~ ~ ~
“It feels more like being with a deaf and mute pony than it feels like being with a robot.” Binary said, re-levitating his flashlight and going to stand next to Nitrogen. “You know it won’t learn much about anything just sitting in a plain room.” He added, now next to Nitrogen looking at SINE.
“I know.” Nitrogen said with a sigh. “But until we know what to do next we have to keep it here. Besides, it won’t be moving much until it learns how to walk.”
“Yes, but it won't be moving much so long as it’s in this room.” Binary’s horn glowed and a cookie levitated up from a pocket in Nitrogen’s lab coat. Slowly he brought it to the side of his mouth and, with a loud crunch, took a bite.
“Hey!” Nitrogen said turning quickly to see the cookie then checking his empty pocket. “That was mine.”
“I just did you a favor.” Binary said. “It’s stale.”
“Now you owe me a new one.” Nitrogen said, reverting his eyes back to SINE.
“And you owe me a fresh one.” Binary said, taking a second bite. “I have an idea.” He said, after swallowing.
“What is it?” Nitrogen asked.
“How about you do the shopping.” He said with a large smile, putting the last part of the cookie in his mouth.
Nitrogen opened the door and rolled his eyes. “Brilliant.” He went through the door, into the hall and Binary followed out and closed the door behind him.
"Well, you know how the saying goes. If you want something done right you got to do it yourself." Binary said, following Nitrogen around a corner.
"That project back there disproves that saying." He stopped in front of a door. "One moment Binary." He pushed a door open, inside the walls were covered in diagrams and notes, near the back a light blue unicorn with a charcoal mane turned from some blueprints on a table.
“Yes?” She asked.
"Mechan, it's eyes are working perfectly. Also, have you seen CC around?"
"That's great." Mechan said. "And no, I haven't seen her."
"Alright, thanks anyway." He closed the door and looked back at Binary. "Anyways, if I had tried building that myself it wouldn't have worked."
"You don't know that." Binary said, sounding optimistic.
"I do know that, I know very well that I couldn't have put in each part and programmed it." He said, pointing down the hall. He pointed to the door he had just closed. "Wish me the best of luck for an ear or an eye!"
"Why would you want an ear or an eye?" Binary asked.
"Not literal." Nitrogen responded.
"While we're on the topic of ears and eyes. I think that if we took it out of that room and just did our normal interactions in front of it, then it would learn to speak."
"Why do you say that?" Nitrogen asked.
"How did you learn to speak?" Binary replied, throwing him a smile.
"Whatever." Nitrogen said, moving past Binary. "Too bad we can't do that."
"Why not?" Binary asked, following him.
"Because we still don't know what it can do."
"Nor does it."
"We just need to finish the tests."
Binary ran in front of him. "I programmed it to gather information, so that's what it will do. There isn't much information that can be gathered in that room, and there isn't much of an incentive to move either.“
“Binary. I’m sorry, but for the time being we shouldn’t let it leave that room. Now please move, I have to find CC.” He lightly pushed him aside and walked past. Binary watched him disappear around a corner, and listened as his hoofsteps faded into the walls.
“If you won’t let it learn...” He said looking down the hall the other way. “Then I will.” He started trotting back, turned a corner and knocked on a door.
“Who is it?” Mechan’s voice asked.
“It’s Binary.” He replied.
“Come in.” She said, opening the door with her blue magic. “Is there something you need?” She asked, looking up from a blueprint.
“You told me earlier that you made the ears able to pick up low level sounds.”
Mechan looked at him in the doorway. “Yes...”
“Can you turn that feature on?” He asked.
Mechan looked confused. “Yeah... why?”
A smile spread over Binary’s face. “Because we’re going to help it learn.”
"What?" She asked, in further confusion.
"Just bring what you need." Binary said, disappearing from the doorway.
Mechan got up and trotted down the hall after him. "Wait! What do you mean we're going to help it learn?" She turned a corner and found him outside the door to its room.
"You ready?" He asked.
"For what?" She replied, a puzzled look on her face.
Binary held out a hoof over her mouth. "Shhh... If it hears enough then it will learn to understand what it's hearing."
Mechan pushed away his hoof. "What are we doing?"
"We're going to help it hear better." He opened the door and motioned her to follow him. When they entered the room there were two familiar eyes looking at them. “Hey look, it has your eyes.” He said jokingly.
Mechan was staring at it. “Is it... moving?”
“Yeah.” Binary said looking at it. It’s head was looking at her, then at him, then back to him, and so on. “It’s fascinated with us, since it doesn’t get much to look at in here.”
“The last time I saw it, it was laying down.” She said, slowly moving towards it, trying to avoid looking at the emotionless look on its face; which she found unsettling. Binary held its attention while she went around to an ear. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.” She said, reaching into Sine’s ear with her magic and pulling an antenna out.
“That’s fashionable.” Binary said in a sarcastic tone as he leaned against the wall watching.
Mechan ignored him and did the same to the other ear, after which she turned to him. “It's functionable.” She replied, unphased by the remark.
“So are swim fins.” He said. “That doesn’t mean they’re pretty.”
Mechan rolled her eyes. “Be quiet.” She said, nudging him aside. She got in front of Sine and looked it in the eyes. They moved to examine its face. “You’re right.” She said with a smile, “It does have my eyes.”
“It has your ears too.” He said, giggling at the antennas.
She rolled her eyes and looked at him. “Yeah? Well it has your thoughts.”
“Actually, it’s not really thinking yet.” Binary said, immediately regretting saying it as Mechan started to laugh.
“Yeah.” She said between outbursts of laughter. “It definitely has your thoughts.” She started laughing harder and fell on her back.
“Do you want to see how it thinks?” Binary asked, taking no offense to her laughter.
“Sure.” She said, still giggling. She held out a hoof and Binary helped her up. “I don’t think I’ve seen your workroom yet.” She said as they were walking out the door.
“Guess it’s time you saw it then.” Binary responded as he closed the door.
As they walked down the hall, they left behind a room with a robot in it. Its eyes were open, looking at the door. But its ears saw further than the door. Down narrow halls and through the walls. It was seeing the world now, not through its eyes, but through the echoes that drifted down the hallways. Sine heard it all, things beyond sight. Slowly it looked up to them, and copied an expression it had just seen. Slowly, the corners of Sine’s mouth went up.
