Bill Gates's "Guardian Angel"

I admit that I have not had time to peruse this patent application, but those parts of it that I have read lead me to believe we may be on the verge of a quite remarkable future that has been portrayed in fiction, but to my knowledge has not been approached in reality, even in the case of various GPS based systems that can provide much data regarding one's environment on command.

While this kind of technology can be helpful to some degree, it seems to me that it's the kind of thing could cut both ways.

It'd be interesting to hear some comments from those who are more versed in this type of technology.

An intelligent personalized agent monitors, regulates, and advises a user in decision-making processes for efficiency or safety concerns. The agent monitors an environment and present characteristics of a user and analyzes such information in view of stored preferences specific to one of multiple profiles of the user. Based on the analysis, the agent can suggest or automatically implement a solution to a given issue or problem. In addition, the agent can identify another potential issue that requires attention and suggests or implements action accordingly. Furthermore, the agent can communicate with other users or devices by providing and acquiring information to assist in future decisions. All aspects of environment observation, decision assistance, and external communication can be flexibly limited or allowed as desired by the user.

GUARDIAN ANGEL: Abstract

[edit on 2008/5/10 by GradyPhilpott]

It's called a computer Dude.

Honestly, not trying to be harsh but this doesn't sound like anything all that unbelievable. Furthermore there are already machines that do some of what you describe already.

What I see coming which I think is very cool would be computer assisted interactive holographics. I believe they simulated this somewhat in the workshop scenes in the Ironman movie. In fact there were a few futuristic things in that movie that I don't doubt will be available in less than 10 years.

If you have an interest I suggest you see the movie. I think you'll find this very interesting fiction to be full of facts for the future.

It's actually a program and I'm not interested in watching a movie to get the lowdown on this patent, dude.

I didn't say that it was unbelievable, but I am saying that I'm surprised to see such a device patented and I'm asking knowledgeable people to read the patent in its entirety as I'm doing and comment on the broader implications of such technology.

As I said, I've been watching science fiction for some fifty years and I know that such devices have been predicted for just about that entire time.

However, it is quite a bit different when Bill Gates applies for a patent for a portable device that monitors one's internal and external environments and advises a human on options based on that data, as this is purported to do than it is when Arthur C. Clarke or George Lucas tells a story about a device that does all these things.


[edit on 2008/5/10 by GradyPhilpott]

Have you read any of John Ringo's Alldenata series of military sci-fi novels? This sounds alarmingly close to the GalTech AID (artificial intelligence device) in those books.

I am not saying it's bad (because that is obvious) but please keep in mind that if something you come to trusts tells you to do something that will lead to your death then maybe it should be left on the shelf. Basically, the user is monitored - his environment is known...perhaps such a device, in practical use, will communicate the desires of someone else?

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