ALIQUIPPA, Pa, (AP). By ‘speaking commands toa
* computer that talks back io him; Robbie Marince ‘uses the.
“phone, turns: his, Ty on. and: off: writes. Jetters: ‘and, sakes

 - -eollege courses’ ‘via ‘satellite... Cer :
~The sophisticated system, was: bisilt by his ‘brother Gary.

‘in a@ 1977 car wreck. He breathes ‘only: ‘with ‘the: aid of. a.
“respirator and-is dependent «: ‘on’ 2-hour- cacdey care: for his:
physical needs: ae

-. “Medically, hie’s the same’ ‘as 5 Ke w was ‘geven yenrs ‘ago at:

the ‘onsét of. the. injury”, says Gary. Marince, 27, chief‘:
* engineer at Tadlo-station WDVE- FM in nearby. Pittsburgh.
“Technologically he has-progressed light years.” ©."

’ Robbie, now-23,-was on his way to school when the car he
was riding in hit arricy patch. The accident threw him from.
thecar, and his spinal cord was ‘severely damaged. Doctors: .
said he would be a quadriplegic for life, °

_ “He's got full mental capabilities,” says Gary. “He's got
a very, very alert mind, just an unco-operative body.”

Gary Marince,- who . ‘majored. in communications - at
college, taught himself. computer programming. He built .
the do-it-yourself system in his spare time, working with a
high school friend, Ted Ruscitti, who now is a vice president
of engineering: for Taft Broadcasting. : : .
PARTS WORTH $100,000 -

They searched through trade catalogues and pried abgut
‘$100,000 warth of components from manufacturers. :

“They used off-the-shelf:components and a little bit at:
. wizardry," says Ron Cole, a specialiat.in automatic speech.
recognition at the: ‘Robaties Institute. of Carnegie-Mellon
University. .

“It's the best example ariywhere of a home computer .
being able fo help the handicapped,”,” says Cole. ‘‘As far. as
an in-house system goes, Rabbie's is ‘tate of the art. There
are none like’ it anywhere else.”

The ingenious system: has an ‘Apple 2 Plus camputer ag) hes:
brain, It-is triggered by: a. Scott Instruments voice-ent
terminal, which. Robbie activates by speaking commands
into a microphone attached to his prism glasses.

The terminal converts his commands into numbers, and,
{he computer matches the digits to programmed funetlons.

en it does what Robbie says instantaneously — dimming:

tening the lights, adjusting his bed, playing video
gu or taping TV: shows ‘on his Betamax. =

“Voice recognition is the heart of the system,” gays Gary:
“We literally have. computer dialogue, which eliminates
typing commands on.a keyboard: .

“When Robbie: gives’ a command, it’s a whole lot faiter
‘than anyone can type," says Marince, who Keeps computer
dises in a recipe’ box at, the. foot: of Robbie’s. bed.

' — ASpeech' Plus Prose 2 component, originally. designed...
aga reading tool for the blind, generates its own speech and
talks back to Robbie. . :

The voice sounds like a foreigner with. a cold, and it’s
called’ HAL after the computer in 2001: A Space Odyssey. It -

even: talks in a whisper. at. night so the family. won't be :

disturbed.”

_ To turn the computer Robbie commands, a, “Open the -

‘ p tA : We eta pl Rueg yembuttokss yaaa ae we
“HAL replies: “igyatem’ opening. Yes, master.” And the |

compiter is ‘ready. to do whatever Robbie wants.

any of the: communications Satellies in geosynchronous
orbit 35,890 kilometres above the equator.

On his command, a four-metre dish antenna cemented in
the backyard of his suburban home whirs into’ motion,
locking on a distant satellite to recelve TV signals,

He has been taking college courses sent via satellite since
_ January. Eventually, he hopes to enroll in. community
college. He could take tests much like he'writes letters —
Speaking into the computer and then having a a high “apeed
’ printer make a physical copy. Ty ote
HAL DIAL NUMBER ' ;

To use the phone, Robbie gives the nanie of the persén he
wants to call. The computer responds with the number, then
dials it when Robbie says so,

_ “E eouldn't imagine a day without the computer,” ‘says
’ ‘Robbie. “It brings you-into the real world: ‘again. "
“Right now, the computer is filling a void created by a

| | UNIVERSAL
|: | REMOVABLE SUNROOF.

—Fits most vehicles with.easy installation 7 .

‘SALE

*209

INSTALLED

"Resources
‘Inc.
* Ledecky, who wrote a

For example, Marince can ask the computer ‘to Ink up to ,

Quadriplegic orders com

busted spinal cord, My ultimate goal ig
‘ gord fixed, tobe. back. to normal.” <..°.
The family is. dickering with ‘computer companies. for a:
more. powerful system, and: a formal ‘Proposal has ‘been |:
made for a robatie arm. ;

" Mariricé becduse Robbie was paralysed from the neck down. are

“VANCOUVER (CP) — I
“uniot members. continue to

~ "Jose! jobs to robots, they

might insist on ‘collecting

_dues from them, | aays David

Ledecky, a ~ research
associate at International
‘Development

report’ -called --Factory

_ Automation Markets for the.

Norwalk, Conn., research:
.. firm, says these would: be’
phantom dues paid | by the ~
employing

manufacturer ;

' the robots.

~ Charles Connaghan, a

‘Vancouver ‘consultant; says. in UF
one..of (the: car. industry.
- unlons in Japan—récently’ |. -

sought to have - robots

certified as union members.
“They lost: thelr :bldiqn ad”
apparent technicality but I:
_ “suppose It: will be just: a
‘matter of time before they ,
are successful, ad he said. .

_ NEST

_ ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Reuter) —
A top-secret, highly trained force ready ‘to go-into action if:
terrorista- threaten’ to destroy an American. city with
“nuclear weapons.

i have that spinal

ot

, ‘Japanese. Jaw “forbids:
. employers .-
contributions“ to’ “unions ‘,
’ directly ag it ia seei as-an.
, attempt ‘to-influence them..
The ruling stated that Fobot-
certification - would have.
meant the companies “were
making direct’ payments to

to:

the unions.

North America still lags .

behind the Japanese in the

"vise of industrial robots.
- Monty. Alton; spokesman -
for. the United Steelworkers.
of. America in Vancouver,
, said” the only. industrial -
robot. he knows of in B, C; is...
/ : blue. callar workers are.
#1" employed, only about 10,000 -
” P * robots work in the factories,
of the Ernployers! Council of.

B.C., said he: “anticipates. a,

‘greater uso df robots in'B.C. °
“By, and large} unions have..." na
“pealized Sthis ‘and have’. “Bosomworth said Canada: °
** Is even more susceptible to
--papid changes’ in: the
.  Sworkeforce that would’ “see

: ~ robots take more and more

demanded * concessions in

return.” a

ready |

The US. government has”

- Officials say the force is NEST, an. acronym ‘for the. ‘50°

- Member Nuclear Emergency Search Team, a clandestine“

agency within the U.S. Energy Departrhent. . :
It is charged: with the responsibility of locating and |
“disarming terrorist-controlled nuclear bombs ‘before such

weapons could be detonated.-

For its’ agents’ working out of. Nevada, ‘Maryland and -
California, scouring any city for a nuclear device can be as
difficult as finding the proverbial needle in a-haystack.

Documents. released ‘: “under the" U.S’. Freedem- ‘of:
Information’ Act. show that, at Jeast-30 such threats have:,
; been made:in-the last 1)years. Same .threats have beeii
ireated 89 serioiisly that officials have considered learing

” the cities concerned. :
One document details an incident i in 1974 in which then- ..

president Gerald: Ford considered. evacuating: Boston. It.
turned out to.be-a hoax, but a threat made in July, 1975;
against New York City frightened experts at the FBI and
Nuclear’ Emergency Search-Team headquarters.

- make’

‘Ledetky’s « report. ‘Bays.

_ computerized automation of
“North American factories :
and the increasing ‘use of

robots may result in a labor
revolt that could inflict

‘factory. . automation.

Ken Bosomworth,’

president of International.

Resourcés,. said . in: a

telephone interview that in 7

the U.S., “where 40 ‘million

but that-figure may rise-to
between. six and
“million in: W years.

’ fobs.

the: United Steelworkers
-Union at Trail, said’ the

‘union has taken the position .

that the use of robots in the

‘plant will.be better for the |”
“Under the |:

membership.

‘old’ system...» people

“eight

ne ‘Robbie has electrical maniputation of his is world: " says .
Gary: “We need. mechanical manipulation. “A robotic arm:
‘would: provide ‘for him: even: ‘further. independence.” ”
‘Computers. and. robotic : ‘arms ¢an do’ chores: ‘that the’...
physically: ‘handicapped are

Workers could Collect new dues

grave wounds. upon the —
‘already’ staggering steel
and automotive industries. '
".. It estimates the market
-for
“equipment cotild-reach $32 .
billion (U.S.) by 1993-0
that, In thé steel ‘industry,

*

John Qwens, a member of

- . developed all sorts of health

problems,”.he said, Adding .

robots would -eliminate

“the union hoped the use of -

many of these. problems. -

“But we can't |

_ use.” CREATES JOBS

. Connaghan - said . the
“Jenanese experience - has

-“peen that every working -
* pabot created 1.6 jobs; Alton .

said that may be true in
Japan where management

really’
- analyse the full impact until .
the robotic’ system is in full

has a. different attitude |

toward the worker.

-“The Japanese’ tradition’

_. ‘The extortion note was accompanied by an accurate
drawing of the nuclear device the extorfionist said was in

-Said. “Somewhere down the linea terrorist group will hold

working instead of getting

his possession. The drawing indicated that the extortionist rid of them, but this is not
. . ’ . 1 .

Imew enough about physics to have built --- if he had the
“necessary plutonium —'a nuclear bomb... ~

FBI agents set a trap to catch the criminal, but he never
turned up to céllect the ransom. Seven years” ‘jater, agents
at NEST and the FBI nervously await a second threat from
the § game mystery mati.

“There are several terrorist groups that have or will soon
have nuclear capability,” an Energy Department. source

an American’ city hostage.”

is to keep their employees ©

SRT OF TE So

~ RESIDENTIAL LOT SALES

ON THE BENCH

HALLIWELL Aven

_500,000- ‘Américans. who .
“Himbs. 0!

available commercially. * “
We don't want. to create -a° wieleti ]
“some people might think it’s fun’ to be handicapped: or ‘where -

able. to 0 do; and’ there: ‘have, :

stars.’ oat
“The only happy. ending io this story vill be. if Rob .
the cage: ‘in Canada‘ or B.C, ~ becomes a totally functioning human: hheing,” G ary. adds. :
“Here, we lay’ everybody off
or dismiss them.”
, Bosomworth said that in“
the ‘Inst 50. years, unlons
have not made.much of a
‘fuss.--about automation
becatise in return for. that
policy they have demanded
a-“fairly ‘high ransom” by
insisting on really high
wages for their employees.
- The-net result has been

The Fabric Boutique

wishes to advise all our

for example, ‘wages are so
high that it no longer: is_
? ampetitive. He said .
organized labor. will not. be
‘able’to maintai {ts..present
“attitude ‘toward: robots ‘and
automation “as ‘their | use :

639-1335
increases, :

3308 KALUM ST. TERRACE

Special notice to
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party line
| ‘customers :

Effective Wednesday, - July 2, if your: ‘telep ber: begins at
‘with 634" or 798" and you wish to call. another party on your-Iine, -.
- dial“'8" and then the party’s telephone number. “The dlating code me
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: _Alusimenis to cur central office tlephone eaulpment have made

wie i ih ee a Bienes: rae 2 re phe doer

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NEAR PARKSIDE SCHOOL

ec

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| 3
SO, ‘af o

goo
+ 07 he, 8
o 34 6
gt: 4
a
uv

“REAR VENTS
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- MeCONNELL Ave.

Prices in Effect
until July 31, 1983
Mhile Stock. Lasts

“$109

(with exchange)
INSTALLED ©

service—Screens, plexiglass--Free eames hour emergency service .

‘TERRACE LTD, - 47118 KEITH 638-1186
KITIMAT. LTD, - 330 ENTERPRISE -632-4741.

_ —Fast, friendly ‘service—insurance clalms handled promptly—Auto glass - Be
| windshields--Mlrrors cut to any slze—House windows & replacement glass—Patla

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—ALL-WEST — EVERYTHING IN GLASS Me bog ot Caden

Lot -9 - $18,200.00 Lot 2- $19,000.00

_ ur Bre $49,200.00 3+ $19,000.00 |

doors—Sealed units—Sunroofs (van conversions) —Aluminum storefrants—Moblle ” : “V2. = $18,975.00 5*="$19;000.00
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people says "Look ‘what. you can do, you- can talk. to the, a ve