Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-05-13
An Automatic Wonder.

An Automatic wonder.
In paper read before the Science
Congress, in session at Washington
during the past week, Professor Fair
man Rogers, of Philadelphia, read a
paper, describing combinations OF
mechanism for initiating mental pro-
cesses, illustrated by means of dia-
grams, showing the peculiar require
ments of an automaton which should
play a game of tit-tat-too against an
opponent; the play of the automaton
to be resultant effect on the play OF
his opponent. Among the various
classes into which machines may be
divided, we find those which have tor
their object the mere transformation
of motion according to various
sequences, as in the case of clocks, GER
tain portions of moving machinery, and
especially calculating machines. In all
these the apparatus being constructed
according to certain law, goes through
operations automatically, which re-
semble to a greater or lesser extent the
operations of the human mind. In
the case of the calculating machine it
reproduces and extends in a regular
sequence the form with which it starts.
Babbage, in speaking of his analyti-
cal engine, has suggested that. a
machine might be made which
would play game of combination,
such as .draughts, provided the
maker of the machine himself
could work out perfectly the sequences
of the game He does not appear to
have published anything further on
this subject, except to suggest that the
child's game of tit-tat-too is the sim
plest of all the games of combination,
and therefore possible to be played by
an automaton.
The author of this paper finds that
the sequences of this game being
readily tabulated, it is possible to
arrange machine which will follow
them, and which will have the power of
apparently selecting the course which
will lead to success when there are two
open to it. It differs from the calculat-
follows out regular sequence as the
result Of its construction, but it is able
to follow out the principle of the game
when modified by the varying and I'M
expected moves of it's antagonist.
The manner in which this is done is
briefly as follows: The opponent to
the automaton makes the first move in
the game, and in so doing causes GER
tain cylinder or equivalent device to
change it's position. This, from the
construction of the apparatus, causes
the automaton to make that play which
the proper sequence Of the game re-
quires, and at the same time moves the
corresponding cylinder into position.
The next play of the opponent moves
the third cylinder, and the combination
of the three cylinders determine the
action of the automaton for the fourth,
and so on throughout the sequence.
If the player plays perfectly the game
will be drawn, as the automaton's play
is automatically correct. Il the
opponent makes a mistake, the auto
nation, by simple devise, takes ad-
vantage of it, and makes such a play
to win the game. Illustrations we're
then given on the blackboard, showing
that there were three general conditions
of the problem, the third being much
more complicated than the other two.
The application of this mechanism to
a game of this kind is intended to illus
trate it's character, and to show that its
addition to apparatus for registering
physical phenomena, or for performing
geometrical or mathematical operations,
may enable such mechanical devices to
have a use much more extended than
heretofore.
The paper of Professor Rogers, ex-
cited much interest, and the practicable
character of the proposed automaton
was very clearly demonstrated. Profess
sor Hilgard inquired how many pieces
of machinery were necessary. Mr..
Rogers said that in the first of the three
cases involved by the problem there
were eighteen levers required; in the
second case, thirty-two; in the third,
forty-eight. AS many cylinders were
required as there were limits in the
game; as many levers as there are
combinations. To economic machin-
cry, the board itself turned round a
half or more.
Professor Hilgard asked whether we
do not really think very much as the
automaton acts-whether the mental
process was not similar to the mechan-
ical. Professor Henry said that the
question was transcendental IN it's
character. Mr.. Rogers mentioned that
several solitaire games could be played
by an automaton, and that the machin-
cry for this was very simple, but it had
not the same interest as a machine
which could take advant age of an oppo-
nenta mistakes.
IL "