(Continued from May 06, 2010)
The ladies and I kept pace with Sam by walking briskly. After about fifteen meters, the robot came to a sudden halt. We turned around to look at Alphonse, who had remained near the shed. He shouted: “I am going to experiment with the goggles. Please, stay clear of my field of vision.”
Sam resumed his jaunt–again at fast speed. About one meter from the Mini’s rear bumper, he stopped. Then, seconds after Alphonse had plugged in the cord for the goggles, the robot’s arms moved to a horizontal position and Sam very slowly advanced toward the automobile. A slight adjustment during the approach allowed the arms to slip neatly under the steel bumper.
Alphonse walked toward us proclaiming: “According to the manual, Sam is quite strong. So, I’ll get him to lift up the back of the Mini. By means of hydraulic cylinders in the ‘legs,’ he will be able to raise it about fifty centimeters.”
While he spoke, Alphonse opened his hatch, took out two twelve-by-twelve centimeters thick wooden blocks and explained: “In an upright position, these are about forty-five centimeters; so, they should fit neatly under the bumper. After lowering the car on them, Sam will be able to attend to other duties.”
The project panned out as Alphonse had planned it. Sam readily lifted the Mini’s rear end to fifty plus centimeters, allowing the easy placement of the wooden blocks.
Next, my young friend spread a tarpaulin on the blacktop behind the Mini and sat down on it. He then directed the robot to take a certain jigsaw blade from his breast pocket and insert it in the cordless.
At that point in time, Alphonse realized that his spectators might be somewhat puzzled about the project in progress; so, he explained: “According to the manual, the blade that is presently in the cordless will easily cut through steel piping. Well, my exhaust pipe is rusted through and held up with wire. Using the goggles, I will be able to do a precision job in cutting it exactly in the right spot.”
Without further ado, Alphonse shrank the robot to its lowest position and made him move under the Mini. My young friend then stretched out on the tarpaulin; and, with the use of the goggles, was obviously able to find, with ease, the most appropriate place for the severing process. For, within seconds, we heard a few strokes of the blade and the “clang” as the metal hit the pavement.
Ominous clouds had appeared in the sky. Therefore, Aunt Dorothy advised Alphonse to get the robot to his shed. “You made Sam perform marvelously,” she added with a smile.
(To be continued)