Discovering Alien Tech
Copyright© 2025 by GMet
Chapter 19
Tuesday morning, I went jogging early instead of using the weight room downstairs. I jogged over to the track around the Steinbrenner field and just did fast laps while talking to Base. I kept my speed up to a four-minute mile for the five miles that I did so was back in the room by four-thirty in the morning. After a quick shower, I walked over to the workshop and took out the components we packed for the Model Four version one robot. After setting an alarm for seven-forty, I worked with Base to put together the first service robot. It was a full-size robot that looked human except for it’s titanium outer shell so most of the components came from the Model One version Two robot design. We made it the size of an average woman so that no one would feel intimidated with a larger robot in their home or office. Subsequent versions would be scaled smaller for children and larger for more male oriented work, as necessary. Other versions would have alternate forms of movement versus normal legs; either treads or wheels as the environment dictated. This model would have multiple versions and be almost custom built to a filled-out request form after viewing all the options for movement and for hand attachments and even shape of the robot. Some service robots could have the shape of robots like those from the space films of old rather than that of a human.
I was putting together the spine when my alarm rang so I wiped off as best as possible, put the alarm on and locked the door on the way out. I had time to sneak into the bathroom to wash up before I knocked on Sage’s door just before eight am.
“Hello Sage, you’re looking ... tired,” I said with a smile.
“I am tired, I stayed up way too late studying,” she responded.
She was still in pyjamas and looked like I woke her up.
“Sorry if I woke you, do you want to go back to sleep and we can meet for lunch?” I inquired.
“No, I need to get up,” she responded. “Let me get a shower and I’ll knock on your door when I’m ready in less than an hour.”
“Okay, see you then,” I said and went to my room.
Base and I worked on a different AI for the service robots, which would also be customized for the customer’s needs and what they wanted to pay for. Every robot would get a base functionality and then could be augmented as required or even updated at a later stage. I was engrossed in our programming when there was a knock on the door. I went over and let in Sage.
“Give me a minute please, I need to finish this code line and then save it and we can go,” I told her as I walked back to my laptop.
“Don’t you know it’s not nice to keep a woman waiting?” she asked, now looking much more awake and chipper. “Especially for her coffee?”
“Sorry dear, but I just don’t sit around when someone stands me up first,” I retorted. “Two minutes and I’ll be finished, for now.”
“What you working on?” she asked from behind me as she looked over my shoulder.
“I’m working on the AI for the Model Four service robots,” I said. “I’m figuring giving all of them a base AI and then supplement that with whatever the customer orders for specific functionality. I spent a couple hours putting version one together in the workshop and realized how many versions we’ll probably offer in the service and hospitality sector as well as home use for adults and the children companion versions.”
“Always busy on something new,” she noted as she patted my shoulder. “I suppose you worked on something after we split apart last evening.”
“Yes, I did some research on robot surgeries and found that surgeons control the robots using small cameras inserted in small incisions,” I told her. “I’ll have to adapt one of my robots or robot arms to work in microscopic conditions. The cameras will have to be even better and the end effectors will have to be modified to work with smaller entities.”
I finished up the code and saved my work before shutting down the laptop and putting it away in a drawer under the bed. No use leaving right out in the open for someone to steal. In time I would put in a secure safe with safeguards to ensure that it couldn’t be removed from the room or hacked.
“Alright, let’s get breakfast, I’m starving,” I said as I stood up.
“You’re always hungry,” she retorted as she led the way out the door.
“Mostly,” I agreed as I locked the door and fell in beside her as we walked out of our little area.
Sage got an omelette while I got a big breakfast and we found a seat in a different seating area.
“So, how long have you been up?” she asked after the first couple of bites.
“Since four,” I replied. “I ran at the stadium, had a shower and then went over to the workshop to work on the Model Four build.”
“Don’t ever think I want to join you in any of your early morning exercises or at your workshop,” Sage warned me. “That would be a very quick end to our accord.”
“So noted,” I responded. “So, how goes the studying?”
“I’m about halfway through the term so not bad,” she answered between bites. “I should get through the rest by five, have dinner with you and then start reviewing the midterms and then some sample final exams from previous years.”
“The exam is at nine tomorrow morning, right?” I asked and then continued when she nodded, “You should have breakfast or at least something to eat before you go.”
“I’ll just grab some fruit and muffins tonight so I can eat while studying in my room tomorrow morning,” Sage responded. “I won’t be good company so just stay in your workshop and meet me for lunch at noon, okay?”
“Yes Ma’am,” I agreed.
We ate in silence for a few minutes until we were done.
“Alright, back to studying and you go back to your dungeon,” she commanded. “I’ll take a break for lunch and dinner so be here at noon and five. Agreed?”
“Agreed,” I replied as we stood up.
She grabbed an apple, a couple bananas and a couple muffins for study food and then we split up in the lobby after she gave me a kiss. I worked on the service robot until quarter to twelve and walked back to knock on her door. Sage was ready and already had her shoes on so we just walked back to the dining hall and she choose a clubhouse while I picked some pizza and some fries with gravy. That got me a shake of her head but she didn’t bother saying anything. I walked her back to her room and gave her a hug and a kiss before heading back to the workshop.
I had the spine and the head attached to the shoulders when there was a bang on the back doors. I unlocked the upper lock and swung the bar up to allow the doors to open.
“Hey guys, I gather my racks and lumber came in,” I said.
“Yep, as well as a few boxes marked for you in this room,” the older guy mentioned. “Here, take these and we’ll unload the racks outside so you have room to put them together inside.”
“Thanks,” I said, grabbing a couple boxes.
I put them beside my workbench and then went back to help them unload. I slipped them each a twenty for their time and they seemed quite happy with that.
“Thanks Ben, much appreciated,” the older man said. “If you give us your cell number, we’ll let you know when you get deliveries. We’ll leave them in a secure place until you tell us you’re in your workshop.”
“Thanks guys, here it is,” I replied, giving them my number as the older guy put it in his phone. “There will probably lots of them over time so that would be much appreciated.”
“No problem for our good customers,” he said with a wink.
“How about you give me your names and numbers so I can warn you in advance?” I asked.
We exchanged names, Bill and Frank, and their numbers before they left. The next couple of hours was spent putting up the steel racks and then making a couple more with the purchased wood for frames and the wood from the boxes as the shelving. The rest of the time was spent putting everything on shelves and organizing and labelling by models or project. When everything was organized and cleaned up, I took a couple pictures from either end and forwarded them to my parents, Sage, the Dean and the CSAIL professors. To the Dean and the professors, I extended an invitation to see my work at nine tomorrow if they were available. I locked up and walked back to Maseeh Hall and cleaned up in the bathroom before changing my clothes in my room. I knocked on Sage’s door and she took a minute to open up after she told me she was coming.
“Hi there Beautiful,” I said with a smile. “Care for some food and somewhat good company?”
“Definitely, but I’ll settle for you, my lucky boyfriend,” Sage replied as she joined me in the hallway.
“How is studying going?” I asked as we walked through the hallways.
“Good, I’m through the course notes and textbook, so after supper it’s the exams and then just go deeper into some subjects,” she answered. “I saw your pics; you got a lot done on your racks and shelving and I saw the robot taking shape on the workbench.”
“Yes, it was a good afternoon,” I agreed. “I’ve extended an invitation to a few professors in the robotics and AI group as well as the Dean to see the workshop and my robots. I’ll show them the pollution scrubbers and the batteries. I just got in my supplies to make more so I’ll have one ready to show them the unique way of closing the battery casings and how hard they are to break. I might even show them the designs for the limb replacements though I’ll probably won’t get those components to start putting them together to the end of the week.”
“Maybe you should bring your stuff to them,” she suggested, “though marching those robots through the halls might be a bit much. Imagine the sight of those walking through the halls. You’d have every student and prof wondering if the aliens were invading.”
I grinned at her as we showed our meal cards and had them scanned. Sage and I both went with the fried chicken and mashed potatoes meal, adding green beans and a salad to make it somewhat healthy. We ate for a bit and just people watched, with Sage waving to some girls from time to time.
“You know more people than you let on,” I said.
“I guess so,” she admitted with a shrug. “I don’t spend a lot of time socializing but you get to know everyone when you attend the social events they have every so often. I’m not anti-social, I just like to spend more time on homework and studying than having fun. Throw in a needy boyfriend and it will be all I can do to wave at them during meals.”
“You should definitely dump the needy bastard,” I told her. “In fact, I’ll take care of him for you while you’re off playing doctor.”
“You do that,” she said with a grin. “So, how are you going to survive without me for over a month?”
“I’ll bury myself in my work and collaborate with the teams,” I told her. “I’ll probably cry myself to sleep and stare at your picture on my phone. That reminds me, I need a picture of you in some lingerie or less to stare at.”
“I’m sure you would like one but not going to happen,” she responded.
“That’s not very neighbourly of you,” I said, shaking my head. “I think the lonely-hearts club will fine you at a minimum and maybe even censure you for that.”
She laughed at that and replied, “The manhaters club will pay the fine and cheer me on for being censured. You’ll be lucky to get a picture of me in my parka and snow pants.”
“Oh, be still my heart, you in snow pants will be just lovely,” I said, looking besotted while holding a hand on my heart.
Sage just rolled her eyes and ate some more. I followed suit and we were soon done. We both got some pudding and cookies to go and went back to our little alcove.
“Alright, have a good evening and a good workout tomorrow, I’ll see you for lunch and then we’ll go out and have a nice dinner, okay?” Sage asked.
“Yes Ma’am,” I responded. “You study well and good luck on your exam tomorrow morning.”
She gave me a nice kiss and we split up into our rooms. I checked my phone and all three CSAIL profs agreed to meet in my workshop at 9am as did Dean Broderick. Base and I discussed how to present everything in the best light and decided I would get there as soon as possible in the morning to get a couple batteries made of different sizes so we could show them off at various stages. I had the testing equipment to show the results and could show them working inside the robots as well.
The limb replacement didn’t have anything physical to see but it was coming and we had the full designs to show. The rest of the evening, we worked on the pure robot surgery design to have something to show on that to convince people that the limb replacement technology was feasible and could be done sooner than later. We had to ‘invent’ new mini cameras as well as the micro devices for surgery at that level. On earth, robot surgeries went through small tubes controlled by the robots into the body through small incisions to be less invasive while the Telans used fully bladeless technology in their medical care. Base hacked the companies of the current technology to get their designs as a starting point and then we both worked on next generation improvements until our design was unrecognizable as starting from theirs. We saved our work and deleted their designs except what was public knowledge to show the current state of their technology. I fell asleep while Base made up the full designs and got the patent paperwork ready to send to mom and the patent lawyer in the morning.
Wednesday morning was a gym morning and then a shower before getting to the workshop by five. I spent the next three hours making up a couple of batteries while leaving enough chemicals to make up one more for them to see the entire process. We had a dozen outer shells here with their unique sealing openings and their built-in terminals and charging cords. At eight I cleaned up the workshop and got everything powered up before walking back to Maseeh Hall to clean up, eat and bring back my laptop and large monitor. I had just set everything up and had my door open when Doctors Pointek, Atwood and Chou showed up.
“Doctors, good morning and welcome to my workshop,” I said with a smile as I shook hands with each of them.
“Good morning Ben, I see you’re all set up already,” Dr. Pointek said as she looked around. “Didn’t you just get the key on Monday morning?”
“Yes, but I’ve been working diligently to get things set up and have been building my Model Four first version as well as some of my new battery technology so you can see where I’m at,” I told her as I pointed to the frame on the bench. “We’ll just wait for Dean Broderick to show up and then I’ll put all my robot models through their paces and then have you ask them to do something.”
It was five minutes to nine and the Dean came in a minute before nine.
“Dean Broderick, welcome to my workshop,” I said, shaking his hand.
“Thank you Ben, you’ve certainly been busy since Monday morning,” he replied, looking around.
“Yes I have, getting the shelving ordered and built and working on my Model Four first version service robot,” I replied. “I’ve also have my new batteries here to show you so you can pick the right team to work with me on that. All my robots use this technology so proof is already at hand.”
“Alright, I’m sure you have some order you wish to proceed in, why don’t you start Ben,” the dean suggested.
“Alright, as you know, Model One version one was a proof of concept, one-eighth size robot I built back in September,” I said, showing pictures of it as well as the video of the Groundhog dance. “Next we made version two, which is a leap in functionality as it has a complex spine and hip design which mirrors human movement closely. The spine is made up of newly designed joints, attachments, activators and control units to mimic the human spine without the flaws or frailty.”
I asked the robot to power up and it came online and lifted itself off the frame to stand in front of us.
“Good afternoon M1V2, how are you today?” I asked.
“I am fine, Ben, how are you?” he asked.
“I am also fine, thanks for asking,” I replied. “Could you mimic some human exercises to show how limber you are in the space you currently have?”
“Certainly Ben,” was his reply before he did some bend overs to touch his toes, side bends and pulled up one of his legs to his chest. Then he did some jumping jacks and then some leg stretches and body build poses where his one leg was out to the side and he made a bicep curl. He finished with some squats and then stood up.
“Thank you M1V2, that was impressive,” I said.
“You are welcome Ben,” he replied.
“How about you show some of your dexterity in moving things around and stacking a shelf?” I asked. “Could you take everything down off one of the racks, and then put it back another way that you think would be a better way to organize it?”
“Certainly, shall I relabel it as well?” he asked.
“Sure,” I said.
“Okay, could you please all move towards the work bench please?” he asked the humans.
Dr. Pointek winked at me before saying, “I can’t move from here right now M1V2.”
“Alright, I’ll do my best not to disturb you, Dr. Pointek,” M1V2 said and moved around her to start on the rack behind her.
The robot moved fast as he cleared each shelf and then put things back in a vastly different order. I had a notepad and a pen on my workbench and he excused himself to walk between the others to grab them and quickly wrote labels for each project. I didn’t know that any of the robots listened in or could write but it was more legible than my handwriting. He just put the sheets of paper in the front of each shelf.
“All done Ben,” he said as he walked around the good Doctor and put himself back in front of his rack.
“Thank you M1V2, that was well done,” I complimented him.
I looked around at them and they were all in shock.
“Do you wish to tell M1V2 to do something?” I asked them.
“M1V2, what is the square root of 22,417 please?” Dr. Chou asked.
“The answer is 149.723078, Dr. Chou,” answered M1V2.
Dr. Chou had his calculator out and said, “That is correct. Thank you.”
“You are welcome, Dr. Chou,” M1V2 replied.
I looked at the other three but they shook their heads.
“Thank you M1V2, please go back to home position and go to standby mode please,” I instructed.
“Yes Ben,” he said and did as asked.
“Alright, M3V1 is next and is my security model,” I said. “M3V1, please come online and disembark from your station.”
“Hello Ben,” the robot said as he moved to stand in front of me.
“Hello M3V1, please demonstrate your martial arts skill without damaging anything or disturbing our guests,” I instructed.
“Certainly, but Dr. Pointek will have to move,” he said. “Both M1V2 and I know she is not stuck to the floor so she can move but chose not to. I will not be able to show my skills without sufficient space.”
“Understood M3V1, I will join the others by the workbench,” Dr. Pointek said as she moved.
“Thank you Dr. Pointek,” he said.
The next two minutes we were shown a display that rivaled what any one expert could duplicate. He started with Karate, moved to Krav Maga, went next to Tai chi, Kung fu and ended with Taekwondo, speaking the name when he switched.
“Very good M3V1,” I complimented him. “Can you show a small sample of weapons skills please?”
“I’d be happy to, Ben,” he said.
A rod slid out from his arm to extend two feet in front of him and he did a routine with it and then added a second one out of his other hand and incorporated that into his demonstration.
“Excellent, M3V1, I certainly would not want to come against you in a dark alley,” I said with a grin.
“As I can see quite well in the dark, you would be a serious disadvantage,” M3V1 admitted.
“Very much so,” I agreed.
“Anything you’d like him to demonstrate?” I asked.
They just shook their heads as they looked at one another. I asked him to go into standby mode on his rack and he complied.
“Alright, Model Five is my attempt to build a space robot that can work in vacuum to repair internal and external systems and damage to the outer skin of the ship,” I said. “It has multiple ways to get around, legs, wheels, treads and has more than one way to attach to the outer skin of a ship. If it needs to go strictly contactless, it has a jet pack to maneuver in space. M5V1, please power up and demonstrate your mobility and then simulate fixing the lighting on the ceiling.”
The unit didn’t speak so just stood up on it’s four short legs and stepped off the shelf to the floor. It used it’s wheels to move around each of the doctors and then did the same with it’s treads. Finally, it climbed the wall and then went up to the ceiling and simulated fixing the ballast with two of its multiple arms while small anchors dug into the wall.
“Jesus, that’s brilliant,” Dean Broderick said as they all looked up.
Finally, the robot activated his jet pack and floated down to the floor, making sure not to hit anything with the exhaust.
“Thank you M5V1, please return to your station and go on standby,” I instructed.
After he was back in his spot, I powered up Model Two.
“This is Model Two, Version One, M2V1, which is our manufacturing and industrial robot,” I said as it rolled around the floor. “It has 360-degree sight, auditory and global positioning from the dome on the top. Four arms can have individual end effectors of any type to hold things and work on them at the same time. Obviously, it also has legs, wheels and treads to move around in. It can made at any size and it’s shape can be modified as well. M2V1, please make me a simple coat rack that can hang four coats in wood from what I have in storage please.”
The robot found a four foot long two by four and a length of doweling, placing them on the floor. It then picked up the dowel and held it to the dome and then put it down. Next it picked up the two by four and held it in two grippers while he found the drill bits on the work bench and opened the box and selected a drill bit. The fourth arm grabbed the drill and the drill bit was put in and then a chuck key was used to tighten the chuck. Four holes were drilled into the two by four equal distant apart and at an exact depth of half the thickness. The board was put down, the dowel was picked up, and a gripper was exchanged for a small circular blade device on the third arm from an inside storage unit. The fourth caught the cut off dowel and placed it on the bench while the second one was being cut off the same end of the longer dowel. When all four were cut, he placed the dowel back on the pile and then picked up the two by four and placed it on the bench. The four dowels were pressed into the holes, cut for press fit tightness. Once all were in, the robot picked it up, twirled it around and presented it to the four visitors.
“Did you program all that?” Dr. Pointek asked.
“No, that’s all the AI controlling the robot,” I told her. “Thank you M2V1, please return to your station and go on standby.”
We watched as he went to his rack and pulled himself onto the hooks and then shut down.
“That concludes the robot and AI presentation,” I said with a grin. “I have to say that I’m impressed on how much that they can do on their own. None of that was pre-programmed or planned out in any way.”
“That was amazing,” Dr. Atwood said. “I’ve never seen anything remotely like any of them.”
“No, they are a generation or two beyond anything we, and therefore most anyone else, can produce,” Dr. Pointek agreed. “Everything we’re working on in Engineering or in Aerospace courses is now obsolete. We need to rewrite the courses in mechanical engineering robotics, as well as every AI programming course.”
“So, we need to get those teams together and start using Ben’s designs and code in our classes and our projects, obviously paying for their use and licenses,” Dean Broderick stated. “Ben, you’re going to busy for sure.”
“That’s fine, but that’s just robotics,” I said. “The battery technology is also unique. Let me show you that and then we’ll get into other areas.”
I showed them the completed batteries and even took a hammer to one of the casings. I made one up a batch of the chemicals and then showed them the sealing method. While they were impressed, they didn’t seem too excited.
“These will last for years, put out triple the power and only need a normal 120-volt plug to recharge, also in only a half hour every three days for the big ones,” I told them. “These will work at any size including cell phones and all household electronics and will replace every battery currently on the market. The bigger ones will work for all EVs without the current risk of fires. The case is practically indestructible and will work out in space and withstand extreme pressure.”
“I’m sure our battery specialists will be very happy to see you make one and test them out,” the Dean said. “I’ll set that one up myself.”
“Okay, next is my material for pollution scrubbers,” I said as I pulled out my box of material and various sizes of exhaust attachments. “I’ve created a material that will take out ninety percent of all harmful pollution from the air that goes through it. I have data on my father’s truck before and after and it works like a charm. I have ideas for larger semi-truck exhaust stacks as well as for all industrial smoke stacks. This will help reduce all pollution and solve a big portion of the climate change issues if implemented quickly.”
I showed them the chemical composition of the material and then explained how it could be attached, the easy cartridge exchange and the method of returning used ones via the returnable bag provided in each new cartridge, free of charge.
“I’ll get our environmental people to set up a team for this right away,” the Dean said.
“Next, I have developed designs for limb replacement as well as the interface between a person’s nerves and the limb,” I announced, showing them the designs on the monitor. “Whole arms or legs, or subsets like from the elbow or the knee down, or just a hand attached to the wrist or a foot attached to the ankle can now be replaced. I’ve ordered the materials to make a few prototypes and it should be here next week. The software is ready to interpret the nerve signals to control the various systems to lift and turn the upper arm, bend the elbow, turn the wrist, or bend and squeeze the fingers. Unfortunately, the surgery to attach a wire coupling to the nerve, so the robot wire connector can quicky be connected and disconnected, is not yet available.”
I showed them the designs down to the nerve and the connectors.
“So, I looked into the current state of robot surgery and decided to develop the robots to do micro surgery as well.” I told them. “New micro cameras and the needed micro surgery attachment to go down that level are needed so that’s my next project in this area. I’m teaming up with another young genius here to help out with the biological portion to ensure no rejection by the host, how to ensure the fastening site doesn’t get infected, irritated, or worse, and how to interpret the signals into a recognizable command. It should be an interesting collaboration.”
“We’ll get a medical team lined up to meet with you and your partner in the new year,” the Dean promised. “Anything else?”
“I have designs for earth to space vehicles, pure space ships, space stations and the robots to work on each,” I continued as I pulled them up and showed them. “Obviously, I’ll need resources beyond my current financial situation to build prototypes but I think you will find them unique and very full of new concepts and useful ideas.”
“We’ve already lined up the aerospace teams for the new year,” Dean Broderick said.
“Okay, that’s it for now, but next steps would be the propulsion units for all three of those ships and stations,” I stated. “I’ll have something to show them on that as well in those meetings.”
“Excellent, you’ve far exceeded what we thought you were bringing us,” the dean said. “Make sure you have your IP and your patents registered so we can start using them under a licence in the new year. We’ll want to buy a few of each for our research and then we should hook you up with corporations to help get them to market. You’ll have a bunch of people clamouring for you time and ideas very soon.”
“Understood, I’ll prioritize all of them in January and work on my new ideas in between so that I can concentrate on school for a bit in February,” I responded.
“I think we’re going to have to relook at what classes would even be useful for you to take,” Dr. Pointek said, looking at the Dean. “He could teach graduate courses in Mechanical Engineering Robotics, AI, Aerospace design and robotics, as well as Battery technology and even environmental chemistry from what I see here. This is all post doctorate work that could win Nobel prizes in several subject within a couple years after it’s published.”
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