#186: My name is Sapocop - 2010-08-23
Eliana and Pedro smiled.
- “We think X-25 sounds too generic, and too like by default, from a factory...”
- “Instead, ” - Pedro added - “ this is a house robot, handcrafted. We need to give the dummy a personality, something unique, that makes it stand out from all others...”
- “Yeah? And what name you suggest for it?”
Pedro and Eliana looked at Rosa, who had withdrawn, pale from fear.
- “Rosa, come, let's talk...”
- “Yeah, let's gather!”
Rosa, Eliana and Pedro made a gathering circle and exchanged some words, and then Eliana took the floor:
- “We made a choice! All three of us, Rosa, Pedro and me, becase of your design and creation's elegance, its beauty, its abilities and its circuitry, for which I did nothing but assemble while following your instructions, we thought that it could only have a name. And that name is SAPOCOP!”
Hugo blew his top.
- “SAPOCOP? SAPO-COP!? Ah, why?”
- “Sapocop: Artefacto Poli-Operativo y COmputador Personal” (English: «poly-operative artifact/device and personal computer»). Do you like the name?”
- “Uh... And the S?”
- “S for Sapocop, A for Artifact, P for Poly, O for Operative, CO for Computer and P for Personal. Any doubts?”
- “I don't like it! It sound like... like RoboCop! But it's wrong! RoboCop is "Robo" from "Robot" and "Cop" because he's a policeman! And SapoCop... it's not a toad, it's not a policeman, it's a robot...”
- “But you must admit that the robot looks like it a bit. That black jaw with the mouth is the same of RoboCop... and you know that the toad is you. Do you have a better name?”
They called him "sapito" ("toadie") not just because of his "four eyes", but also because he proved to be a nice goalkeeper and also because he was an Universidad Católica fan. From that angle, it was a great honor to get the same nickname as the legendary ex-goalkeeper from that club, and now sports commentator, Sergio Livingstone.
- “... O-kay, let's give it that name... Sapocop.”
- “Hurrah!”
Sapocop is the last from a series of mechanical monsters that Hugo tried to build since late 1992. Of all them, it's the only one with a memory and capable of following certain behavior patterns. The X-25 model Sapocop weights approximately 80 kilograms, and is about 210 cm (6'10.6"). Its brain was made from the remains of an Atari 800-XL computer, that controlled a master circuit that controlled all 16 joints of the robot.
- “Hey, show us what it does!”
- “Ok.”
Hugo then took a remote control from his right pocket, and pointed it to the mechanical monster's head. Then, Sapocop started to walk, counting its steps like any other 20th century robot.
- “Amazing!” - Rosa exclaimed.
- “If this looks amazing to you, wait and see what Sapocop will do at this moment.
Hugo presses a button, and Sapocop extends his hand to Rosa. Then, he gives the control to Eliana, and makes a sign to her.
- “Rosa, give it a hand...”
Rosa gives it her hand, despite being overcome with fear. Then, after a remote order, Sapocop takes Rosa on its arms, and carries her to her bed, and covers her with the bedsheets.
- “Okay, Rosa, you may now continue sleeping...”
Eliana and Pedro applauded Sapocop's actions. Rosa gets of the bed and stands up. She wouldn't be able to continue sleeping.
- “Do you see how useful is my new invention?”
- “Yeah, I see... ” - answered Pedro - “ Say, how much weight can Sapocop carry?”
- “I have no idea. Maybe some 50 kilograms... Well, I think I have to store it, because the battery only lasts some minutes... But I will replace it for one that lasts more.”
- “Wait!” - Eliana interrupted - “ There's something I want it to do before that!”
- “What thing?”
Eliana gave Hugo the control back, and then pointed her finger to the robot, telling him:
- “Hello. My name is Eliana. What's your name?”
The robot's answer left Hugo astonished, and terrified Rosa, who promptly fled from the bedroom.
- “Wow, it speaks too!” - exclaimed Pedro.
- “Yeah, it isn't great?”
- “But... the Atari had no sound, the sound chip was burned...”
- “Nope. Only the contacts were burned, the chip itself was okay. It was a matter of soldering...”
