Nearly every computer you use, including the ones people are starting to use for self-driving, can have their memory accidentally modified from cosmic rays
We try really hard to protect spaceships from them, since they’re subject to more
However, due to the law of large numbers, sometimes your computer will get random bit flips - where it should be a 0, but it’s instead a 1, or vice versa
TomFrost@lemmy.world 4 months ago
So basically, we have low level neutron radiation coming at us at all times from space. Mostly from our own sun, some other external sources too. It takes a whole lot of concrete or lead or water to stop that completely, so anything that makes it through our atmosphere is harmlessly passing through all of us.
But since things like computer RAM and other electronic storage have gotten so much smaller, this radiation is now capable of energizing or discharging individual bits — 1s or 0s — in that storage. Imagine you’re in the hospital for a back operation and the robot arm is approaching a 1 bit that tells it to stop… but that 1 flips to a 0 because the sun sneezed and now your spine is in two fun-sized pieces.
This is all mostly moot today, though. ECC-enabled RAM (memory with protections against bit flips) is the norm and this is a pretty well-understood problem.
GrammatonCleric@lemmy.world 4 months ago
Ok, there just has to be a movie that capitalizes on this idea.
tkk13909@sopuli.xyz 4 months ago
One definitely could be made. That physics caused a miscount in a local election iirc. That’s probably a good movie premise.
Gigan@lemmy.world 4 months ago
It wasn’t from a bit-flip, but they did kind of make that movie already.
gsfraley@lemmy.world 4 months ago
In case you’re missing it, this is what the Stephen King book and movie “Maximum Overdrive” is about, but technologically behind by 50 years. Radio signals and power surges just happen to influence machines all over the world into vengefully killing people.
GrammatonCleric@lemmy.world 4 months ago
Please explain the soda machine gag to me, I just can’t wrap my head around it 😂
Kolanaki@yiffit.net 4 months ago
Maximum Overdrive?
Carighan@lemmy.world 4 months ago
Should mention that the robot does not depend on a 1 to stop, more on like 600 in any “modern” programming language. 😅