rural robotics

Lu nodded, ‘You got it.’ Upon my suspicious tone, he said, ‘Of course you don’t mean to believe it. The fact is, I got inspiration from the underworld. Somehow they told me how to use the pressure of silicon layers to form necessary metals.’

I was bewildered. ‘You mean like coal or petroleum?’

Lu agreed.

‘Who told you that, underworld scientist?’

‘I don’t suppose you can accept it. Me neither, at first. But then I find it feasible. I don’t need to have the exact know-how, just make it, placing the ore into the layers. It’s like...’ Lu pondered for a while before going on, ‘you don’t need to do all the computer programming to make a robot move. You can just have the joints, the hand and a driving force to throw out a javelin.’

‘Like insects.’

‘Yeah.’ Lu smiled.

‘You know, that’s a major trend in developing robotics.’

‘That’s why I’m using this easier and efficient way to make robots.’

‘Can you finish it? There are only around forty days before the Olympics.’

‘Forty-one days, actually. I’m trying my best.’

a craftsman making a mascot

‘Excuse me, what’s your name?’ I changed the subject and asked.

‘Call me Lu,’ The man paused, ‘I come from Lu Xiang, you know, the pace where Lu Ban lived.’

‘And Lu Ban is...’

Lu stared at me, somehow not used to a response of not knowing who Lu Ban was,‘The patron of craftsmanship.’

‘Oh, Master Lu.’ I recalled. ‘What’s the color of this would-be sixth mascot? ’

‘Brown, the color of earth.’

‘Isn’t there already a mascot in more or less the same color?’

‘Orange, that is. Mine is brown.’

‘Brown because it’s from clay or underground?’ I tried to resume a disconnected topic.