6 Story & Comic by Xiao Jiangnan The Legend of Heroes The Legend of Heroes
The Legend of Heroes Story & Comic by Xiao Jiangnan
The main characters Green Shadow (Penelopea) Solar Flare Fanilla Jalapeno Lotus Root Citron Peashooter Lava Guava
Zombot Tomorrow-tron Unmanned Delivery Vehicle Industrial Manipulator The Wind 1 Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) The Smash Impfinity Super Brainz The Wind 0
Foreword Robots have become the unique technical symbols, cultural landscapes and symbolic objects of the modern society. They are not only technological products but also the important outcome of the transformation of mankind’s production and lifestyle. The intelligentization and biochemical imitation of robots is a new topic that humans encounter in the post-industrial area. Nowadays, the development of robotics technology is getting more attention. People even think that it can lead the development of future industries. The research on Cognitive Systems and Robotics was drafted in the European Union’s 7th Framework Programme (FP7). The United States launched the National Robotics Initiative program. Japan and South Korea have also developed corresponding research plans for service robots. China’s State High-Tech Development Program (863 Program), National Natural Science Foundation, National Science and Technology Major Project and other major programs have also greatly emphasised on the study of robotics. Driven by technologies such as computers and networks, robotics is developing rapidly from conventional industrial manufacture to various fields such as medical services, edutainment, exploration and surveillance, bio-engineering and disaster relief. The robotic systems that adapt to the needs in different fields are further developed. Of course, compared to the goals preset by humans, the research and application of robotics still encounter enormous challenges. This book unveils the mystery of robots to students via an exciting comic story. Moreover, the book provides a lot of knowledge about robots. The book also introduces the research progress of industrial robots, service robots, medical and rehabilitation robots, mobile and biomimetic robots. It helps us to know that robots are not just cold machines but also individuals that are close to us. The book also covers the counter-control of highly intelligent robots against humans, threats of the Internet to human security and ethical rules of robotic wars. It reveals the alienation that may be caused by the proliferation of technology and opens up a new aspect of “technical ethnics”. Nobel Physics Prize laureate Hideki Yukawa (1907-1981) made this critical statement about the illusion of science and technology: “A new discovery can bring happiness and prosperity. It can also lead to the loss and destruction of humanity”. The rapid development of robotics knowledge is an opportunity for human development. It may also be a crisis that mankind would encounter in future. This is related to our real understanding of the definition of “humans”. We hope that the future developments of robots will be able to meet the demands of science and technology as well as the value of research. We also pray that they are not only limited to solitary skills but also advocate humanistic care and technological ethics in this field. The robots provide the humans with a broader imagination and space for creation. In future, the robots will become smarter and more amazing. The computer technology and artificial intelligence technology will become more advanced. The development in the field of robotics awaits everyone to imagine and discover. So let’s read the book and embark on an amazing journey into the world of robots! Zhao Liang PhD supervisor University of Technology Sydney, Australia
Contents “Candy”............................ 6 The Best of Both Worlds............. 20 What Do I Want?..................... 36 Serial Fires........................ 50 The Perfect Plan.................... 64 The Birth of a Hero................. 78 The Suspicious Individual............ 94 The Unseen Friend.................. 108 Warehouse 0........................ 120 The Sunrise in the City............. 136 Robots Encyclopaedia............... 150 Glossary.......................... 158
Excuse me, please make way! At this afternoon’s press conference, police chief Citron will personally award the Hero Medal to Green Shadow, the hero who defeated the Zombies and defended our city. She’s going to attend a press conference this afternoon? What about school? What? Oh, AI. * AI = artificial intelligence “Candy” SUPERHERO Working towards the goals of the future Taking the lead through AI* Plants vs. ZomWind Tech A few years ago NEWS 6
We’re caught before we carry out our plan! I’m not happy at all! Who would’ve thought that she would discover our discussion in the sewers? Penelopea, the founder of Wind Tech is coming to our school for an event today. Don’t tell me you forgot about it? Where are you now? I’m coming over right now. I just reached the school. Hurry up! Oh no! I TOTALLY forgot about it! Solar Flare, why are you calling me so early on Saturday? I haven’t woke up yet. Ring Ring The Big Plan: Blocking All Sewers to Make Plants City Smelly 7
I’m coming to school now! Wait for me! Oh no! She’s coming towards us! I have something urgent to do. You two go and surrender yourselves at the police station! How can we go to the police station when you tied us up like this? Could you call 999 for us and ask the police to get us? I don’t care. If you don’t surrender yourselves, you’ll get what you deserve later! What? Doctor, I don’t want to go to jail! You shut up! I heard that there’s a 32-beam lidar1 at the top. There are also cameras on its roof and body, so it can bypass pedestrians automatically! Hey everyone, check this out! This is the latest unmanned delivery vehicle from Wind Tech! The Big Plan: Blocking All Sewers to Make Plants City Smelly 8
Look, this is an unmanned ground vehicle, the main force of the current major unmanned logistics warehouses. Up next is The Wind 1, a new mobile collaborative robot jointly developed by Fanilla and myself. It may be able to put packages at the corresponding delivery port accurately but it’s still a low-level warehousing logistics robot in my opinion. Wow! Puts down Now, let me introduce the most advanced warehousing logistics products invented by our company. Wow, amazing! Plants University is an institution of higher learning in the past century. Today we're here specifically in hoping that more outstanding talents will join the ranks of2 our company! Wind Tech Recruitment Briefing Lecture Roo It doesn’t need a driver. It can complete tasks such as picking up, delivering and charging autonomously3 under the control of a computer. 9
On the basis of the traditional automated guided vehicle, we added AI-controlled collaborative arms to The Wind 1, Ready to accept mission. This is the most cutting-edge technology in the world today! The Wind 1 adopts the latest simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) technology, which makes it easy to find the recipients. Hello everyone! Sorry, I’m late! It has functions such as automatic navigation, parking by the roadside, crossing the junctions, automatic emergency braking and manual takeover. In future, the parcels will be sorted by The Wind 1 to the unmanned delivery vehicle according to the orders and then delivered to the recipient’s homes without needing a courier. Tray Lidar Movable Base as well as a “head” that can process information and emit sounds, allowing it to sort, transport and pack like a human. 10
Oh my! It’s Fanilla, the chairperson of Wind Tech! Who said that? Leave this to me. Go and set up the interview venue this afternoon. But… Alright, if you have any questions, just ask. I’ll answer all of them. Dream on! That won’t happen! The one who spoke just now is Bloomerang, the vice chairperson of the company. If you let me join your company, I can develop an AI robot that thinks independently like a human! Fanilla, you’re my idol! I’d like to thank my colleague for filling in for me just now. When we first co-founded the company, he was in charge of the mechanical issues while I took care of the rest. 11
We can imagine that this is the process of an ant carrying a candy back to its nest. Quick transportation of goods is a complex engineering problem. And simulating the ants foraging is an intelligent optimization algorithm. Candy Ant Nest On the surface, robots can perform tasks better than humans. But they can never think independently like humans do. This so-called intelligent optimization algorithm is an optimization method that simulates certain natural processes. It solves complex problems that cannot be solved by traditional algorithms. For example, if a robot wants to move an item from one place to another in the shortest time, it must find the shortest route. I, Solar Flare, did! Robots can perform tasks efficiently and accurately because of intelligent optimization algorithm. You’re absolutely right, Solar Flare! 12
© 2022 Electronic Arts Inc. Plants vs. Zombies is a trademark of Electronic Arts Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED First Printed August 2022 Plants vs. Zombies 2•Robots Comic: The Legend of Heroes Text and Comic © Xiao Jiangnan First published in China by China Children’s Press and Publication Group Co., Ltd This edition is published under licence by China Children’s Press and Publication Group Co., Ltd for sales in Malaysia and Singapore only and may not be bought for exports. Plants vs. Zombies 2: Robots Comic - The Legend of Heroes Story & Comic by | Xiao Jiangnan Layout by | Liong Ci En Translated by | Yap Fwee Yi Edited by | Anthony Chan Yew Choong Published by | G.Apple Studio Sdn. Bhd. 200001014479 (517085-P) Endah Parade Shopping Mall Lot 3-055, 3rd Floor, 1, Jalan 1/149E, Taman Sri Endah, Bandar Baru Sri Petaling, 57000 Kuala Lumpur. Distributed by | United Publishing House (M) Sdn. Bhd. 197301001175 (14620-K) (A wholly-owned subsidiary of Sasbadi Holdings Berhad) Endah Parade Shopping Mall Lot 3-055, 3rd Floor, 1, Jalan 1/149E, Taman Sri Endah, Bandar Baru Sri Petaling, 57000 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-9054 7272 Fax: 03-9054 7273 Email: [email protected] Website: www.uph.com.my Printed by | Percetakan Advanco Sdn. Bhd. 197901000915 (45169-K) No. 19, 21, 23, Jalan Segambut Selatan, 51200 Kuala Lumpur W.P. If there are problems of missing or torn pages, kindly return to the distributor for replacement. Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia Cataloguing-in-Publication Data Xiao, Jiangnan, 1960- PLANTS VS ZOMBIES 2 : ROBOTS COMIC : The Legend of Heroes / Story & Comic by: Xiao Jiangnan ; Translated by Yap Fwee Yi ; Edited by Anthony Chan Yew Choong ISBN 978-967-0039-01-5 1. Comic books, strips, etc.--China--Translations into English. 2. Robots--Comic books, strips, etc. 3. Plants--Comic books, strips, etc. 4. Zombies--Comic books, strips, etc. I. Yap, Fwee Yi. II. Chan, Anthony Yew Choong. III. Title. 741.5
Introducing new characters Fires break out one after another in the unmanned warehouses of Plants City. Unmanned transport vehicles, industrial manipulators and other robots fall into chaos and land the city in crisis. Who is the culprit behind this? Is it Solar Flare who just obtains her fire-breathing ability? Or Fanilla who bought a huge-sum insurance policy? Or Bloomerang who disguises himself to enter the unmanned warehouses? Or the secretive Gentleman Zombie? Who is the real manipulator behind the scene? And who can change everything? Find out the answer in this book. Let us read about the childhood story of the heroes together and understand the development of logistics robots! RM17.50 SB/SWK RM18.50 S’PORE $10.00 CD 6055 6 Solar Flare Green Shadow © 2022 Electronic Arts Inc. Plants vs. Zombies is a trademark of Electronic Arts Inc. Cutting-edge technology Artificial intelligence Future world Funny and interesting The Legend of Heroes 200001014479 : unitedpublishinghouse 9 789670 039015 ISBN 978-967-0039-01-5