Johny5
by Devyn B.
History of Robotics: Short Circuit
Johnny 5, also known as Number 5, is a rogue military robot from the film “Short Circuit” who was struck by lighting, causing him to malfunction, and like none of his other “brothers” he developed emotion. He sets out to discover that there is more than a military base in the world. Through learning many things, he ends up destroying the military base because they tried to fix him. Johnny has some humanoid characteristics, only has tank treads for legs. His purpose was to support the military, but ended up changing lives. From this example of a robot, we learned that creating robots means they can have free will. There is a fan-made real life version of Johnny, but he doesn’t have cool gadgets or a personality. When we create robots, we can see this as an example that robots are better with emotions than none at all.
by Jason H.
Number 5 is part of a series of prototype U.S. military S.A.I.N.T. (Strategic Artificially Intelligent Nuclear Transport) robots built for the Cold War by NOVA Laboratories. Number 5 is hit by a lightning-induced power surge, scrambling its programming and giving it a sense of free will. Several incidents allow the robot to escape the facility accidentally, barely able to communicate and uncertain of its directive. Number 5 develops a whimsical and curious childlike personality. Number 5 accidentally crushes a grasshopper and gains an understanding of mortality, he concludes that if NOVA disassembles him he too will cease to be alive. Horrified. Number 5 is deactivated and captured. Being taken on the way to NOVA, he manages to turn himself back on and escapes despite a tracker that had been placed on him. the robot convince Crosby of the robot's sentience. Number 5, whose only concern is Crosby and Stephanie's safety. Number 5 flees across the fields until a US Army helicopter sweeps over a nearby rise and its missiles blow the helpless robot to pieces. Number 5 reveals himself to them, surprising his friends by revealing the warmongers actually blew up a duplicate he made out of spare parts. Number 5 renames himself "Johnny 5" after a song "Who's Johnny" that he heard when he escaped from NOVA's van. He accompanies Stephanie and Crosby to their new home.
Eventually, Johnny 5 ends up getting caught by the military, and is planned for robot execution (Short Circuit 2) but is saved by an Indian scientist. Johnny becomes his friend as they travel through the city in effort to escape the military. Through each of his adventures, Johnny learns many new things, evidence that he has a brain, or maybe even an AI.
