Feature: 'Book Review: Artificial Life Possibilities: A Star Trek Perspective'

In another of today's main Gamasutra features, reviewer Brad Kane recommends this interesting book which "provides a light-hearted exploration of artificial life within the context of the beloved world of Star Trek", chiefly through the fictional constructs of Data and the Emergency Medical Hologram. In his introduction to the review of the book, which is published by game book publisher Charles River Media, and deals with concepts that the author feels might transition into games in the future, Kane explains: "The Star Trek television shows and films are well-known for their expansive vision of humanity's future and their sharp insight into human nature. Star Trek is also notorious as a breeding ground for real-world scientific developments, and many look to the imaginings of the Star Trek universe as an indicator of how science and humanity might intersect in the centuries to come. Nowhere in Star Trek is that intersection more clear than in the handful of artificially-intelligent characters that roam the decks of Star Fleet ships, and it's no surprise that an author might turn to Star Trek for a deeper understanding of artificial intelligence and artificial life. That's what Penny Baillie-De Byl does in her new book, Artificial Life Possibilities: A Star Trek Perspective– and she pulls it off with twenty-fourth century style. The book is essentially an examination of how, using today's technologies in computing and robotics, we might be able to create artificial beings such as those seen in the Star Trek future. Read on for a fascinating journey through the bodies, minds, and hearts of some of Star Trek's most beloved artificial characters." You can now read the full Gamasutra feature on the subject, including more on the book's intriguing premise (no registration required, please feel free to link to the article from external websites).