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Tyhry in a Reality Simulation

 Now that we are 25% of the way through 2023, I'm going to reflect on my exploration of artificial intelligence tools as an aid in producing science fiction stories. During the past two months, I've made an effort to explore the WOMBO Dream cloud-based CLIP-guided image generating software as a way of making illustrations for my science fiction stories. Also, I've been using the Bing search engine's chatbot as an example of software that uses OpenAI's ChatGPT.

Figure 1. Sydney the AI.

 Simulating Sydney. To obtain the AI-generated image shown to the left, I provided Mr. Wombo with this text prompt: "OpenAI’s GPT, Microsoft, AI-enabled Bing, Prometheus model, Sydney". The resulting image is shown in Figure 1.

 Science Fiction. In order to get an image of Tyhry, I then used Figure 1 as a reference image and began using a text prompt that included: "birds and flowering plants holosuite background". Mr. Wombo prefers to place cute women on what looks like a fashion show runway and in this case I got images that included plenty of flowers (see the image at the upper right corner of this blog post: "Tyhry in a Reality Simulation"). 

Figure 2. birdland simulation

 Fantasy. Occasionally Mr. Wombo sprinkled in a few birds for the images that were generated, but since birds are rarely seen during fashion shows, Mr. Wombo was not really into them. By playing around with the various WOMBO styles, I was able to get the more fanciful Reality Simulation environment (the "birdland" simulation) that is shown to the right in Figure 2. My resulting thoughts for Mr. Wombo: "Finally! I'll take anything that does not look like a fashion show!"

Figure 3. nanotechnology

 Nanites. Nanotechnology plays a major role in my science fiction stories about Tyhry (see The Hua Nanites). Back in January, I began trying to use WOMBO Dream to help me create depictions of nanotechnology. By their tiny nature, individual nanites are invisible, but in my imagination large numbers of them could possibly assemble into visible objects or at the very least, maybe something like misty clouds or sparkling and streaming masses.

Using the same "birdland" reference image that generated Figure 2, I switched to this text prompt: "nanotechnology, fractal complexity, networks of sparkling nanites". Mr. Wombo produced the image shown in Figure 3.

Figure 4. Tyhry's nanite lab.

 Into the Laboratory. Using the text prompt: "nanotechnology laboratory, fractal complexity, networks of sparkling nanites", I had Mr. Wombo convert Figure 3 into an image depicting Tyhry inside her nanite research laboratory (see the image to the right).

A copy of Tyhry at the
nanite programming facility.

Since about the age of 12, Tyhry has had a secret research lab inside a Simulation fork of the Ekcolir Reality. Using the advanced technology that is available in that Reality, Tyhry has been able to develop some anti-gravity nanites. The image shown to the left is an alternate version of Figure 4 that makes explicit the advanced computational tools that Tyhry uses while programming her nanites. Tyhry used the Reality Simulation System to make several copies of herself who live inside the Ekcolir Reality simulation and work full time on her technology development projects.

clothing nanites experiment

One of the "nanotechnology laboratory, fractal complexity, networks of sparkling nanites" images that was produced by Mr. Wombo seemingly did away with the conventional features of a laboratory, instead emphasizing the nanites (see the image to the right).

 Inpainting. Last month I began to experiment with inpainting. I shifted Tyhry's body posture in my reference image and I also altered my text prompt so as to emphasize the background in the scene: "nanotechnology laboratory, fractal complexity, networks of sparkling nanites, sparkling network background". I got some interesting background patterns using this as input to the image-generating software and so I asked Mr. Wombo remove the human figure from one of the images, leaving the background pattern intact.

Figure 5. nanite accident

 Nanite Accident. The result of that image edit was rather strange (see the image to the left, Figure 5). 

Figure 6. original image.

For comparison, the original un-edited image is shown to the right (Figure 6). I imagine that Tyhry could have "accidents" while learning to program hair and clothing nanites. Maybe Figure 5 is an example of a nanite experiment gone wrong. I hope those poorly-programmed nanites will wash off.

 What Is She Looking At? I'd like to use Photoshop to add a cloud of nanites hovering in front of Tyhry in Figure 6. One of the downfalls of Mr. Wombo is that he relentlessly depicts human figures as just standing around doing nothing. Admittedly, in this case, it could be that she is just waiting to see if her newly programmed nanites will do what she intends.

Figure 7. teleconference

 Free Hand. I like the idea that Tyhry could find a way to use the Reality Simulation System to communicate with her copies who reside inside a simulation fork of the Ekcolir Reality (see Figure 7). Sadly, poor Mr. Wombo has a hard time connecting arms to hands... another job for Photoshop.

Figure 8. another teleconference

Another AI-generated image illustrating this real world-to-virtual reality teleconferencing process is shown in Figure 8. I'm not sure if those are nanite control devices that they are holding or simply nanite containment vials.

 Visions of the Future. I'm always trying to find new and improved ways to illustrate Tyhry's experiments with clothing nanites. I've had only limited success asking for clouds of floating nanites. However, sometimes Mr. Wombo can come up with an acceptable depiction if he is provided with a reference image that is reasonably close to having the desired scene elements. For my nanite cloud reference, I used a pattern similar to what is shown in Figure 10 on this page.

Figure 9. picking a dress pattern

 Dressing for Dinner. For Figure 9, the text prompt included, "using a computer, laser physics laboratory background". The setting of this image is at a point in time when Tyhry is in her 30s and by this time in her life she has mastered the art of programming clothing nanites. 

The "sparkling cloud of nanites" that I provided in my reference image (floating right in front of Tyhry's face) was efficiently converted by Mr. Wombo into what I can imagine being some nanite-generated fabric that was designed by Tyhry.

Tyhry Tubes.

The image to the right was made by using Photoshop to add some parts from several AI-generated images into the main image of Tyhry working on a nanite program. Here, Tyhry is about 20, at a point in time shortly before her trip to Alastor Cluster.

 Chatbot Collaboration. I asked the Bing chatbot about Jules Verne and the chatbot mentioned this quote from Journey to the Center of the Earth: “It’s not what is upon this island, but what is underneath that interests me.” I then asked the chatbot: "Can you provide a paragraph of text suggesting what Jules Verne might have written in a novel about nanotechnology had the concept been known during his lifetime?"

Figure 10. The power of Nanites.

Bing Chatbot reply: "Jules Verne was a visionary writer who predicted many scientific advancements in his novels. If he had known about nanotechnology, he might have written a novel about a scientist who discovers a way to manipulate matter at the atomic and molecular level to create new materials and devices. The story could be about the scientist's journey to create a new world of possibilities and the challenges he faces along the way."

 That (above) is a good description of Tyhry's work with nanites.

I asked the Bing chatbot: "Can you suggest how Jules Verne might have described the use of nanotechnology in Chapter 11 of the story "The Mysterious Island" as a way to efficiently form clothing from short animal hairs using a "molecular-scale loom"? Sadly, this complex question seemed to incapacitate the chatbot and I got no reply. 😔

I asked Mr. Wombo for a: "painting of Julia Verne, imaginary analogue of Jules Verne in an alternate universe, Julia Verne is twenty years old, dressed Victorian England style, using a futuristic molecular loom". 

Dreaming of Nanoville

 Think Small. One of the resulting images (Figure 10) suggests to me the possibility that in the 1800s of the Ekcolir Reality, Julia Verne might have imagined tiny humanoids who could construct a "molecular scale loom". Another such image is shown to the right, again crafted by me to turn the AI-generated image into an imaginary book cover.

In my own stories, I imagine nanoscopic replicoids, copies of humans that are composed of nanites. Julia Verne might have imagined a similar nano-world for her own stories.

Figure 11. Molecular Loom

Using the text prompt: "painting of Julia Verne as a scientist, very complex weaving machines, Julia Verne is twenty years old, dressed Victorian England style, using a futuristic molecular loom, Steam Punk vibe" Mr. Wombo was able to produce images such as the one shown in Figure 11.This image was generated by the new "Spectral v2" style of WOMBO Dream.

Figure 12. Synapex 1880

 Synapex. One of the story elements in the Exode Saga is the synapex link: a way of directly connecting two people's nervous systems. If Julia Verne was writing about nanotechnology in 1880 then she might have imagined a way to link two people together, facilitating a kind of technology-assisted telepathy.

Progress in clothing technology. Click image to enlarge.

 Progress. After going with Mr. Wombo to the 1800s, I was ready to get back to the current millennium. Sometimes Mr. Wombo can't resist depicting cute women as wearing black leather, or whatever that nanite-generated equivalent might be called (image to the left).

I've been trying to imagine how a clothing nanite industry might begin in Alastor Cluster. Sadly, Jack Vance provided no guidance in this area of speculation.

Tyhry in a nanite research
facility of Alastor Cluster

Manny in Alastor Cluster

Here are two AI-generated images that I can imagine are set on a planet in Alastor Cluster in the far future of the Asimov Reality (the images shown to the left and to the right). Although this is thousands of years into the space age, the pace of technology advance has been kept slow in the Asimov Reality. I like to imagine that Tyhry will be able to obtain some clothing nanites from Alastor Cluster and return them to Earth.

Using a text prompt that included, "gazing at a floating piece of sparkling fabric waving in the breeze, complex fractal network that sparkles", Mr. Wombo was able to provide me with additional images of Tyhry and her nanite-generated fabrics.

nanite-generated materials

In addition to the nanite-generated fabric that I was expecting Mr. Wombo to place right in front of Tyhry's face, the image to the left includes a mostly transparent nanite structure down there by her leg.

grab the nanites

In the image to the right it looks like Tyhry is trying to grab some nanite-generated material while it is still in the process of forming a garment.

I don't know if Mr. Wombo was trying to make reflections on glass windows in the image to the right. Maybe those plants are in a garden on an exoplanet located in Alastor Cluster.

animated GIF

The animated GIF to the left has some additional images of Tyhry and floating materials that have been assembled from nanites. In most of these images, Mr. Wombo dressed Tyhry in either a dress or pants. In one image, it looks like Tyhry may have been in the process of changing her nanite-generated shirt to a new pattern.

anti-gravity nanites

When Marda graduates from college and arrives at Tyhry's house, Tyhry is eager to show of her recent progress with nanites (see the image to the right). Previously, I made an effort to get Mr. Wombo to make depictions of interesting crystals; here I did not even have to ask.

hair nanite experiment

Another AI-generated image depicting Tyhry when she begins to experiment with hair nanites is shown to the left. I was hoping that Mr. Wombo would make a sparkling cloud of nanites, but Mr. Wombo seems quite certain that smoke does not sparkle.

 

clothing nanite experiment

 Replicoid Experiments. Tyhry began experimenting with replicoids so that she could have a copy of herself that could be used in experiments with clothing nanites. In the image to the right, Tyhry is performing a clothing nanite experiment with her replicoid.

2 replicoids are better than 1

The image to the left shows Tyhry making use of two replicoids during a clothing nanite experiment. Once a clothing pattern is tested on a replicoid and proven to be safe, then it can be transferred to the flesh-and-blood Tyhry.

Marda and Tyhry design project

The image to the right shows Marda and Tyhry during another clothing nanite development project. I was impressed by Mr. Wombo when he inserted Marda into the background without being asked to do so.

Fabric design lab.

The image to the left is another depiction of Tyhry in her clothing nanite laboratory.

 Aliens. Back in January, I began trying to get Mr. Wombo to make AI-generated depictions of aliens that I could use for illustrating my science fiction stories. 

Fig. 13. alien with 3 legs

 Hua Clothing Nanites. The types of aliens that appear in the Exode Saga are humanoid aliens. For the Exode Saga, I imagine that there are truly ancient aliens who have been guiding the evolution of life on planets such as Earth for billions of years. It really should not surprise anyone that the alien creatures who evolved on exoplanets are quite similar to we humans because all life forms in our galaxy have been forced to have physical features that are similar to those of the Hua. 

 Designing the Hua. One of the "joys" of working with Mr. Wombo is that there is always the chance that the AI software might invent an interesting physical feature for an alien creature. As seen in the image to the right, Mr. Wombo made an alien with three legs. I was trying to find a way to get Mr. Wombo to show the background through the thin fabric of her nanite-generated clothing. The Hua have purple skin pigmentation, but that feature can be added to my illustrations using Photoshop and there is no use trying to involve Mr. Wombo in that.

Figure 14. "Edit with text"

 Editing Images. I was using a text prompt that included, "transparent dress fabric, see-through dress, fractal laser network background" to generate images such as the one in Figure 13. After Mr. Wombo produced the image in Figure 14A, I used the WOMBO Dream "Edit with text" feature and asked for "Change her skin color to purple, change her hair to light pink".

Mr. Wombo has a nasty habit of treating the heads of human figures differently than the rest of the body (see my past effort to get Mr. Wombo to create a depiction of a an transparent replicoid). In this case (Figure 14B) the color of her face did change along with the rest of her skin. Also, Mr. Wombo seemingly "forgot about" matching the color of her toe to the rest of her leg. The other problem with the "edit with text" feature is that it often introduces makes other unwanted changes to the image such as messing up the features of a face.

mission to Alastor Cluster

 Mission of Anti-Gravity. I'm still undecided about exactly how Tyhry obtains some anti-gravity nanites. Using a text prompt that included, "pulp science fiction cover, alien first contact, Barsoom style, alien city in background, meet an alien", Mr. Wombo was able to generate the image shown to the right (I added the text). This image is actually a composite using parts from three different AI-generated images.

AG Headquarters.

One of those component images is shown to the left. Mr. Wombo likes to place humanoid heads on buildings. I cut the face off of the floating building, shrank it down and placed it on the torso of the alien who is meeting Tyhry and Marda. 

aliens by Flora v2

The image to the right was created by Mr. Wombo from the "pulp science fiction cover, alien first contact, Barsoom style" prompt and no reference image using the Flora v2 style.

Asterothrope

The image to the left was made by Mr. Wombo. This is an Asterothrope of Alastor Cluster who has been engineered to have an unusual skin pigmentation. Mr. Wombo is resistant to the idea of anyone having more than two breasts, so my text prompt included, "science fiction movie still of a humanoid alien with four breasts, an alien with four breasts, two rows of breasts, extra breasts, more breasts, breasts on her abdomen".

an alien Hua 10,000 BT

When Mr. Wombo utilized the VFX style he was able to generate some interesting humanoid aliens. Finding the correct balance between 1) having some alien features while 2) at the same time looking basically human is a challenge, but I was fairly happy with some of Mr. Wombo's aliens such as the one to the right. This is getting close to what I imagine a Hua might have looked like in the era about 10,000 years before Tyhry's visit to Sermyth. At that earlier time period during the development of the technologically advanced culture on Sermyth, the Hua were making some fairly major genetic alterations and modifying their physical form and casually deploying nanites for use in everyday life.

Asterothrope yoga.

 Bonus Asterothrope. In my next blog post, I explore the problem of how to depict 1) genetically modified human variants, 2) artificial life forms composed of femtobots and zeptites, 3) the synthetic life humanoids that were in the play Rossum's Universal Robots, and 4) aliens who are not very different in appearance from we humans. While exploring that topic and when I asked Mr. Wombo to make an image of a woman laying on a Turkish rug (there is such a rug in the play R.U.R.), suddenly I got the image shown to the left. I'm going to call this image a depiction of a new Asterothrope yoga move. Thank you for the gift, Mr. Wombo.

Next: more nanotechnology illustrations

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