Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by nabla9 2645 days ago
Wright brothers were most likely not the first to achieve heavier-than-air powered flight. But they made the first controlled, sustained flight. Controlled flight was the real breakthrough in aviation.

It's the same with Hinton et. all. They were among many other pioneers, but what really sets them apart is that they made it all work. They also analyzed why it works.
4 comments
simonster 2645 days ago
Schmidhuber's take on the Wright brothers:

https://www.nature.com/articles/421689c

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-00491-5

link
jessriedel 2645 days ago
> In 1890 Clément Ader made the first manned, powered, heavier-than-air flight, of 50 m, in his bat-winged monoplane.

Seems disingenuous to not mention that this device only worked due to ground effects and "flew" 8 inches off the ground (according to Wikipedia).

link
obviuosly 2644 days ago
> but what really sets them apart is that they made it all work [citation needed]

Werbos and others were very aware that the method worked and also of the implications of it:

> This approach makes it possible to develop generalized, adaptive artificial intelligence, capable of achieving results comparable to what is discussed in science fiction

http://werbos.com/Neural/SensitivityIFIPSeptember1981.pdf

The Hinton cartel happened to be in the right condition that allowed them to ignore the politically correct BS starting at the turn of the century which rendered the study of neurons, IQ and intelligence massively unpopular; and ruthless enough to only cite one another and call themselves the "fathers of deep learning" rather than actually citing the originators of these ideas.

link
kodz4 2645 days ago
Octave Chanute in the case of heavier than air flight. He was the spark and the hub that connected most of the pioneers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octave_Chanute

link
lettergram 2645 days ago
For reference:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustave_Whitehead

Ive seen some debate around Gustave Whitehead. There apparently is some evidence that he achieved powered flight as early as 1899.

It is claimed, he did not speak English very well. So it’s suspected he just didn’t publicize his work as much.

Replicas of his early flying machine designs have been shown to fly. Including one from 1901:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitehead_No._21

link