Back when members of my generation were kids, we had the solid notion that we would one day have robotic companions helping us with everyday tasks. Above all, they were to be our friends: We could trust them and tell them anything, for which they would always have a perfect response.
For some this may sound crazy, but you have to remember baby boomers thought they were going to be flying around town in hover cars and commuting to work using jet packs. Every generation has a vision of the future, and for those of us in our 30s we envisioned robots. Transformers were just introduced to the masses: Shows such as Small Wonder were playing on TV and Nintendo released R.O.B. (Robotic Operating Buddy) for the NES. We were inundated by them. We thought that by 2012 we would at least have the equivalent of "Andrew" (from Bicentennial Man) in our homes. Are we moving forward to finally realizing the dream of robotic companions in our lives, or has our fancy gotten the better of us?
In the decades since the early 80s, scientists and researchers have made great strides in the creation of robots, which have become increasingly humanoid in appearance. We’ve gone from the R2D2-style bots, such as Tomy’s Verbot and the Ideal Maxx Steele, to the more sophisticated Honda Asimo.
Click on the image below to see four examples of next-generation robots.
The iCub is the humanoid robot developed at IIT as part of the EU project RobotCub and subsequently adopted by more than 20 laboratories worldwide. It has 53 motors that move the head, arms, hands, waist, and legs, using accelerometers and gyroscopes. It can see and hear; and it has the sense of proprioception (body configuration). The main goal is to study cognition through the implementation of a humanoid robot the size of a three-year-old child. (Source: icub.org)
In the past decade, we have seen the greatest robot developments in a tech explosion that almost rivals the mobile device craze of the last few years. One of the biggest drawbacks people seem to have regarding robots is the fact that there is a lack of emotional reactions, meaning you can’t have elaborate communication that conveys feelings like those normally found between humans. While this is true, there have been advances in this area, as well, such as the University of Hertfordshire’s research dealing with infant speech using an iCub robot. The idea behind the research is to teach robots to speak in a more natural, human-like way. The key word there is "teach" rather than "program."
Socibot, based on the RoboThespian platform, looks to represent the next step, aiding the disabled. We already have the rudimentary technology to build humanoid robots like those seen in sci-fi movies, but the AI (artificial intelligence) needed to truly interact with their human counterparts is still in its infancy. Surely in the next few decades, software will have advanced enough to equip robots with a basic form of self-awareness that would make them capable of autonomous speech and actions -- in essence giving them their own personalities.
There are myriad companies (and hobbyists) that are looking to bring commercially available humanoid robots to the general public -- Honda, Tosy, Alderbaran Robotics, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, to name a few. These, for the most part, are made with common core components such as actuators (providing a certain degree of freedom, or DOF, through the use of motors, hydraulics, or pneumatics); sensors (providing everything from safety to environmental awareness including proprioceptive and exteroceptive); and programming that allows for basic functions/interactions for everything from museum greetings to dancing.
Some are even taking their robotic constructs to the next level, like that of researchers from the University of Genova, who are developing synthetic skin that entirely covers humanoid robots. The skin is outfitted with embedded sensors that can detect pressure and shapes when it comes in contact with various surfaces and objects. It’s some of these upgrades (AI, skin, etc.) that inspire a certain fear in some of what is commonly known as the "robot apocalypse."
We’ve all heard it before since their inception: "Robots will destroy us all!" The robot apocalypse has become so hyped that it’s become a cliché. The notion has so been widely reiterated in the mainstream media -- especially through films such as the Terminator series, iRobot, and the short film, Bad Robot -- that some in the education field have taken notice and have proposed a closer examination of the subject.
Researchers from the University of Cambridge are looking to incorporate a new, multidisciplinary research center that would be dedicated to studying extinction-level risks from biotechnology, robotics, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, and climate change. The center will be known as the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk. They plan to tap some of the predominant scientific minds to "take on the task of ensuring that our own species has a long-term future."
As much as it sounds like an article straight from the Weekly World News (remember Batboy?), the notion of a robot uprising is taken very seriously by Cambridge researchers, who have recently released an article (by Cambridge philosophy professor Huw Price and "Invited User" Jaan Tallinn) outlining their concerns.
The gist of their remarks is that one day computers will not only become as smart as people but will eventually surpass us in intelligence. According to the article, "robots may not become malicious but rather their interests may not include us," which, in itself, gives the researchers their concern for the future. Sure, there’s the potential for destruction when it comes to any technology (look at the effects of nuclear power), but how we use it can mitigate those threats.
We can implement Issac Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics, we can limit AI through programming, and we need not fear the future of technology -- especially when it comes to our future robotic friends.
This is America. Why would we want robots when there are so many Mexicans around willing to do robot work?
Maybe robots are a ploy to stop illegal immigration by making them cheaper than day-laborers? Actually, I would rather hire a human I can talk to, in any language, than to have to learn a new programming language to train a robot to do multiple tasks that humans do so easily.
Is a robot from Japan considered an alien for immigration purposes? Does it need a green card? Does it have to go back to Japan once every six months to renew its work permit? Do I have to pay it minimum wage and deduct for taxes? Can I pay it under the table.
Maybe I should just get my kids to do it for free...
I agree, human workers for simpler jobs are easy to work with. Not to mention, they are much cheaper. The Foxconn factory, for example, employs around 1 million workers (according to Ruth Alexander of the BBC). They make about $400 dollars a month. That is a low rental price for a multi-function, autonomous, intelligent robot, of sorts. On a common day, there are thousands of people waiting in lines for those jobs. When there are people willing to be abused by employers, robots will never be used. (for the record, Foxconn's revenue is around $117 billion. Workers are in comparison, free.)
Robots need skilled and knowledgeable maintenance. I doubt we will see them take over simple jobs.
Where precision and speed are needed, robots will be the only choice.
C
pc. (You might want to be a little more P.C. in your public comments. Just a thought.)
I don't think using Mexican workers as an example is a problem because they are everywhere, so we all can relate to them. No p.c. Is necessary. I'm just acknowledging a truism. I'm a Mormon and have sent sons down there to teach them, as they are brothers and sisters to me. And I've hired them. But I know what you mean.
Warren, robots have only one language, which is used for programming it. So anybody from any corner of the world can use it, but we cannot use Mexicans like that and it may come under the preview of human rights violation. They are not robots or slaves, so humanitarian concern is an important factor.
Again we look for for the p.c. crap. We hire millions of Mexicans a day in this country for all sorts of tasks. Me saying the obvious is not wrong. It is the truth. So there is no humanitarian concern. There is no human rights violation. The is only the fact that we hire Mexicans to do the very jobs we talk about using robots for. And we don't have a learning curve, an upfront capital expense, there is only one potential programming language to learn (and maybe we don't even have to learn theirs), and we don't have to store them when not in use, etc., etc., etc. it's a fact, Jack.
So I'm just saying, available cheap human labor beats most robot jobs, and this removes the need for robots in our homes and personal lives. That's all.
You gents are in the USA and news from (South) Africa either does not hit your headlines or you don't take note of happenings out here!
Industry and Agriculture is being held ransom for pay hikes up to 600% purely "workers" have gotten into their heads that they have a right to it.
To date, manual labour has been used as, 1) it is available in abundance (II must lie if I claim this to be correct but a number such as 30%+ unemployment is putting it mildly!) 2) it has been cheap to recently, etc.
Furthermore, Industry and Agriculture, apart from making economic sense have the axe of being "Nationalised" and/or Farms being reallocated without due compensation.
Farm salaries have been calmed to be re- addressed in the new year but in all of these sites, "automation" is back in the forefront of the owner's mind.
I suggest you Google around a bit to get a feel of what is going on over here - might happen over there by you as well at some stage!
Key Words to search on: "Marikana" and "de Doorns"
SA Unemplyment: http://www.iol.co.za/business/business-news/sa-unemployment-gets-worse-1.1414454#.UNHWRW_FV8E
I suspect that eventually the supply of cheap labor will fall, unless we keep the current politicians in office who maintain the open borders. You have touched on the real reason for robots in our future, although we more p.c. refer to them as "automation." At some point, as they found in the automobile and other heavy industries, there is an economic justification for all the nays I have given to robots. Agriculture is a good example. Massive fields, delicate crops, tough deadlines, and labor unrest are great reasons for engineers to pursue solving these probems.
I wonder, can I insult a robot? Will I eventually have to respect their human rights? Will I have to create robots of color and give them preference? Who is John Galt?
The company I work for is in the robot business (never mind the details - involves cleaning jobs). There are some markets - especially in Asia - where we can't penetrate because human labour is simply cheaper, and abundant (and can probably do the job faster and more efficiently). There is a social factor, thought, (in developed countries), for customers to advertise "I've got a high-tech robot" rather than "I exploit cheap/migrant labour"
There is a very real danger approaching with robots, and it is not the problem of their becoming self-aware. The real danger is in the software. Consider how many times some allegedly stable version of "windows" goes stupid on us and heads off to do things totally diferent from what we asked for. Fortunately for us our standard robots communicate and act through screen and printer. Now consider the same sort of failure, but with a robot that can move much faster than us and is much stronger. What do we do when the software on that creature goes-stupid? That is the biggest threat that I can see coming up in the future. Just consider how the microsoft products function and you will understand the reality of the threat.
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