We are frequently told that robots are the future; that one day they will be able to do everything a human can do and more. I don’t know about you, but this is not a prospect that I particularly relish. I for one would be somewhat reluctant to put my life in the hands of a robot to care for me when I’m old or to give me an organ transplant. Somehow I cannot suppress the terror of Terminator or A.I. which tends to scew my judgment whenever the next humanoid is presented to the public.
On a mission to conquer Hollywood-generated prejudices like these are the makers of Roboy, a child-like humanoid with a “cute” face and a functioning musculoskeletal anatomy. Like a normal child he is able to say a few words, wave and he is learning to ride a tricycle.
Maker Rolf Pfeifer from the University of Zurich explains, "One of the goals is for Roboy to be a messenger of a new generation of robots that will interact with humans in a friendly way." Roboy’s imitation muscles are designed in such a way that his movements are smooth and fluid rather than robotic. His facial features, too, were designed to be appealing and unthreatening and were the result of a Facebook vote in which users selected the face they liked most.
But is a cute face really enough to conquer the air of suspicion that surrounds the robot world? According to a survey carried out throughout the EU, there are still a lot of people who feel robots should be put in their place. 80% of respondents agreed with the statement that robots are "necessary as they can do jobs that are too hard or dangerous for people", such as space exploration, warfare and manufacturing. But 60% still felt that robots had no place in the care of children, elderly people and those with disabilities.
What do you think?
Read the full article at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21623892
No comments:
Post a Comment