ROBOTICS

Conclusion

Research in robotics is concentrating on producing humanoid ‘intelligent’ robots similar to those that appear in science fiction films and books.

In the future will robots be “just another life form…people are bound to be resistant at first …[but] one of the good things A-life can do is make machines more personable and friendly. People will soon learn to love them!” (Schofield, 2000) or will " they... become so smart they take over their own development. At that point, humans lose control” (Schofield, 2000)

Humanity will just have to wait and see or consider guidelines to ensure there is control over this type of research.

References

( Asimov, 1950), Asimov, I. ‘Three Laws of Robotics’, cited in ‘Trust me, I’m a robot’ [online] Available from: http://www.economist.com/PrinterFriendly.cfm?story_id=7001829 [Accessed 9 June 2006]

( Foerst, 1999), Foerst, A. ‘Artificial sociability: from embodies AI toward new understandings of personhood’, Technology in Society,21, pp.373-386, cited in T209 Information and Communication Technologies: people and interactions, CD-ROM study guide, Module 4, 'Robotics', The Open University, Milton Keynes

( Menzel, 2000), Menzel, P. ‘Introduction’, in Menzel, P. and D’Aluisio, F., 'Robo sapiens: Evolution of a new species', MIT press, Cambridge, Ma, cited in T209 Information and Communication Technologies: people and interactions, CD-ROM study guide, Module 4, 'Robotics', The Open University, Milton Keynes.

(Menzel, P. and D’Aluisio, 2000), Menzel, P. and D’Aluisio, F. ‘A Dog’s Life’, in Menzel, P. and D’Aluisio, F , 'Robo sapiens: Evolution of a new species', MIT Press, Cambridge, Ma, cited in T209 Information and Communication Technologies: people and interactions, CD-ROM study guide, Module 4, 'Robotics', The Open University, Milton Keynes.

( Schofield, 2000), Schofield, J. ‘Life with the Creature Feature’, The Guardian, January 13th, cited in T209 Information and Communication Technologies: people and interactions, CD-ROM study guide, Module 4, 'Robotics', The Open University, Milton Keynes.

(The Robot Institute of America 1979), The Robot Institute of America, cited in ‘Dictionary of Robot Terms’ [online] Available from: http://www.btinternet.com/~reg.joy/Terms_Robotica.htm [Accessed 12 June 2006]

( Warwick, 1998), Warwick, K. ‘In the Mind of the Machine’, Arrow, cited in T209 Information and Communication Technologies: people and interactions, CD-ROM study guide, Module 4, 'Robotics', The Open University, Milton Keynes.

Whitby, B.Dr., cited in 'Trust me, I'm a robot' [online] Available from: http://www.economist.com/PrinterFriendly.cfm?story_id=7001829 [Accessed 9 June 2006]

Bibliography

'ASIMO –wikipedia,the free encyclopedia' [online] Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASIMO [Accessed 12 June 2006]

'Assistive Robotics' [online] Available from: http://staff.bath.ac.uk/mpsmrh/robot/ [Accessed 6 June 2006]

'Conscious Robots [online] Available from: http://www.consciousrobots.blogspot.com [Accessed 6 June 2006]

'Humanoid robot learns how to run' [online] Available from: http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/mpapps/pagetools/print/news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4714135.s [Accessed 12 June 2006]

'Japanese develop ‘female’ android' [online] Available from: http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/mpapps/pagetools/print/news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4714135.s [Accessed 10 June 2006]

'New Scientist Tech –instant Expert: Robots –Information' [online] Available from: http://www.newscientisttech.com/popuparticle.ns?id=in126 [Accessed 9 June 2006]

'Robot –wikipedia,the free encyclopedia' [online] Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robotics [Accessed 7 June 2006]

'Robotics: About the Exhibition' [online] Available from: http://thetech.org/robotics/universal/ [Accessed 6 June 2006]

Robotics by Karen Kear T209 CR ROM

'Sociable Machines –Kismet, the robot' [online] Available from: http://www.ai.mit.edu/projects/sociable/baby-bits.html [Accessed 25 May 2006]

Images

ASIMO, a human robot, manufactured by Honda [online image] Available from: http://world.honda.com/ASIMO/new/ [Accessed 21 June 2006]

Kismet (image courtesy of P.Menzel) [online image] Available from: http://www.ai.mit.edu/projects/sociable/baby-bits.html [Accessed 25 June 2006]

Repliee Q1Expo [online image] Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repliee Q1Expo [Accessed 21 June 2006]

[997 words]

Return to Cyborg Overview