Last class we learned about recent robot technologies. I read an article off the Scientific American site the other day about a robot made for toddlers. A study done with a classroom of 1-2 year old kids shows that they favor the company of the robot. The study was done over a five month period. The kids treated the robot, named QRIO, more as another classmate than an object.
Have we given birth to AI (Artificial Intelligence)? QRIO is only programmed to do things, such as giggle when a child touches it on the head. Is that a form of intelligence? Yes and no. The robot responds to touch, as does most living animals. The robot was programmed that way; for animals, it's instinct. I'm not really sure how to feel about the situation. Since robots are man made, I don't see how they could ever become aware that they have the power to take over. If they're programmed to do something, then they can never deviate from that task.
The only way I see it happening is if somebody evil enough actually programs their own force of robots to take over, but there is still a man behind the machine. It's all science fiction, but pretty soon we will be seeing more and more of them. One of the best movie examples of a robot takeover? The Terminator, I, Robot, and The Day the Earth Stood Still. If these fictional stories are possible, (which in my opinion are not) we've got a lot to worry about.
I am really interested in this. I seeing people are making robots more and more independent and wonder what will the future be like when they do not need humans anymore.
ReplyDeleteI agree it is kinda freaky to think that robots could be dangerous and who's to say that it's not in the works right now. advancements in robotics are getting extremely complicated so who's to say.
ReplyDeleteThe robots are our friends to a certain extent. They are basically computers and every computer is bond to crash. The right information can get in the wrong hands and can result in robots being used for bad. Right now it doesn't seem realistic, but it may be amongst us before we know it.
ReplyDeleteThis is very interesting because in another class we have been talked about the development of robots in the military. They are developing them to actually fight on the front lines or go into the most dangerous situations in place of a human. I think this is wonderful because it will save the lives of many. It is a little scary because it does seem like something you would see in a science fiction movie. Hopefully it is only used for good and not for bad. Either way, I do not think that the robot will have a "mind of its own" and try to destroy us.
ReplyDeleteI think robots working with children is a great idea. If kids are brought up with this technology in their classroom, they will have the ideology that robots are commonplace. College aged people are a great example of this, we were raised with computers and now they are an everyday occurance. To some members of older generations, computers can seem daunting. I believe we should give children every advantage, and robots have the potential to do an extreme amount of good.
ReplyDeleteWhat does this say about us as a society, if our children prefer robots over people? Do we just like new things and the challenges of technology, or are we distancing ourselves from each other more and more? I personally don't know what I think about this, but it is something interesting to think about.
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