Robots
The Singularity: When Will We Transition To A Dictatorship Of Robots?
Technological Singularity: the moment when robots reach a level of intelligence that is superior to the current level of human reasonableness or ability to predict the outcomes of unrestrained technological growth. As a consequence, the economic, cultural and political singularity of human civilization follows. And although the singularity is still the subject of many Hollywood films …
Researchers Introduce A New Generation Of Tiny, Agile Drones
If you’ve ever swatted a mosquito away from your face, only to have it return again (and again and again), you know that insects can be remarkably acrobatic and resilient in flight. Those traits help them navigate the aerial world, with all of its wind gusts, obstacles, and general uncertainty. Such traits are also hard …
If A Robot Is Conscious, Is It OK To Turn It Off? The Moral Implications Of Building True AIs
In the “Star Trek: The Next Generation” episode “The Measure of a Man,” Data, an android crew member of the Enterprise, is to be dismantled for research purposes unless Captain Picard can argue that Data deserves the same rights as a human being. Naturally the question arises: What is the basis upon which something has …
What To Expect When You’re Expecting Robots
As Covid-19 has made it necessary for people to keep their distance from each other, robots are stepping in to fill essential roles, such as sanitizing warehouses and hospitals, ferrying test samples to laboratories, and serving as telemedicine avatars. There are signs that people may be increasingly receptive to robotic help, preferring, at least …
The Threat Of ‘Killer Robots’ Is Real And Closer Than You Might Think
From self-driving cars, to digital assistants, artificial intelligence (AI) is fast becoming an integral technology in our lives today. But this same technology that can help to make our day-to-day life easier is also being incorporated into weapons for use in combat situations. Weaponised AI features heavily in the security strategies of the US, China …
Global Study: 82% of People Believe Robots Can Support Their Mental Health Better Than Humans
2020 has been the most stressful year in history for the global workforce and people want robots to help, according to a new study by Oracle and Workplace Intelligence, an HR research and advisory firm. The study of more than 12,000 employees, managers, HR leaders, and C-level executives across 11 countries found that the COVID-19 pandemic has …
Why Human-Like Robots Freak Real People Out
New research digs into why robots repulse people more as their human likeness increases, known as “the uncanny valley.” Androids, or robots with humanlike features, are often more appealing to people than those that resemble machines—but only up to a certain point. Many people experience an uneasy feeling in response to robots that are nearly …
How Many Jobs Do Robots Really Replace?
In many parts of the U.S., robots have been replacing workers over the last few decades. But to what extent, really? Some technologists have forecast that automation will lead to a future without work, while other observers have been more skeptical about such scenarios. Now a study co-authored by an MIT professor puts firm numbers …
From Virus-Slaying Air Purifiers To Delivery Robots, How University Inventions Are Fighting COVID-19
With the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) sweeping across continents and affecting many millions, health authorities, policy-makers and scientists, innovators around the world are racing to invent ways to contain the further spread of the virus. It is our unwavering belief that universities are – and should always be – contributing to this collective fight against this …
Showing Robots How To Do Your Chores
Making progress on that vision, MIT researchers have designed a system that lets these types of robots learn complicated tasks that would otherwise stymie them with too many confusing rules. One such task is setting a dinner table under certain conditions. At its core, the researchers’ “Planning with Uncertain Specifications” (PUnS) system gives robots the …