Posted on 10/24/2006 12:48:26 PM PDT by Dark Skies
The public must prepare for a technological "revolution" which could soon see robots occupying every area of human life, from space explorers to gardeners and lovers, scientists said today.
Researchers said concern about the possibilities of robotic technology was "whipped up" by science fiction, and it was important for people to know what part robots might play in our future.
The scientists were speaking at the Institution of Engineering and Technology in London, where they - along with their robotic companions - were launching a nationwide programme, Walking with Robots.
The scheme, involving eight UK universities, aims to get people of all ages to engage with cutting edge robotics research.
Roboticist Professor Noel Sharkey from the University of Sheffield said: "Robots are coming thick and fast with robot domestics, gardeners, cooks, companions, lovers, taxis, factory workers, space explorers, soldiers, maybe police and certainly pets.
"Public concern about these new metal 'friends' is whipped up by science fiction, but what are the facts? Will these robots think? Will they have emotions? Will they be mentally superior to us? Could my boss be a robot? Will they take over the planet and write interesting sitcoms?
"The public need to be prepared for the revolution."
Another of the researchers, Professor Owen Holland from the University of Essex, said: "Although robotics has not yet progressed as fast and as far as the special effects you see in science fiction films, it is already clear that robots may one day play a big part in our lives.
"We believe it is important for the general public to know what is possible now, and what might be possible in the future.
"The best way of achieving this is for them to meet roboticists and robots, to see and hear for themselves what we're working on, to ask questions - especially the ones we don't always ask ourselves - and then to let us know what they think."
Activities in the programme will include the Young People's Task Force, a select committee of students who will examine emergent issues in robotics, and Hunter and Hunted, a robot programming contest.
The Cylons were created by man.
They were the product of a desire to make life easier on Kobol. At first, they were simple robots. Toys. Conversation pieces at parties for the rich and trendy.
The Cylons became more advanced. Began to work the mines. Do the hard and dangerous work Man no longer wished to do.
And when the poeple of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol decide to war against each other, the Cylons began to do their fighting and killing for them too. The Cylons were the greatest soldiers the planet had ever seen. Smart. Fast. Deadly. They made decisions without waiting for orders.
And then the day came when the Cylons decided to kill their masters.
Oh wait...wrong planet can't possibly happen here.
Didn't Walter Cronkite promise that something like this would already be here by now back when he hosted, "The 21st Century"?
I'm still waiting for my flying car too.
It will never happen, because like that Saturday night live skit says, robots will kill our elderly and take their prescription medication.
BY YOUR COMMAND!!!!!
I can just hear it now, a clamorous voice in the future expressed by a severely overworked domestic sex slave screaming in the night, "I didn't ask to be invented!!!"
It's on schedule, right behind the return of the Dirigible.
Robotic lovers. Hmmm.
If he can make good coffee, take out the trash, and pick up and watch the kids, then I'm gonna be out of a job. I think husbands are going to need a union...
Watch the shills on CNN, PMSNBC, FOX, ABC etc parrot their daily marching order to get an idea.
"HYMIE! ..... I didn't mean GIVE me your hand!"
But if robots start doing the work we no longer want to do, what will we do with our illegal aliens?
Pimpbot 2000
Great movie!!!
Robot vs Illegal gladiator bouts of course.
Roboticist Professor Noel Sharkey from the University of Sheffield said: "Robots are coming thick and fast with robot domestics, gardeners, cooks, companions, lovers, taxis, factory workers, space explorers, soldiers, maybe police and certainly pets.My comment: Lovers!? Robot lovers? And note how the term "lover" is bracketed between cooks, companions, taxis, and factory workers etc. Except for maybe "companions" or "pets", all of these categories are examples of service providers (domestics, cooks, gardeners) or professionals (police, space explorers, soldiers). Question: what clues does Professor S.'s seemingly random catalog of categories provide about what Professor S. thinks about love or lovers?
Has to be better than 90% of the idiot liberal women out there.
Blends right in. >:-}
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