The thing about robots, is that we anthropomorphize them.
Think about it. We want a machine to do things we don’t want to do, or that are dangerous or unpleasant for us to do. So we build a machine that looks like a human? If a human arm can’t reach all the way under the couch to the back to get the cat’s favourite toy, how is a robot modeled on a human, with our limbs and joints going to be any better?
I think we do this because we are at best, hesitant when it comes to new technology. More to the point, we are hesitant of the impact it has on our lifestyles and societies. This is what keeps us from embracing the really cool shit.
Picture if you will, robots the size of rain drops. Programmable, self organizing (recognizing and avoiding obstacles such as pets or humans kind of self organizing, not toga party kind of organizing) mesh networks of robots that zip around your house at night sweeping up the pet hair, cleaning the vents, washing the windows, and watering the plants. Just think of all the extra time you’d have for,oh I dunno - reading comics and playin’ poker and such things. When it comes right down to it, can we afford not to have legions of nano-bots do our dirty work? When they are done, they could arrange themselves on the wall in pretty patterns and pretend to be art work.
Stop thinking about work in terms of how we do it, and think in terms of how to get it done. And give up this silly human conceit that all good, purposeful things must look like us.
Full props to Warren Ellis (Transmetropolitan) and Neal Stephenson ( Diamond Age). This nano-bot meme cropped in recent readings from both gentlemen, and has considerably amped up my inner geek.
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