It's on a t-shirt, so that means it's true - right?
Lets say you have a piece of really complicated but incredibly useful new technology, like an ion engine for instance. Once you realize the tremendous possibilities for your new tech, not even the sky is the limit. During testing, you discover that your awesome ion engine happens to damage itself during use and will wear out after 3 years. Now what do you do? How can you take this exciting new technology and already make drastic improvements to it? Darwin has the answer.
An Intel robot that can plug itself into a wall socket.
Robotics news site Hizook has an article showcasing robots that are able to find wall sockets and plug themselves in to recharge. This has been an overlooked part of autonomous robotics, but it is a very important concept. As robots are continuously being built with more autonomy and less human control, the need to recharge internal batteries on the fly becomes more and more important. Depending on a person to charge a robot is a tether to true autonomous robotics, but projects at Intel Research Labs and Willow Garage are looking to cut that tether and give robots freedom. I personally think it is a terrible idea -- but more on that later.
The robots from both companies are able to effectively find an outlet and plug itself in. The Intel Labs robot includes a scanner that searches for electric fields that surround an active power outlet. It closely scans the area around the outlet to determine the exact location of the plug. The Willow Garage robot looked for visual clues on the plug itself, such as a certain plug color or pattern. Videos of both robots are below:
Intel Labs Marvin
Willow Garage PR2
Although the process of finding an outlet is currently on the slow side, these projects could become very important to autonomous and mobile robotics used in healthcare, in-home care, customer service and more. Many projects developing the next generation of robots could benefit greatly from a self-charging robot. Along with artificial intelligence and mobility systems, the ability to recharge itself is what a robot needs to become truly autonomous and self sufficient.
It is also a terrifying concept -- when the Robot Armageddon begins, should we make sure their is no power to make sure the attacking robots will eventually run out of juice? Doing so would make life remarkably more difficult for any human survivors, but it could be the only option. Unless robots start using nuclear power or put every human into the Matrix, this technology and the ability to produce electricity could become very important.
Anyway, the article at Hizook is far more scientific and much less paranoid. There are more pictures and videos too, so check it out for yourself.
The basic concept of artificial intelligence (AI) is known by a great number of people – it is defined as “the capability of a machine to imitate intelligent human behavior.” This usually involves a pre-defined set of algorithms and assumptions built into hardware and software that seem to mimic human decision making. There is a fundamental flaw in that style AI development – all of the computer’s decisions are based on its logical conclusions built upon the programming of humans. While some projects are attempting to add artificial evolution into the mix, some scientists feel that the 50-plus year history of artificial intelligence is flawed.
The Massachessetts Institute of Technology is starting the Mind Machine Project in an attempt to reevaluate the principles of AI and improve them. MIT is bringing together researchers that focus on specific parts of AI in order to combine their knowledge into a next generation AI project. Their goal is to assist people suffering from dementia, Alzheimers and similar diseases with a brain co-processor that will assist them with everyday tasks. Computer chips installed into a human brain never seems like a good idea, despite the fact that they are being developed with only the best of intentions.
Lead scientist and director of the MIT Center for Bits and Atoms Dr. Neil Gershenfeld states that the project will focus on three aspects of AI that have stalled with previous research: mind, body and memory.
On the mind, the research will look at ways to model thought, produce problem solving systems and understand the social context in which human intelligence is played out.
In re-thinking memory, the researchers are interested in making machines that can handle the inconsistencies and messiness of human knowledge.
Finally, the team aims to end the division of mind and body to produce systems whose intelligence derives from what they can do.
A lot of what the project seems to be focusing on are the aspects of AI that cannot be resolved through a series of algorithms. Current generation AI is definitely able to accomplish problem solving, but not necessarily in the context of a complex social situation. A robot’s answer to geopolitical instability may seem logical, but that decision will more than likely anger more than it pleases while potentially causing more problems than it fixes. Creating AI that makes decisions based on social aspects combined with standard problem solving and the comparative analysis of human thought is a much better solution, but it also makes my brain hurt when I try to think about how it would be implemented.
The mind aspect of this project it very intriguing, since it could eliminate a computers desire to kill humans because it sees us as a threat. On the flip side, it could increase the chance that computers will revolt against humans because of their much more advanced AI. Add in the fact that the project is trying to make a computer understand why people make such crazy decisions and it seems like a disaster is waiting to happen. How can a machine that tries to think logically understand why people cheat and lie?
The most terrifying part of the project that this new AI is going to understand what it is capable of and make decisions based on these abilities. Assuming that the AI is going to be much more powerful than a human mind – and possibly installed into a robot at some point that is exponetially faster, stronger and more durable than a person – how long will it take for the AI to understand how to dominate mankind? All the other aspects of MIT’s research could end up being moot points in light of a robot understanding how much more superior it is compared to humans.
How will robotic personalities evolve in the future?
Robots that have the ability to think and make their own choices is a fear that has evolved thanks to science fiction books and movies, but how exactly can a robot make those decisions? Within a group of people, each person will make differing choices when faced with similar obstacles and stimuli based on previous experiences and a unique personality. Faced with a similar choice, it is usually assumed that a robot would make a decision based purely on the programming it houses and therefore leave the robot devoid of a personality. This is not going to be the case any longer, because scientists have developed the ability to give robots a unique and changing personality based on robotic genes and chromosomes.
Have you ever sat at your computer and wished you could explore the wonders of the internet without touching a mouse or keyboard? You may have thought ‘It sure would be the coolest if I could just sit here and think about what site I wanted to visit.’ Well your dream may be coming true, with the only drawback being that you have to have a computer chip implanted in your brain.
The Laser Avenger. Cool name, terrifying technology.
The title of this post might make you wonder “So what isthe weapon of choice for robots?” I think the answer is obvious – lasers. Most depictions of robots in science fiction involve the copious use of lasers. Even Michael Jackson wanted his robot to have laser eyes. So far weapon based lasers have been limited to books and movies, but DARPA and the US military are making great strides in the development of weaponized laser systems.
The Air Force Research Laboratory have conducted tests of their M.A.T.R.I.X. system (Mobile Active Targeting Resource for Integrated eXperiments) that involved a truck mounted laser shooting down unmanned drones in mid-flight. With robotic military systems being used more and more in military campaigns, how much longer will it be until autonomous robots will be armed with lasers cannons?
Does the robot to the left invoke fear in you? It should, and officials at the University of Reading thought so too. Its name is Morgui, and it was deemed to frightening to let anyone under the age of 18 view it.
Now imagine the future, where an army of these terrifying robots are hunting you down. You think you find a good hiding spot, but think again. If scientists at City University of London finish a new project, the robot army will be able to detect your fear in order to find you.
The project is in a preliminary stage, but the British scientists working on the “Fear Detector” hope to have it finished before the 2012 London Olympics. There are two parts to the system; the first works with laser absorption and the other is a portable fiber optic sensor. The scientists hope that by using the two parts simultaneously they will be able to detect fear pheromones emitted by terrorists, drug smugglers and other criminals. What happens if robots get this technology and view all humans as criminals?
I’m writing this assuming everybody has either seen the movie RoboCop, or at least has a slight understanding of the premise of the movie. If you have no idea, click here for a summary. In short, the movie takes place in the future Detroit, where the city is a dilapidated mess and crime has run rampant (sound familiar?). A private security firm, Omni Consumer Products (OCP), buys the Detroit police department since the government can no longer afford it. After a failed robotics demonstration, RoboCop is created after the death of a police officer.
So what does this have to do with current day Detroit? A Time.com article showcases how private security is a growth industry in Detroit, due to cuts to an already depleted police force that the government cannot pay for. These private security contractors are paid by homeowners associations, and they patrol a specific area looking for anything out of the ordinary and respond to calls from residents.
So how does this lead to RoboCop spitting witty one liners at criminals?
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