On Robots in Our Lives

Of all societies in this world, I think I can safely say that Japan has the friendliest attitude toward our mechanical friends, robots. For those of you who reads Japanese comics, or watch their anime (cartoons), perhaps you can see where this passion of robots came from. The most famous anime that embodies this is most likely Atom Boy, a child robot which has super human ability and also kind to mankind.

There is a sort of romantic yearning by Japanese to be able to coexist peacefully with robots. I am not sure if I am being too dramatic here, but it would appear that way to me somehow. The news, TV shows, and once again movies and comic books, all of them ooze with things that have robot themes. It must be what Isaac Asimov dreams about in his sci-fi novels, robots becoming human caretakers, guarding their human masters (so they are slaves, now?) with full devotion. As for me, well, I still reserve my judgment up to this point. I think, just like anything else, there is a great potential for robots to be living alongside humans. To be honest though, I am a little wary with any artificial forms that will resemble humans in shape and form. I like robots that do not look like human :-) Otherwise, they get too creepy for me.

The question is, will we be able to control the very creature that we created? Artificial intelligence might still be more than 20 years in the future to be mature, or even be meaningful. When that time comes, are we ready to accept human creations that are stronger, more intelligent than us? What would stop them from becoming the next evolution in life on earth....and possibly beyond? Will they have soul too like us? What is soul again, now? Phew......gets too interesting now, I think I am going to stop for now. Nevertheless, these are questions that those scientists making robots should be asking now....or perhaps it is too late......The path has been laid as of today actually, we just have to see where it goes next.


Here are some links that you might find interesting:
1. Making a walking robots like the ones you see in Gundam series (complete with "fake" guns on the side!): Moonwalking robots
2. Various robots in the Aichi expo: Aichi robots
3. Movies on robots: The Matrix ; I, Robot ; A.I (God, I wish that kid just stop keep saying "Will I be a real boy, mommy?"