The advance in robotics - Will we have to worry? - [Closes 24/05/07]

[Dan2nd]

Well, conducters watch out - there is now a robot that conducts orchestras... although I'm not sure why they designed him to look like the conqueror of worlds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw7aqlWu640

Omg Darth Vader / Terminator before I read your post I thought it was a battle droid

[RedStratocas]

You have a very limited idea of how computers learn. Maybe read up on the evolution learning model, which uses a neural network (same system a human brain uses), set a 1000 of them up with the same challenge, you'' end up with quite a few different solutions, none coming from any human involvement.

There are alot of different forms computers can come in, its stupid to use just one as a model for all of them.

But dont humans make robots? I still dont understand how a robot can learn something that we cant?

[Catzsy]

The advance in robotics could be both negative and positive.

Robots could be used in warfare I believe and have several military applications e.g. suicide bombers etc. This is a negative side and not good for the peace of the planet. Hopefully, however, the postive benefits outweigh the negative.

Yes using robots for housework is an interesting thought but does not really have a great impact.

I think where the advance is for the benefit of mankind then it is a remarkable thing such as:

1) Paraplegic people being able to walk again with the aid of basically sophisticated robotics to mimic damaged parts. This has already been trialled on people who are paralysed from the waist down.

2) Robots to go into places that are not safe for humans e.g. testing for landmines or rescuing people from hazardous places.

3) Doing jobs that could damage the health of the human population such as Coal Mining etc.


As I say the only problem is that if this technology got into the wrong hands otherwise it could be used for the benefit of Mankind. I do not see them ever taking over the world as such though but its good to read about it in Science Fiction.

[Mentor]

But dont humans make robots? I still dont understand how a robot can learn something that we cant?

Your parents made you, that doesn't mean you cant learn something your parents dont know now does it.
As a simplistic example useing the evolution modle.

You have a game, the objective is to collect as many randomluy appearing dots as is possible. Now a nurel net is set up. Basicly a collection of nodes which get an input as a value (say on where it is currently, where the dot is etc) these nodes pass there information to another set of nodes, each holding a randomly assigned mathmatical operater, +2/-3/*20 etc etc. They pass to the next, and the final number at the top means the action to take.
These numbers are randomly assigned at first.

The program is run. it trys maybe 100 randomly generated combinations. The combination that resulted in the highest collection of randomly generated dots, is then selected, by the program, and a 100 variations are made, slighly varieing each number, it runs all of them, again the most successful numbers are taken and varied slighted, This happens repetedly say for 20 generations.

By the final generations dot collection will likely be perfect. the program will have taught itself how to collect dots, without any human telling it to. The humans tell it how to learn, and what to learn. It does the learning. This is actualy the same way are own brains operate, but in an incredibly more advanced way (The ibm blue gene, most powerful super computer on earth for exsample was reacently used to emuilate a rats brain, it could only emulate half of one at a 10th the speed it would work in reality.. and becuse of the strain only for a few seconds. A rats brain is nothing on a human one.

Robots could be used in warfare I believe and have several military applications e.g. suicide bombers etc.

That makes no sence, why would you have suicide bombers if you had robots? where already past that, think of tomohawk missles etc, which can fly themselves to a target, thats a robot/computer being used to fly a missle to its target, we already use it, its nothing new.

1) Paraplegic people being able to walk again with the aid of basically sophisticated robotics to mimic damaged parts. This has already been trialled on people who are paralysed from the waist down.

2) Robots to go into places that are not safe for humans e.g. testing for landmines or rescuing people from hazardous places.

3) Doing jobs that could damage the health of the human population such as Coal Mining etc.

Although i agree with them, robots do most those tasks already, so your view of the future is much more cloesly linked to the present if not the past.

[RedStratocas]

Your parents made you, that doesn't mean you cant learn something your parents dont know now does it.

But can the parents still learn it? Do the parents still have the ability to learn what their son/daughter has learned?

[Catzsy]

01101101entorThat makes no sence, why would you have suicide bombers if you had robots? where already past that, think of tomohawk missles etc, which can fly themselves to a target, thats a robot/computer being used to fly a missle to its target, we already use it, its nothing new.

Well to expand. Suicide bombers was probably the wrong term although in the wrong hands it might indeed be the right term. I would think that they would cost a lot less than a missile and be used by lesser factions than goverments. Robots could be used on covert operations that need far more sophisticated surveillance and flexibility than a missile locking into a target.

Also it could be deployed as and when to ensure there is minimum loss of life or indeed to take to take somebody prisoner when there is a high possibility of fatalities with ordinary soldiers. The ideas may be old but I do not know of anything that sophisticated that presently exists.

As far as ideas are concerned with medicine.. there is no actual 'robocop' as far as i know so an advance could be made to make a paraplegic have a normal life. We may see Robot moutain rescue teams, Firemen, lifeboat crews etc who would be able to go where it is really not possible for humans to take the risk. Who knows?

Robots may be able to be used in the third world where there a lack of skilled workers to build irrigation ditches, wells or even provide local automated medical services. I may not be scientifically minded but sometimes the simple ideas can be the most successful eg. Wind up radios for the third world.

[Mentor]

Well to expand. Suicide bombers was probably the wrong term although in the wrong hands it might indeed be the right term. I would think that they would cost a lot less than a missile and be used by lesser factions than goverments.

Not that could do the same damage of get to the same places. Although somthing that i thinks simlar to what you mean was used as far back as world war two. The Goliath tracked mine was basicaly a robotic bomb on wheels.

Robots could be used on covert operations that need far more sophisticated surveillance and flexibility than a missile locking into a target.

In these arias its more practical just to stick in small camras overwhere and broadcast info, out than to build a robot to do it for people.

Also it could be deployed as and when to ensure there is minimum loss of life or indeed to take to take somebody prisoner when there is a high possibility of fatalities with ordinary soldiers. The ideas may be old but I do not know of anything that sophisticated that presently exists.

Like the TALON ?

And thats ignoreing the most commonly used type of miltary robots such as Predator drone or the MQ-9 Reaper's

As far as ideas are concerned with medicine.. there is no actual 'robocop' as far as i know so an advance could be made to make a paraplegic have a normal life.

I didnt know raising the dead was relivent to robotics, where not talking about cyborgs here.

We may see Robot moutain rescue teams, Firemen, lifeboat crews etc who would be able to go where it is really not possible for humans to take the risk. Who knows?

Robots to do most of them tasks are in devlopment, development of firefighting robots were even commisioned by europe back in 2004.

most robots are designed for tasks humans really cant do (robotic surgery), cleaning inspecting the inside of pipes (like the VersaTrax150)

Robots may be able to be used in the third world where there a lack of skilled workers to build irrigation ditches, wells or even provide local automated medical services.

Robots aint cheep, robots aint simple. Its alot easyer to teach someone to provide basic medial services than to maintain a highly surfisticated robot.. a few million cheeper too...

I may not be scientifically minded but sometimes the simple ideas can be the most successful eg. Wind up radios for the third world.

The simpler things appear the more complex they usealy are. A command lines alot simpler than windows, but looks alot more complex. A wind up radio aint even as simple as it sounds...