Of all the great ideas of science fiction our society seems to be working the fastest towards making stories about robots come true. How soon will it be before we have a Commander Data? We are still in the early stages of engineering a SF robot but yesterday I saw a film that made me think things are leaping ahead:
If you have been following the development of robots you will know this is a major advancement over what robot designers were doing just a few years ago. Before robots always looked like struggling machines. This video gives the feeling that the machine is part animal because it mimics dog like qualities. It’s just a hint, but enough of a hint that I felt sorry for the machine when they kicked it.
Another film that was sent to me yesterday also suggests that designers, this time an artist, are finding their way closer to natural designs for their mechanical creations.
And yet a third robotic story crossed my path yesterday, “Japan Experimenting with Artificial Intelligence as Part of Daily Life.” This is all without going to Google and doing research on the topic. I just remembered I also started reading a F&SF story last night “Five Thrillers” by Robert Reed that mentions robots. And I watched an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and if I think hard I could probably remember some more instances of the topic of robots coming into my life yesterday. My friends and I have been wishing for robots to be developed so we’ll have machines to help us when we get old.
Robots are happening. Start paying attention to how often you see them mentioned.
If you want to see more videos of robots jump on over to YouTube because they have loads of them. Japan seems hellbent on creating a trade show cutie. I hope they don’t put out all those bikini professionals we see marketing high tech goods out of a job.
Jim
Auxiliary Memory 
Wish they’d make humaniform robots like the gorgeous Daneel Olivaw in Asimov’s robot stories!
Sounds like my dream person: handsome, elegant, gentle, graceful…..could go on forever.
Oh well.
It’s funny your comment came today about robots, because my latest post is about robots. It sounds like you want a robot companion for more than housework. I’ve been thinking about why I like the concept of robots and why I’d like to have a personal robot.
I’d want a robot Jeeves. But is it fair to own a mechanical being? But what if our robots were designed to learn our thoughts and carry own our ambitions, so the time with us would be mentoring?
Great to get your message, James.
No I most certainly would not own ‘Daneel’; I believe strongly in every sentience (sentity?) being their own ‘person’.
I’d feel entirely safe with a ‘Daneel’: he would be a combination of a gorgeous-looking person but completely uncritical. And nor would he ever be demanding. And he’d never be noisy (I’m painfully sound- and noise-sensitive!) and always light and economical in his movements.
I’d also get rid of those Three Laws because ‘Daneel’ is so highly intelligent and civilized he wouldn’t need them! Also, if some horrid person took a swing at him ‘Daneel’ would well be able to defend himself even if he had to hurt that person a little.