Hod Lipson, in a TED talk, discusses the new revolution of
building robots that are “self-aware.” Ultimately, Lipson predicts that these
robots will have the ability to evolve like animals, learn like children and
grow, adapt, and self-repair.
This concept of robot production, continuing to evolve and be
placed into jobs and production, is a scary idea for me to grasp. I used to work
in a restaurant and for a period of time we test ran the use of a small
computer at tables, which customers could order their food and pay their bills
from. Having a robot place the food order and pay the bill did indeed eliminate
human error, however I found this extremely sad for society as it is clearly
straying from human interaction. In 2013, a restaurant in Harbin, China opened
up which has a staff of 20 robots that deliver, cook, greet, and entertain
customers. Although the initial cost of producing these robots is highly
expensive, the manager boasts of the robots productivity and efficiency.
Although I personally am having a difficult time adapting to
robot industrialization as it can take away from human interaction, I think
society is responding positively to the success and progress these inventions
and robots bring. For example, as Professor Machiko Kusahara discussed in the
lecture video, robots are beginning to take on the role of a friendly face
rather than a scary object. I recently watched the movie “Interstellar,” and
fell in love with the sarcastic and witty robot TARS. This robot ends up being
one of the surviving crewmembers and heroes in the interstellar movie. As science
continues to advance and industrialize, I believe that society will continue to
positively respond to industrialization as it will continue to make work and
jobs more productive.
Ward,
Alex. "Mechanic Masterchef: Robots Cook Dumplings, Noodles and Wait Tables
at Restaurant in China." Mail Online. Associated Newspapers,
14 Jan. 2013. Web. 18 Apr. 2015.
"Summary:
The Work of Art in The Age of Mechanical Reproduction."Introducing the
Frankfurt School. N.p., 28 Feb. 2008. Web. 18 Apr. 2015.
Acuna,
Kirsten. "The 'Interstellar' Robot Was Actually A 200-Pound Puppet An
Actor Had To Carry On Set." Business Insider. Business
Insider, Inc, 05 Dec. 2014. Web. 18 Apr. 2015.
"Building
"self-aware" Robots." TED. TED Conferences, n.d.
Web. 18 Apr. 2015.
"Hod
Lipson Builds “self-aware” Robots." Our Progress. N.p., n.d.
Web. 18 Apr. 2015.
I think you bring up a good point about how if robots replace people in the service industry, human interaction is lost. Many times we do not appreciate what we have until we have lost it. The loss of a conversation with a waiter or waitress might not seem like a big deal now, but if it ever is gone, I think we will miss it.
ReplyDeleteHi Jess,
ReplyDeleteI think you make a valid point when you describe how our society is moving almost too quickly with technology. Human interaction is so important and the norm is shifting as more and more social media is being integrated in our culture.