Robotics involves design, construction, operation, and use of, you guessed it, robots. The goal is to design machines that can help and assist humans, and it integrates fields of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, information engineering, mechatronics, electronics, bioengineering, computer engineering, control engineering, software engineering, mathematics, and more. Robotics is a rapidly growing field, as technological advances continue to fuel a dramatic increase of the capabilities of modern robots.
Robotics, by some metrics, is a very old field. While the term “robot” has only existed since about 1920, the concept of automata dates back to ancient times, with mythologies such as the Greeks imagining artificial people constructed by Hephaestus. However, robotics was nothing more than a dream up until the 20th century and the industrial revolution. Science fiction author Isaac Asimov is one of the most important figures in early robotics, as he actually coined the term “robotics”, while also creating the concept of The Three Laws of Robotics, often referred to today as Asimov’s laws. While these laws are mostly just a framework for interesting science fiction storytelling, the laws have pervaded science fiction and are referred to in many books, films, and other media, while also affecting thought on ethics of artificial intelligence as well.
As for true developments in the real-world field of robotics, most have come very recently. However, one of the most important developments for modern, practical robotics occurred in 1948, with Norbert Wiener, and his formulation of the principles of cybernetics. Now, cybernetics are a whole field of research and development well beyond the scope of robotics, but suffice to say, cybernetics are crucial to the function of the modern and future robot. The first digitally operated and programmable robot, the Unimate, was installed in 1961 to lift hot pieces of metal from a die casting machine and stack them. Commercial and industrial robots are widespread today and used to perform jobs more cheaply, more accurately, and more reliably than humans. They also have the benefit of working in areas that would be dangerous for people, saving lives in the process.
Today, most robots are constructed with a very specific task or function in mind. The idea of humanoid robots with the similar motor control to actual people is still very much science fiction. However, at the rate of which the field is growing, it may not be for much longer. You may have heard of Boston Dynamics, a robotics company based in Waltham, Massachusetts. They have several very popular videos showing off the capabilities of Atlas, their humanoid robot capable of nearly human-level agility. The videos are impressive, and while I don’t want to undercut what an achievement this is, they have a long way to go before they can match the capabilities of an actual human. For instance, the Atlas has a speed 2.5 meters per second. For perspective, that equates to almost three times slower than Tom Brady’s 40 time and roughly an eleven-minute mile.
Humanoid robots may still be a work in progress, but there are still many jobs that robots can do much better and faster than people can. This is most prevalent in industrial fields and factories, where robots are quickly replacing jobs once held by humans. While robots might not be adept at creative thinking or tasks that require much flexibility, nearly anything that requires the same function to be done in the same way repeatedly is probably better left to a robot. Robots dominate manufacturing facilities today, and business owners are certainly excited about the automation of tasks in their companies, while employees are slowly be displaced by this rapidly growing field.
Stephen Hawking back in 2016 stated quote "The automation of factories has already decimated jobs in traditional manufacturing, and the rise of artificial intelligence is likely to extend this job destruction deep into the middle classes, with only the most caring, creative or supervisory roles remaining" end quote. While the full extent of AI is definitely worth its own story at some point, no discussion of robotics can exclude the impact of artificial intelligence. We are seeing the growth of self-driving cars, as they start to supplant truck drivers and taxis. It is arguably a good thing, as almost every car accident is the direct result of human error. However, our society is not currently set up to help the people who are certain to lose their jobs to robots in the coming years, and that, unlike any terminator-style apocalyptic future, is likely the true danger of robotics.
Accompanied with the trend towards automation is this dangerous period we currently find ourselves in, as people work alongside robots in partially automized jobs. Research has shown that robot application is associated with an increase in the rate of occupational injuries in the first two years, but then becomes insignificant and even negative afterwards. Local governments can reduce or even eliminate the effect of robot application on occupational injuries by strengthening safety regulations. However, given the negative connotations of any regulations in a free-market economy such as the United States, many people could face significant injury or even death.
This takes us to the ethics of robotics. One of the great centerpieces of many science fiction stories is the debate surrounding what makes someone an actual person. Specifically, when it comes to robotics, is there ever a point where robots reach a level of intelligence that would make it immoral to withhold rights from them? This question has been explored in a wide variety of science fiction stories, such as Isaac Asimov’s own I, Robot, the 2018 video game Detroit: Become Human, and the Blade Runner series of films. Many of these pieces of media do somewhat skirt the most interesting questions at play here by making their main robot characters appear exactly like a human, which makes for good commentary on discrimination and whatnot, but if a robot had the cognitive capabilities of a human while looking like this or this or even this, should they receive any of the rights and privileges we have today? We’re still a ways off from having to answer that question, but it certainly would be wise to have an answer in mind.
Robotics is the future, whether we like it or not. The ball is already rolling, and the slope is much too steep to stop it now, so the question is now how do we handle this situation? We must be mindful of the difficulties that arise from people, especially those in more blue-collar positions, having their jobs replaced by automation and robots. The future is fast approaching, and an unwillingness to adapt our economic system and society could spell disaster for us all. In addition, while I’m not bold enough to assume a correct position on robot rights, do not be too quick to dismiss it entirely. Maybe true artificial intelligence and robot sentience is just a fantasy, but at the rate of technological development the world has been on lately, anything is possible.
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