Robots – Social Robot Futures

A Comment on “Living Robots”

April 7, 2020September 16, 2021

In mid-January 2020, it was reported that scientists created the first “living robot” which represents a new class of biological artefact in the form of a “programmable organism” according to headlines in the Independent and Wired. Elsewhere, the ability of these new entities to “walk” was highlighted by the Guardian, opening up possibilities for potential advances of the technology for “drug delivery” and “toxic waste clean-up” as highlighted by Science Daily, all of which invites new “opportunities and risks” according to Forbes.

Discussion

Learning American Manners: Pepper Robots, My Fair Lady and…

June 22, 2016September 16, 2021

By Karen Asp

“Pepper is finally coming to America.” So IEEE Spectrum editor Erico Guizzo wrote in a piece covering SoftBank Mobile Corporation’s announcement on May 19^th that its humanoid robot Pepper will be introduced to North American markets later this year (Guizzo 2016). To say “finally” seems something of an overstatement: Japanese telecom Softbank and its French subsidiary Alderban Robotics unveiled the prototype only two years ago and began selling the first batch in Japan just 12 months later.

Discussion

Companion Species 2.0: Aibo’s Extinction Traumatic Event, Cruel Reality

June 23, 2015September 16, 2021

By Karen Asp

Sony has rendered its robotic pet dog “Aibo” obsolete. As The New York Times documentary “A Robotic Dog’s Mortality” shows, this extinction event has traumatized Aibo owners in Japan who are no longer able to repair or replace their beloved pets. A summary posted with the NYT documentary reveals that Sony had introduced Aibo in 1999 with the expectation of widespread adoption.

Discussion

The Rift between Science and Fiction: The Case of…

June 4, 2015October 12, 2021

By Teresa Heffernan

Jibo, a device that is marketed as more than a “thing,” is the latest creation of Cynthia Breazeal, who has taken a leave from MIT to start up a company to sell this “family robot.” In a crowd-sourcing advertisement promoting “his” many roles, Jibo is referred to as an educator, entertainer, helper, companion, conversationalist, wingman, cameraman, and “a robot with humanity.” (Original video no longer available; alternative upload here.)

Discussion

R2-D2 on Patrol? Using Fiction to Define the K5…

December 7, 2014September 20, 2021

By Karen Asp

What is the K5 “autonomous data robot”? This seems to be the underlying question in various news reports covering the recent commercial launch of Silicon Valley-based Knightscope’s new security technology. And it is quickly followed by more questions that in essence ask, what does it mean for us? Does it mean that security guards will no longer be required to do boring and dangerous patrol work, or does it imply job losses due to automation?