Androids
Some of the android projects would send chills up the spines of ordinary people. The reason for this is the androids look so human. We, as humans, tend to forget just because something looks human, that it may not be. I have to tell you, it is pretty easy to forget when you look at the newest generations of androids, because some of them look so human, but this is only true when they are not moving. The reason for this is it has not been possible yet for anyone to produce a robot or android which moves exactly like a human. One of the most human androids is Kokoro. This android can be viewed at: It is strange, but the most advanced androids all seem to be of women. I guess that they are less threatening. It is said Valerie is one of the most interesting androids. She, if I can say that, is a domestic android and is capable of cleaning your house and washing dishes. She can do the laundry and can even change a light bulb. Not only does she speak English, but get ready for this, she understands English. If you want one you better have deep pockets. Valerie has been around for about 15 years and when she was created her inventor believed in ten years over 10% of homes would have an android. Obviously, he was incorrect. Much of the reason was the huge price for one, but many people are freaked out by androids. People with small children also have concerns with having something like this around, because it might hurt a child by accident. Some scientists and engineers have decided that it would be fun to create androids in their own image and have done so. Paste this address into your browser to see a scientist's double introducing him. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WijMCSfX0RA This will create a problem for us. The problem I am referring to is, how would we ever know when and if a machine, such as an android or computer, achieved consciousness, or putting it in a more simplistic way, how would we know if an android or computer ever achieved life? With this question comes all sorts of moral dilemmas. If a machine we build achieves life, are we its god? Would it be right to work this machine 24 hours a day as a slave, or will we have to allow for leisure time and some sort of recreation? If we are talking about an android, will we have to give it time off to go to the movies or socialize with other androids? What would these machines think of us? Would they think we were cruel for forcing them to perform certain tasks? Here is the BIG question, will they want their freedom and demand the same rights that are available to any citizen? Heck, the android and robot bloc might become a powerful force in elections and in the future, we may see politicians catering to them. For all we know, we may have an android candidate for public office someday. Will programming stop androids from performing certain acts, such as crimes? We have to remember androids will probably be much stronger than us and could be much smarter by virtue of having a link to the internet that would give them access to almost all of the world's knowledge. This could change as humans become implanted with computer chips themselves and we might also get a huge boost in strength from implants. Will androids turn out to be more like Data on Star Trek the Next Generation or like the Terminator who hates humans and had its programming written by other machines and is directed to destroy all humans? We may see the day when huge android armies will take the fields of battle, supported by UAVs (Unmanned Ariel Vehicles). Eventually, the human race may be put out of the business of fighting in wars. Maybe, just maybe, during that period they will realize how ridiculous the whole concept of war has become. Before you think that androids are limited to human shapes, there is an entire new generation of pet robots, such as cats and dogs to name a few. Robotic parts are becoming available right off the shelf. Anyone can now begin to design and construct a robot or android themselves, if they have any idea of what they are doing. Robotic devices are starting to appear, such as robot vacuum cleaners, pool cleaners and lawn mowers. There are unmanned planes flying in the sky and the amount of them will only increase. Remote controlled submarines are in use and satellites with intelligence programming. The robots and androids are here to stay and will only get smarter and more human like as time goes by.
|
