Robotics

John RudyLexington Computer and Technology Group

5/20/2015

Pindar’s Seventh Olympic OdeThe animated figures standAdorning every public streetAnd seem to breathe in stone, ormove their marble feet.

China: 3rd century BC

King Solomon had an automated chair

Robots as Monsters

The Golem of Prague • Jewish legend of the 16th century, created

from mud (like Adam)• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem

Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein (1818)

• Competition with Shelly and Byron for who could write the best horror story

• “Frankenstein” is the scientist• The monster is “monster”

Rossums Universal Robots

R.U.R. is a Czech 1920 play by Karel Čapek.• Androids; look human• Initially friendly• robot rebellion leads to the extinction

of the human race • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R.U.R.

Must it have intelligence?Turing Test (1950): a test of a machine's ability to exhibit intelligent behavior equivalent to, or indistinguishable from, that of a human.

Turing originally suggested that if the machine would convince a human 70% of the time after five minutes of conversation, the machine is said to have passed the test.

The test does not check the ability to give correct answers to questions, only how closely answers resemble those a human would give.

In 1966 ELIZA’s program DOCTOR (Joseph Weizenbaum, MIT):HUMAN: "My head hurts" with "Why do you say your head hurts?“HUMAN: "My mother hates me" with "Who else in your family hates you?"

The Positronic BrainIsaac Asimov 1920–1992

Three Laws of Robotics1. A robot may not injure a human being or,

through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

2. A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws

0th law then added: A robot may not harm humanity, or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to harm

Published 1942

The TerminatorA human-looking indestructible cyborg is sent from 2029 to 1984 to assassinate a waitress, whose unborn son will lead humanity in a war against the machines, while a soldier from that war is sent to protect her at all costs.

What is a Robot?

Robot: A machine capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically.

Android: A robot with a human appearance.

Cyborg: (Man-Machine) A person whose physical abilities are extended beyond normal human limitations by mechanical elements built into the body.

Steve AustinJamie Sommers

Must it have “intelligence”?

Why Use a Robot?• The environment is unsafe for humans: Mines,

explosives, space, war

• Robots are faster, stronger, more accurate: Machine tools, surgery

• Robots are helpful or fun: Mow lawns, vacuum carpets, play with children, travel guide (future)

iRobot’s Roomba

Some Robotic Videos1. Big Dog 3mins (amazing balance) https://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNZPRsrwumQ 2. 6-axis industrial robots 3 mins https://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7coUcEHxnYA 3. KISMET: MIT’s AI Lab 3 mins (Facial expression) https://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KRZX5KL4fA 4. Robotic Surgery 2 mins https://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJ_3GJNz4fg

In 2013 Amazon purchased Kiva robots for $875MUses 15,000 in warehouseshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6DIFpaoI6A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-DgmfMa5Zk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quWFjS3Ci7A

US Army Robotic Soldiers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ci7EFmO260E • A DARPA program• 44 minutes

And now, JIBO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8SrSn3DRcI

First family robot

MIT Media Lab

~$500

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvI8Q43-VMg