Becky Frawley

LE-1310-400-Su14
Nate Reynolds
Research Paper
Robots
Past, Present and Future
Huan l!ke o"eent !s #ust one o$ the any coponents to ak!n% an !ntell!%ent huan l!ke ach!ne&
'h!s technolo%y !s st!ll !n the early sta%es o$ de"elopent& (n th!s paper ( w!ll talk a)out a )r!e$ h!story o$ o)!l!ty
!n ro)ots* where sc!ent!st are now* and what !s e+pected $or ,( !n the $uture& Lastly* ( w!ll d!scuss y thou%hts on
,rt!$!c!al (ntell!%ence and creat!n% an ,( ent!ty&
The Past
Ro)ots are not a new concept& 'hey %o )ack !n t!e as $ar as 14-.& ,nd the !dea o$ ro)ots %oes e"en
earl!er than that& Be$ore Leonardo /! 0!nc! worked on 'he Last Supper he had created the $!rst huano!d ro)ot&
(n 11-- the $!rst reote controlled "eh!cle was )u!lt )y N!kola! 'esla& 'he "eh!cle was a )oat that was a)le to
stop* %o* turn le$t and r!%ht* turn !ts l!%hts on and o$$ and su)er%e !tsel$ !n the water& (n 1-41 Br!t!sh ro)ot!cs
p!oneer 2!ll!a 3rey 2alter creates autonoous ach!nes that !!tate l!$e-l!ke )eha"!or w!th "ery s!ple
c!rcu!try& 4ne )!% e"ent !n the world o$ ro)ots was the $!rst echan!cal ar wh!ch was created !n 1-5- )y 0!ctor
Sche!nan* a 6echan!cal En%!neer!n% student work!n% !n the Stan$ord ,rt!$!c!al (ntell!%ence La)& 'h!s p!cture
)elow !s o$ 0!ctor Sche!nan and h!s creat!on& (t was the $!rst electr!c powered coputer controlled ro)ot ar&
Sk!pp!n% any years ahead& (n 1--1 the $aous Fur)y cae on to the arket& 'h!s was a the ra%e at the
t!e& 'h!s an!atron!c 7pet7 was a)le to !nteract w!th !ts surround!n%s& (t could also say up to 100 phrases !n
En%l!sh and was also a)le to speak !ts own lan%ua%e un!8ue to Fur)!es& ( personally ree)er see!n% these toys
and e"en own!n% one ysel$& (t was !ncred!)le& (t could talk and o"e9 (t was also creepy& (t was a plast!c toy
speak!n% to e and )l!nk!n%& (t ost certa!nly d!d not $eel natural and al!"e& 'hese 8u!ckly d!ed out )ecause the!r
capac!ty $or !nteract!n% w!th a k!d was l!!ted and soon !t )ecae )or!n%& (t d!dn:t ha"e !ntell!%ence or a
personal!ty& (t could de$!n!tely could not take the place o$ the s!lly* cute $un lo"!n% do%s ( owned& Now ( want to
talk a)out were we are w!th ro)ots now&
Present
'oday ro)ot toys are "astly !pro"ed s!nce the co"eted Fur)y& 'here are any d!$$erent k!nds o$ ro)ots&
4ne type o$ ro)ot that !s rap!dly de"elop!n% !s huan-l!ke toys& 'he ro)ots are )u!lt to )e soc!al copan!ons&
Pepper !s the $!rst huano!d ro)ot des!%ned to l!"e w!th huans& (t !s ade )y a copany !n France called
,lde)aran Ro)ot!cs & Pepper:s spec!$!cat!ons are as $ollows;
He we!%hs around 51 l)s <=1 k%> and !s alost 4 $eet <1=0 c> o$ pure style?
1@ ant!-p!nch art!culat!ons that %!"e h! %race$ul and $lu!d o"eents
3 on!d!rect!onal wheels allow h! to o"e around $reely
1= hours o$ )attery l!$e
6ore than 40 !nno"at!"e patents
, 3/ caera to perce!"e h!s surround!n%s and huan act!"!ty up to 10 $eet
'he a!n $unct!on o$ Pepper !s to help eet a person eot!onal needs& Pepper can not only reco%n!Ae you )ut
!s also a)le to ha"e a con"ersat!on w!th you* react to your eot!ons* and o"e and l!"e autonoously& 7/es!%ned
to understand your eot!ons* !t understands how you $eel )y analyA!n% $ac!al e+press!ons co)!ned w!th )ody
lan%ua%e and the words you use& 'he ro)ot w!ll react to your oods* us!n% !ntu!t!"e !nter$aces l!ke "o!ce* touch
and eot!ons& 'o show people h!s thou%hts* Pepper wears a on!tor on h!s torso&
7<http;BBwww&ro)ot!cstoday&coBro)otsBpepper-descr!pt!on> 'h!s sees !ncred!)le to e& ( had no clue that
soeth!n% l!ke th!s e+!sted unt!l ( started do!n% research& (n y ,( class we read se"eral art!cles a)out what a
challen%e !t w!ll )e to ake a ro)ot $eel eot!ons& Pepper encopasses soe o$ those !deas howe"er rud!entary&
Huan l!ke o"eent !s a )!% coponent to ak!n% a huano!d ro)ot& Cnt!l $a!rly recently ro)ots ha"e
o"ed st!$$ly& 'he 7ro)ot dance7 !s a per$ect e+aple o$ how lon% ro)ots ha"e o"ed l!ke that& , ro)ots
o"eent !s one o$ the character!st!cs that stands out the ost& 4ne reason that ro)ots o"e l!ke that !s to ake
the!r o)!l!ty ore pred!cta)le& En%!neers are try!n% to ake o"eent !n ro)ots ore huan l!ke& 4ne th!n% that
!s a challen%e !s that o)!l!ty !n huans !s e+treely cople+& 2!th e"ery o"eent !n a huan there !s a
plethora o$ uscles* tendons* l!%aents and #o!nts that are !n"ol"ed& Rol$ P$e!$er and collea%ues !n the ,rt!$!c!al
(ntell!%ence La) at the Cn!"ers!ty o$ Dur!ch are work!n% on a d!$$erent approach to o)!l!ty !n ro)ots& Ro)oy !s
the nae o$ the ro)ot who has a un!8ue set up& 7Ro)oy has a $our-$oot-tall huan shape and a set o$
uscles!nsp!red )y the huan usculoskeletal syste& 'he plast!c uscles work to%ether "!a electr!cal otors and
art!$!c!al tendons& 'endon-dr!"en systes l!ke Ro)oy !!c the $le+!)le echan!cs o$ )!olo%y* and could result !n a
new class o$ ro)ots that are l!%hter* sa$er* and o"e !n a ore natural way&7 <http;BBwww&technolo%yre"!ew&co>
'h!s k!nd o$ ro)ot can help researchers e+plore )!oechan!cs& 'h!s can %!"e r!se to ore !ntell!%ent )eha"!or&
P$e!$er says ost p eopl e know t hat !nt ell!%enc e r e8u!r es t he )od y* )ut t he y don know
why&'he )! %%e s t chall en%e t o od el! n% t he u s cul oskel et al s ys t e !s t hat t he pl as t! cs
t e ndons t e nd t o s t r et ch o"er t! e wh! ch l eads t o pr o)l e s w! t h t he ro)ot pos! t! on! n%
!t s el$&
( a a aA e d a t t h! s d e"el op e nt & (t s e e s l!ke a %r e at l eap !nt o a k! n% a or e
hu a n l!ke ro)ot & , hu%e par t o$ )e! n% hu a n !s t he skel et on t hat we pos s e s& ( t h! nk t h! s
w!ll a! d s! %n!$!cantl y t o a ro)ot na"! %at! n% t he worl d a nd l ear n t he e ot! onal ! pl!cat! ons
o"e e nt h a s&
Fut ur e
'he % e n er al cons e ns us a on% r es e ar cher s !t t hat t he t! el! ne $or ,( !s "er y d!$$!cul t t o
pr ed! ct & 'her e ar e s o a ny s ys t e s t hat ne e d t o )e work! n% a s one& 'he hu a n )ody !s
"er y co pl e+ a nd t he )r a! n !s s t!ll s o e wha t a ys t ery& 'he t a sk under s t a nd! n% t he )r a! n
a nd t he n )u!l d! n% one !s t he l ast p! ec e o$ t he %r e a t puAAl e o$ t he ,( e nt! ty& (n a n !nt er "! ew
w! t h 2!r ed 6a%aA! ne* Ray EurAwe!l* a n !n"ent or a nd p! one er !n t he co put er s c! enc e $! el d
s a! d* 7( %et "er y e+c! t ed a )out d! scus s! ons a )out t he t r ue nat ur e o$ consc! ous ne s s*
) ec a us e ( e ) e e n t h! nk! n% a )out t h! s !ssue $or l!t er ally .0 ye ar s* %o! n% ) ack t o #un! or
h! %h s chool& ,nd !t a "er y d!$$!cul t s u)# ect &7 (n t he ar t! cl e h e %oe s on t o t al k or e a )out
consc! ous ne s s& 7Fonsc! ous ne s s s e e s t o ) e a n e er %e nt pr oper t y o$ what %oe s on !n t he
n eocor t e+* wh! ch !s wher e we do our t h! nk! n%& ,nd you coul d )u!l d a n eocor t e+& (n $act *
t he y ar e )e! n% )u!lt !n t he Bl ue Br a! n pr o# ect * a nd Nu e nt a al so h a s s o e neocor t e+
od el s& 7 EurAwe!l e+pl a! ns& (n or der t o under s t a nd t he )r a! n )et t er t he !de a o$ r e"er s e
e n%! ne er! n%& (nst e a d o$ look! n% a t t he )r a! n a nd )u!l d! n% !n a e c h a n! st! c way you s pe nd
t! e $!rst l ear n! n% a )out !nt ell!%enc e !n t he )r a! n& EurAwe!l e+pl a! ns t hat onc e you c an % et
a s! ul at! on %o! n% t hat o d!$!cat! on ca n ha pp e n& Gou $!%ur e out what works a nd what
doe s n: t & 2hat !s ! por t ant a nd not ! por t ant & 'he neocor t e+ s e e s t o ) e t he per$ ect
od el t o l ear n how !n$or at! on !s pr oce s s e d !n t he )r a! n& 'he r es e ar ch on t h! s !s s t!ll !n
t he ) e %! nn! n% s t a %e s& ,s $or t he $ut ur e a n ar t!cl e !n hpl us a % aA! ne& co r es e ar cher s
os tl y s e e opt! ! st! c& 7S!%n!$!cant nu)ers o$ !nterested* !n$ored !nd!"!duals )el!e"e !t !s l!kely that
,3( at the huan le"el or )eyond w!ll occur around the !ddle o$ th!s century* and plaus!)ly e"en sooner&7
<www&hplusa%aA!ne&co>
( )el!e"e that ,rt!$!c!al (ntell!%ence has only )rou%ht %ood to our world& ,d"anceent o$ technolo%y !n
%eneral has )rou%ht our c!"!l!Aat!on to he!%hts that people $ro that past could ne"er ha"e !a%!ned& Foputers
ha"e allowed us to study the world around us* coun!cate w!th people around the %lo)e $ace to $ace* sa"ed
countless l!"es and ade l!"!n% !n th!s harsh world eas!er& ( th!nk that !$ we can $!nally create an !ntell!%ent huan
l!ke )e!n% that !t could !pact our soc!ety soc!ally !n %reat ways& ($ we can create a ro)ot that !s pro%raed w!th
/N, that dr!"es !t to help others a)o"e all else that our world could )e a )etter place& ($ we can ake ro)ots
cheap and access!)le to e"eryone* people could ha"e a entor and teacher to help the )etter na"!%ate the world
thesel"es& 4ur educat!on and e+per!ences dr!"e what huans do& Not e"eryone has %!"en the opportun!ty to learn
how to ake %ood cho!ces $or thesel"es& Ro)ots could )e l!$e sa"ers !n e"ery sense9
( th!nk the only th!s that w!ll %et !n the way o$ ,( ent!t!es )e!n% %ood and help$ul and haron!ous !s
huans& 2e ha"e $!%ured out how to %!"e soeone a new heart* )ut are nowhere near )e!n% a)le to coun!cate
e$$ect!"ely* copro!se and as a whole ha"e epathy $or others& So any huans ha"e "ery l!ttle eot!onal
!ntell!%ence thesel"es wh!ch causes sadness* "!olence* and )etrayal& ( th!nk !$ eot!onal !ntell!%ence was tau%ht !n
%rade school that huans would ha"e a )etter shot at l!"!n% !n harony and w!th ro)ots& ($ we can )arely teach !t
to other huans how w!ll we teach a ro)otH
Based on the t!el!ne o$ technolo%y and how $ar huans ha"e coe creat!n% !ncred!)le ach!nes ( )el!e"e
that an ,( ent!ty !s poss!)le& ( )el!e"e that where there !s a w!ll there !s away& Huans are so !ncred!)le thesel"es
and ha"e seeed to )reak )oundar!es that seeed !poss!)le& ,s huans %row other huans are !nsp!red to test
the!r l!!ts& 'he sky !s not the l!!t& ( hope ( %et to l!"e to see the day9
B!)l!o%raphy
13oertAel* B&* Bau* S&* I 3oertAel* '& <=010* Fe)ruary .>& How Lon% '!ll Huan-Le"el ,(H&
hplusmagazine.com& Retr!e"ed June 14* =014* $ro http;BBhplusa%aA!ne&coB=010B0=B0.Bhow-lon%-t!ll-huan-
le"el-a!B
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34rca* S&* I S!rus* R& <=00-* /ece)er 30>& Ray EurAwe!l; 'he hK (nter"!ew& hplusmagazine.com& Retr!e"ed
June 14* =014* $ro http;BBhplusa%aA!ne&coB=00-B1=B30Bray-kurAwe!l-h-!nter"!ewB
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.Ro)ot!cs 'oday Hoepa%e& <n&d&>& Robotics Today& Retr!e"ed June 13* =014* $ro
http;BBwww&ro)ot!cstoday&coBro)otsBpepper-descr!pt!on
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@Rutk!n* ,& <n&d&>& Soe Ro)ots ,re Start!n% to 6o"e 6ore L!ke Huans L 6(' 'echnolo%y Re"!ew& MIT
Technology Review& Retr!e"ed June 14* =014* $ro http;BBwww&technolo%yre"!ew&coBnewsB.11@-5Bsoe-ro)ots-
are-start!n%-to-o"e-ore-l!ke-huansB