The Robots Are Coming
“A robotic bodysuit gives the mature set the ability to lift heavy objects”
AROBOT REVOLUTION is underway: they are ready to do your laundry, they can mop floors, enhance your body, rescue survivors and hunt down enemies. A new generation of consumer robots is now fuelling a $1.6 billion industry that analysts say could swell to $6.5 billion in three years. These convenient bots range from devices that wash windows ($350 WinBot) and mow lawns to polishing glass and cleaning aquariums like the $300 RoboSnail. A pioneer in this growing consumer field is the vacuum cleaning robot Roomba, by iRobot. Introduced in 2002, 10 million Roombas have been sold, triggering other company products like the floor mopper Braava and Mirra, a bot that cleans pools.
While these single-task robots have a long way to go before resembling Rosie from The Jetsons, a darker more advanced reality may not be far off. Leading the way is the search giant Google with a secretive program headed by Andy Rubin, a wellrespected tech tinkerer who aptly founded the company’s wildly successful mobile operating software, Android. Under Rubin, Google has quietly acquired eight robotics companies since late last year, many of which have developed robotic limbs and humanoid robots.
The most startling of Google’s robot acquisitions is arguably Boston Dynamics. Funded by DARPA (the R&D agency of the U.S. military), Boston Dynamics famously created Big Dog – a dynamically stable four-legged robot. A quick YouTube search will reveal a creepy if not intimidating mechanical creature with the ability to navigate rough terrain, run 6.5 kilometres an hour and get back up if knocked over. Last year, the company added an arm to the resilient robot, giving it the ability to fling 50-pound cinder blocks across a room at a rapid speed – remarkable for a device that isn’t much bigger than a German shepherd. The same company has also launched Petman, the world’s first bipedal robot to move dynamically like a human, as well as Cheetah – similar to Big Dog but it gallops at 46.5 kilometres an hour. While this kind of tech can be used for clearing disaster areas or reinforcing military supply lines, either direction is a peculiar fit for Google’s increasingly murky business aspirations.
Slightly less terrifying is Honda Asimo, a Japanese robot roughly the height of a 10-year-old. On a recent visit to Tokyo, U.S. President Obama played soccer with the humanoid robot, leaving the experience “slightly intimidated.” Japan has long been the world leader in robotic technology with pioneers like Osaka University’s Hiroshi Ishiguro, who has created hauntingly realistic androids including Geminoid F, a female robot capable of enough facial expressions to perform onstage as an actor. Hiroshi Kobayashi of Tokyo University of Science has not only developed humanoid androids but also a robotic bodysuit for the mature set, giving them the ability to lift heavy objects.
The most recognizable robot technology, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) known as drones, is spreading like wildfire. While the concept dates back to the mid-1800s, the modern version took off during the Vietnam War and usage accelerated post-9-11 where UAVs are now used in more than 50 countries. The homemade drone market has also soared, pun notwithstanding, driven by online community sites like DIYdrones. com where anyone can order an unmanned aircraft for as low as $750 from site sponsor 3D Robotics. Unsurprisingly, the proliferation of amateur drones has already led to a near-collision with a commercial jet, prompting the FAA to begin draft- ing new rules on how the technology can be used for commercial purposes. And adding a touch of techno-whimsy to the mix is the San Franciscobased Mansion at Casa Madrona, where guests can have champagne delivered by drones.
Convenience aside, sci-fi author Isaac Asimov nailed it – in 1942 – with his Three Laws of Robotics including “a robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.” Phew.