Article By: Cynthia Ross Cravit

It sounds like the stuff of science fiction – but could we become as dependent on robots as on our personal computers?

Robots are already a part of society, particularly in manufacturing, industry and the military. But what about robots as teachers, housekeepers, caregivers and even surgeons?

In all of these cases it’s already starting to happen. A super-advanced droid named Tiro, for example, recently assisted a human instructor with an English class at Euon Primary School in South Korea. Aside from a few glitches (Tiro fell silent for a few moments after the computer she was connected to had problems), the experiment gave a glimpse of what a futuristic classroom could look like in this high-wired country.

Korean researchers say networked robots such as Tiro could be used to facilitate a child’s education by, among other things, relaying messages to parents, teaching languages – and when the kids become bored, even sing and dance for them. Outside the home, a robot could be used to guide customers at post offices or museums or to facilitate security by patrolling public areas, searching for intruders and transmitting images to monitoring centers.

Some of these service robots are incredibly life-like. Take the case of the female android, EveR-1. Appearing to be a Korean female in early 20s, EveR-1 can hold a conversation, make eye contact, and seemingly express emotions such as joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness. (See a photo of the Korean android.)

“I believe the most innovative products that changed the 20th century are the PC and the Internet,” Oh Sang Rok, who oversees the massive intelligent-service-robot project at the South Korean Ministry of Information and Communication, told the New York Times. “What will [we see] in this century? I like to believe it will be robots.”

He goes on to say that he’d like to see a robot in every home by 2015 or 2020 – if not sooner.

The robot allows doctors to see better than in open surgery. Also the instruments have wrist-like hinges, which allows for more flexibility than conventional laparoscopic devices. The robot can make tiny, precise movements, tremor-free.

(The success of the robot, of course, is dependent on the surgeon’s skill with using it. It has been reported that a woman whose husband died after a doctor using the da Vinci robot accidentally cut two of his main arteries sued the Florida hospital, alleging the surgeon lacked experience with the device.)

Also on the surgical front, Italian researchers recently announced they are testing a robot that can perform liver and kidney surgeries with a minimal amount of blood loss. The robot, called Altair, uses low-frequency electrical current to raise the temperature in organs so that blood solidifies, according to Achille Lucio Gaspari of Rome’s Tor Vergata University.

The technique allows surgeons to make incisions without breaking blood vessels. So far, the robot has been used successfully on 14 liver patients.

Are we ready for a robot-centered society?
While it still may be early days, many are concerned with the ethics and possible repercussions of developing networked robots that think and look like humans. Will humans eventually become too dependent? What about technical or programming difficulties if a robot gets hacked or simply won’t obey?

Presently, a code of ethics to prevent humans abusing robots and vice versa, is being drawn up by South Korea. Other bodies, such as the European Robotics Research Network, are also thinking about the robotic future. According to the BBC, a draft of the proposals said: “In the 21st Century humanity will coexist with the first alien intelligence we have ever come into contact with – robots…It will be an event rich in ethical, social and economic problems.”

And a recent UK government study actually predicted that in the next 50 years robots could demand the same rights as human beings.

ON THE NET
To read more, click here.

READ MORE FROM 50plus.com

A facelift in the fridge?

Scientists test anti-aging drugs

Try these 10 super foods