The human brain is an extraordinary machine. Its ability to process information and adapt to circumstances by reprogramming itself is unparalleled, and it remains the best source of inspiration for recent developments in artificial intelligence. This has given rise to machine learning, intelligent systems, and robotics. Robots and AI might right now still seem the reserve of blockbuster science fiction movies and documentaries, but it's no doubt the world is changing. This chapter explores the origins, attitudes, and perceptions of robotics and the multiple types of robots that exist today. Perhaps most importantly, it focuses on ethical and societal concerns over the question: Are we heading for a brave new world or a science fiction horror-show where AI and robots displace or, perhaps more worryingly, replace humans?
“Replicants are like any other machine - they're either a benefit or a hazard. If they're a benefit, it's not my problem.” –Rick Deckard, Blade Runner (1992), A Ridley Scott Film
TopRobotics – A Short History
The history of robotics is intertwined with the histories of technology, science and decades of human progress. Technology used in computing, electricity, pneumatics and hydraulics can all be considered a part of the history of robotics. The word ‘robot’ itself wasn’t created until 1921, when a Czech play by Karel Čapek, R.U.R. (Rosumovi Univerzální Roboti), was first performed. It came from ‘robota’, which translates to ‘forced labour’, something that has underpinned the role of robots ever since, that is, until the advance of AI.
There is a long history of dolls or puppets that pretend to be robots but really are not. The UNIMATE is generally recognised as the first industrial robot. It went into service at a General Motors automobile part production plant in 1961. Table 1, which is by no means exhaustive and is based on multiple sources, provides a timeline of major achievements across different nations that have helped robotics to become what it is today.