CyberQuestions: #2 - Can a robot be my best friend?

As long as it doesn’t shoot lasers out of his eyes, it’s up to you. OK, just joking.

You see, robots are improving rapidly on many levels – design, artificial intelligence and functions. In other words, they are changing both their look (some resemble humans, others adorable pets) and their abilities (what they know, do, learn and how they behave). They interact with us in a way that seems very human. But they are not humans, and you know it. No matter how cute they look, they are still a bunch of circuits and programs put together brilliantly.

Robots don’t have feelings although their responses to different situations may make you think they are sensitive and understanding. If a robot’s eyes form a pair of sadly reclining crescent moons and he sighs, you may think it is sad. Well, it is programmed to act unhappy as a consequence of your previous behavior. For example, you declined his invitation to play or chat. But it is not sad for real. Its response doesn’t come from its heart (because its heart is a well designed hydraulic pump that specializes in heavy lifting not hard feelings).

Best friends are very special people in your life. People with whom you make plans, play, laugh, cry and go to when you need someone to talk to. Friends are the people you like to spend time with, who try to cheer you up because they feel the natural urge to do so and not because they were equipped with a ”consolation” subroutine.

A robot can be a good companion, and you can learn a lot from it in a fun way. A robot can teach you science, technology, engineering and mathematics in an engaging and fun way. It can play games with you and tell you jokes or stories. You can learn to program by building a robot yourself and making it ”work”. This kind of knowledge can lead to an amazing career later in your life.

Ultimately, a robot can help you understand the distinction between humans and non-humans.

It cannot be your friend or pet (even if it comes in a furry body) and it can never replace your family and friends. So, yeah, keep your best hug for somebody who appreciates it!

Three interesting facts about robots:

The word “robot” comes from the Czech word robota, meaning “drudgery,” and first appeared in the 1921 play R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots). The drama ends badly when the machines rise and kill their creators, leaving a sole lonely survivor.

Elektro was the first humanoid robot. It was built in 1939 by Westinghouse. It was 7’ tall and had a vocabulary of 700 words.

ASIMO, the most advanced humanoid robot, is also the most expensive; it costs no less than $2,5 million.