Personification: The Materials Science and Engineering of Humanoid Robots

摘要

Contrary to the musings of pulp science fiction writers, robots pose little threat of taking over the world anytime soon. They can barely walk, are incapable of independent thought, and run out of energy quickly. In laboratories around the world, though, researchers are working at solving those problems and others, opening the door for development of a robot that can mimic humans. Progress is evident in several arenas. For instance, within the last year robots have begun to populate nursing homes, where doctors use them as a "remote presence" to monitor patients. In the last two years, a major international robot competition added a humanoid category, with the ultimate goal of a robot-human competition. One company has developed a humanoid that it suggests could provide friendly conversation based on its owner's interests. Maybe world domination is not in the future of humanoid robots. But making the world a more interesting place just might be.