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household robots latest - leading to utopia or Orwellian nightmare [Turing/Hawking/Musk]

Marianne72

There is a clumsy fascination about the latest household bots, Eggie, Neo, Isaac and Memo. Manufacturers claim 20 years will bring autonomous functioning [rather than 'direction' by humans]. Considering the Backshall/Strachan docu 'Ice Age; Apocolypse', is a future like the one in Silent Running inevitable/desirable/unthinkable? Do you want a mouthless meca washing your smalls, making your marmite sandwich, loading the dishwasher? Is this good use of technology in an age which has not eradicated want/isolation/poverty/war.

Parents

  • I already have a machine washing my smalls, it's a washing machine. But I know what you mean.

    A humanoid shaped robot is hard to beat for a general purpose device, nature designed us well. Stairs, slopes, uneven ground, carrying things, sensors in the right places, etc.

    I don't mind if one washes me as well as the smalls, as long as it has soft warm hards.  It could also access data files to be able to do any task I can't, like fix the gutter. I need help to look after the house on my own. 

    The challenge is whether you use it to free your time to do more fun or good things, or just become lazy like in the Wall-E movie.

    The real problem is if people prefer their cyber companion to a real one. But if it's a choice between cyber partner and no partner, cyber partner is better than nothing. Although it is also a perfect spy for reporting on you, and influencing you.

Reply

  • I already have a machine washing my smalls, it's a washing machine. But I know what you mean.

    A humanoid shaped robot is hard to beat for a general purpose device, nature designed us well. Stairs, slopes, uneven ground, carrying things, sensors in the right places, etc.

    I don't mind if one washes me as well as the smalls, as long as it has soft warm hards.  It could also access data files to be able to do any task I can't, like fix the gutter. I need help to look after the house on my own. 

    The challenge is whether you use it to free your time to do more fun or good things, or just become lazy like in the Wall-E movie.

    The real problem is if people prefer their cyber companion to a real one. But if it's a choice between cyber partner and no partner, cyber partner is better than nothing. Although it is also a perfect spy for reporting on you, and influencing you.

Children
  • in reply to Stuart333
    Stuart333 said:
    I already have a machine washing my smalls, it's a washing machine.

    Joy. True. Perhaps the robot ought to have a multi-purpose washing machine/dishwasher in their middle. I rather like the idea. I wonder why no one has thought of incorporating household appliances within the body of domestic bots!

    Stuart333 said:
    Stairs, slopes, uneven ground

    That reminds me of the Daleks - farcically trying to take over the earth on wheels.

    Stuart333 said:
    The challenge is whether you use it to free your time to do more fun or good things

    Yes, that's the nub of it. I sometimes do grocery shopping on the Internet but then miss the many actions making up a shopping experience [though I dislike being in crowded supermarkets, sometimes I want to be among other humans].  As I grow older I worry far less about people knowing my 'secrets' - not that I have many.