Philosophy Wire by Spiros Kakos [2013-03-11]: Robots confused about what they encounter in the world of humans can now get help online.European scientists have turned on the first part of a web-based database of information to help them cope. Called Rapyuta, the online "brain" describes objects robots have met and can also carry out complicated computation on behalf of a robot. Rapyuta's creators hope it will make robots cheaper as they will not need all their processing power on-board. [source: BBC News]
As robots will use Rapyuta, humans also use the collective "society database" which gives us directions on how to behave in various situations. It may seem that we have free will but most of the times we are actually guided by "society norms". Like a computer virus, these "silent directives" have spread to the brains of us all. Trying to get away from these norms is hard.
But we must try. Install an antivirus. Reboot.
Philosophy Wire by Spiros Kakos [2013-03-05]: Are you feeling weird with a robot inside your house? You are not the only one. Extensive research in robotics is now conducted on the ways our android mechanical inventions could be more human-friendly without sending the creeps to anyone interacting with them. [source: BBC News]
Which of the following possible robot "faces" would you choose?
Even though I am a proponent of the immaterial nature of the mind, I somehow have the feeling that appearance (and NOT intelligence) is all that it takes to consider someone human. We may need some years to make them perfect robotic faces, but when we do there will be no way to distinguish them from many fools wandering around...
![_64182761_biobot_thumb[2]](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-z0Hdq-CxOOU/UKaScAhWBBI/AAAAAAAAHGU/sS39le6sJr4/s1600-h/_64182761_biobot_thumb%25255B2%25255D%25255B3%25255D.jpg "_64182761_biobot_thumb[2]")
Philosophy Wire by Spiros Kakos [2012-11-16]: Tiny biological robots that walk to the beat of a thin sheet of rat heart cells have been created by US scientists. The "bio-bots" were fabricated using a 3D printer and then seeded with the cardiac cells. The regular twitching motion of the heart cells makes the tiny structure flex and slowly inch along. [source: BBC News] Life is weird. Even if motion is what makes us think something is alive, the most important things which make us “alive” are not things that “move”… Zenon knew something more than we do…
Philosophy Wire by Spiros Kakos [2012-10-01]: New robots will soon start fighting along humans in the battlefields. The new generation of battle androids has more autonomy and can even fire against the enemy without guidance. A characteristic example can be seen in the photo above which depicts a robotic system developed in Korea by Samsung which has the ability of autonomous operation - being able to shoot people in the North-South Korea borders "on its own". [source: BBC News] It seems like the 3 Laws of Robotics are just a blurred recollection from an era much more romantic and humane, then the one we currently live in...
![36559_366748266726487_1719056353_n_thumb[1]](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Ojmw0JolrHA/T8fJljqSX1I/AAAAAAAAEIs/7IeVx_CgehM/s1600-h/36559_366748266726487_1719056353_n_thumb%25255B1%25255D%25255B3%25255D.jpg "36559_366748266726487_1719056353_n_thumb[1]")
Philosophy Wire by Spiros Kakos [2012-05-31]: The police is the US is seriously thinking of establishing the use of drones in surveillance and even in the use of force when necessary [source: web news]. Progress… A word inherently connected to Technology. We all love robots and automations. Too bad that robots will not love us back the same when they will be shooting at us from the sky…
Philosophy Wire by Spiros Kakos [2011-11-14]: Automated programs are being used as supervisors of humans at video transcription and software development companies [source: web news]. Technology leads not to the paradise that the proponents of “machines” dreamed of… Instead of having the robots working for us, we have already started working FOR the robots…
