Monday, March 28, 2011

Are We In The Future Yet?!?!

     Robo-Citizens in Japan huh. This has been in the works for quite a while. And frankly, I'm surprised at how low tech, bulky and slow moving the robots in this video are. Seems that there is more to it than what is being presented here. But then, that always seems to be the case. We've seen it before. Movies come out that look so high tech and futuristic, then a few years later, the same things used in the movie come out in the real world and we the consumer gobble them up quicker than you can realize it. Just to prove my point I'll give an example. Remember in Minority Report how it was so cool how they had the touch screen computers, then presto, we actually have them, especially on our phones. Even the ear piece phones from the movie.. du du du daaah, and so appears blue tooth. There are many more examples but I won't get into all that. My point is that this video seems to show us what it wants to. Giving us acceptance to the kind, gentle robots that move 1 mph. Just like technology. Come out with the new thing in the slowest, most undesirable model first, but make it seem super awesome and jack the price. A year later... model 2.0 hits and its faster, prettier and just oh so practical that we are crazy if we don't have it.
      Not that I can't see the good that having robots around would do us, but call be crazy if I sense some dehumanization approaching. Even if we don't encounter a man against machine scenario (which I wouldn't rule out either) we will eventually become reliant, more lazy, less communicative with real people, learn less, desire less, and so on.
       Just a funny side note about what the inventor says about manga and animation giving us acceptance to the friendliness of robots...... uhhh what about the tons of movies and tv shows warning against it? Just seemed a little one sided. As a creator, he should no better than to ignore such a fact. And as far as robots helping seniors... how many of your grandmothers and grandfathers would actually welcome a thing like that into their home??
---Not rhetorical, I am actually curious. And I will ask mine as well.

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