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Preface
In his 1942 short story “Runaround,” the legendary
science fiction writer Isaac Asimov outlines his famous “three laws of
robotics,” a set of principles that governed much of his subsequent work
and influenced generations of fiction writers, scientists, engineers,
and philosophers. According to Asimov, a robot “may not injure a human
being,” “must obey any orders given to it by human beings,” and “must
protect its own existence, as long as such protection does not conflict
with the First or Second Law.” Asimov sometimes broke these rules, but
even so, they speak to a certain idealized notion of robots, suggesting
that intelligent, self-aware machines might simultaneously serve and
live in harmony with their human creators.
While such optimistic views have proven popular—The
Jetsons, Short Circuit, and Wall-E are three of the many
movies and television shows that have featured lovable, benevolent robot
characters—they’re not the only ones that have taken root in the
public’s consciousness. From 1921’s RUR (Rossum’s Universal
Robots)—the Czech play that introduced the term “robot”—to the more
recent “Terminator” films and TV series, people have long considered the
dangers of “playing god” and creating artificial life. Just as Adam and
Eve refused to follow the rules of their creator, robots featured in
sci-fi tales often rebel against humans, using superior strength and
intellect to take over the world.
One decade into the 21st century, neither vision has
come to pass. While the world is home to millions of robots—defined by
the Carnegie Science Center as any machine that “gathers information
about its environment (senses) and uses that information (thinks) to
follow instructions to do work (acts)”—few bear any resemblance to the
walking, talking humanoids so prevalent in popular culture. Most are
decidedly less glamorous: assembly-line arms, Roomba vacuums,
pill-sorting and supply-schlepping hospital helpers, and military
“drone” flyers. To be sure, these and other real-life robots represent
stunning technological breakthroughs, but none are advanced enough to
pass for human.
Nevertheless, this issue of The Reference Shelf
arrives at a pivotal time, as scientists edge ever closer to fulfilling
the fantasies of sci-fi enthusiasts and creating robots that—thanks to
either expert programming or the development of genuine “artificial
intelligence” (AI)—have the power to operate autonomously and interact
with people. This volume aims to present a brief history of robotics,
examine how far the field has progressed, and look to the future,
considering both the promises and perils of building increasingly
complex robots.
The first chapter, “Of Men and Machines:
Robotics—Past, Present, and Future,” contains articles that place
today’s robots in historical context. The pieces also consider how
different cultures view these technological marvels, contrasting the
attitudes of the Japanese—who, according to the author of one entry,
have largely embraced them—with people from other nations, who have
expressed more trepidation, fearing that, among their other downsides,
mechanized workers are rendering human ones obsolete.
Selections in the second chapter, “Faster, Stronger, Cheaper: Robotic
Automation in the Workplace,” take a closer look at what effects robots
have had on a variety of industries. Some experts contend that robots
stand to increase productivity without costing people jobs, while others
say “othersourcing”—the practice of replacing humans with machines—is a
serious problem that will only get worse. The next chapter, “The Robot
Will See You Now: Robotics in Health Care,” features selections that
center on how machines are helping doctors and health-care professionals
better serve patients. As if the da Vinci Surgical System, a device that
allows surgeons to operate via remote control and make remarkably small
incisions, weren’t amazing enough, scientists have now set their sights
on building microbots and nanobots—machines tiny enough to swim through
patients’ bodies and fight disease from the inside.
Moving from the inner workings of the human body to
the furthest regions of outer space, pieces in the fourth chapter,
“Robots in Space,” detail efforts to explore the cosmos using unmanned
spacecraft. Already, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA) Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity are bolstering scientists’
knowledge of the Red Planet, and in the coming decades, robots might be
used to build lunar space stations and relay information from beyond our
solar system.
NASA isn’t the only government agency with an interest
in robots. “Lifesavers or Killing Machines? The Pros and Cons of Robots
in the Military,” the next chapter, comprises articles that look at how
machines are replacing men on the battlefield. The selections pay
particular attention to the moral questions associated with using robots
as weapons. Entries in the final chapter, “Thinking, Feeling Robots: The
Dream (or Nightmare) of Artificial Intelligence,” explore the
feasibility and philosophical implications of building truly human-like
robots. While some doubt software or circuitry will ever give robots
brains that rival man’s, others believe the line between human and
machine is destined to be erased.
Robots may eventually take over, but they haven’t yet,
and I’m happy to report that this book was made with the help of real,
live humans. I’d like to express my sincerest gratitude to all of the
writers who allowed their work to be reprinted herein, as well as to my
colleagues Paul McCaffrey and Richard Stein, editors whose wit and
intellect scientists would be hard-pressed to duplicate. I would also
like to thank my parents, Deb and Ken Sr., and my new wife, Lindsey.
Don’t worry, guys: Should the robots attack, I’ll be ready!
Kenneth Partridge
February 2010
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