Cute and Friendly

Or are they?

Robots, especially robots with artificial intelligence (AI) have been a staple of science fiction for years. They are often portrayed as scary, menacing  creations, often intent on wiping the human race off the face of the Earth. In real life however, most robots haven't gotten to that level of evil. In fact, more often than not, today's robots are designed to be cute and helpful, while being friendly and polite.

Andrew Gebhart of CNET reviews the various robots on display at last month's CES event in Las Vegas. Ranging from the incredibly cute puppy robot, Aibo, to the amazingly lifelike Sophia, the current crop of robots are designed to reassure you of their usefulness. Whether they are providing home security, performing household chores, or simply entertaining the kids, these robots don't want you to believe they are related to the Terminator.

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Discussion Questions/Activities
  1. From self-driving cars to robots delivering medicine at hospitals, robots seem to be gaining a foothold in our lives. What do students think about this? Are students familiar with Isaac Asimov's three laws of robotics?
  2. Divide the class into small groups and ask each group to design a robot they would like to own. What is the purpose of their robot? What makes it different from other robots that already exist? What special features does it have? Each group should create a presentation to share their idea with the class.
  3. As an individual project, ask students to research the ethics of robotics and artificial intelligence. Students should write a report outlining their findings and their position and provide supporting documentation.

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