From autism aids to next-gen newsreaders
Whether they’re taking our jobs, acting as our own personal butlers or planning mankind’s ultimate robopocalypse downfall, we’ve been obsessed robots for centuries. From clockwork automatons to cutting edge androids, we’ve been trekking the Uncanny Valley for around 500 years now.
It’s a journey that’s excellently explored in the new Robots exhibit at London’s Science Museum. It’s a fascinating look at an increasingly-automated world, one that promises personal convenience and a precision workforce the likes of which has never been seen before, while simultaneously questioning the very nature of our existence.
As showcased at the exhibit, here’s a look at ten groundbreaking robots that are set to alter the way we live, work and love. Pop on some Kraftwerk and take a glimpse at your future mechanized mates, as we kick off with…
Built by Matthew Walker in 2002, Inkha is a reactive robotic receptionist which would engage visitors of King’s College London, responding to questions offered up through a connected touchscreen. A proof of concept that there’s potential to automate even public-facing roles, Walker even instilled a spot of personality into Inkha, using its camera to help it dish out fashion advice, and act bored whilst waiting for someone to interact with it. Just like a real receptionist, then!
It may look like the dead-eyed, genuinely creepy cousin of Casper the (Perhaps Not So) Friendly Ghost, but Telenoid was created with a very sweet intention in mind. Telenoid is intended as a physical stand-in for a person on the other end of a telephone conversation. A caller’s voice and movements are recorded at one end, before being transmitted to and mimicked by Telenoid at the other. The idea is to deliver a more complete remote communication experience – even if the reality may be a step too deep into the Uncanny Valley for our liking.
When we talk of the automation of work forces and potential human job losses as a result, you probably picture something a little like YuMi in your mind. Though it’s lacking an identifiably “human” head, its arms are clearly modeled on those of a person. However, YuMi’s limbs come with extra points of articulation and, paired with its incredible dexterity and accuracy, it’s clear to see why it’d be so useful on a production line.
