The Rise of Robotics
A recent edition of Forbes Magazine (U.S.) has a feature article dedicated to the future of robots. From help around the house help, laboratory assistance, to help for the military, robotics is poised to be the next big technology.
Ryan Calo, director of the American Bar Association Committee on Robotics and Artificial Intelligence estimates that by 2015, robotics will be a 6 billion dollar industry. He believes that rapid growth of the industry will be incentivized by open robotics and has published a white paper explaining why. A look back at the PC industry provides motivation. When the first microcomputer was introduced in 1975, it had no clear purpose. However, thousands of electronics enthusiasts ordered the computer kit, simply to tinker and figure out what they could do with it.
This distributed innovation model not only generates extra creativity but disperses the risk for manufacturers. An open platform also involves 3rd party software developers, a benefit which has been seen in the popularity of mobile phone applications. Finally, open robotics will benefits from hardware modularity, built in a way that allows users to swap out parts.
Of course, this system is not without challenges and Calo also addresses the legal issues of open robotics. His key recommendation is narrow immunity. This means a policy that immunizes manufacturers of open robots for what users do with robots, so that they don’t have a disincentive against keeping them open. It does not allow protection for developing an inherently dangerous robot. He also points out the role that fear of robots may impact the speed of development. For example, even though thousands of hours of autonomous car driving could indicate this technology will reduce the number of fatalities, it could easily take only one robot car fatality to create major-setback inducing robot fear.
What do you think, what are your thoughts on the future of robotics?
Reader Comments
Robotics are here to stay and are already everywhere - its just they are in non-humanoid form. It's when we try to make them a human like substitute, that I think it gets creepy.
Posted by Dorine on August 29, 2011
Add your Comment
[LOGIN FIRST] if you're already a member.fields are required.