When Will Robo Cop Make An Appearance

[Robert Zwilling]

A police dog was replaced by a robot dog in a dangerous situation and was shot multiple times. The other cop robot type is typically used for bomb disposal, it's usually a mobile arm on a set of wheels. The dog robot opened a door and did a from floor to floor search. What design would a humanoid type robot have to be to be able to stay on it's feet at all times under unfavorable circumstances. Perhaps 3 legs or a tail for balance, maybe a flywheel low to the ground to keep it upright.

 

[Swank]

What is the purpose of human shaped robots at all?

Humans are shaped the way we are for long range running. Four legged shapes are more stable and faster, while still being able to stand up as needed. Other than serving as proxies for people in social settings, there is no real reason for androids.

 

[Robert Zwilling]

Perhaps some will create robot centaurs that look like centaurs.

 

[mosaix]

What is the purpose of human shaped robots at all?

Humans are shaped the way we are for long range running. Four legged shapes are more stable and faster, while still being able to stand up as needed. Other than serving as proxies for people in social settings, there is no real reason for androids.

To operate in the same environment that a human has to - fit through doors, avoid obstacles etc, maybe use the same tools.

 

[Swank]

To operate in the same environment that a human has to - fit through doors, avoid obstacles etc, maybe use the same tools.

But a dog shape can do that, unless we believe that sitting in a chair is an essential function.

 

[Dave]

The robotic surgeons copy what actual surgeons do, so they are essentially two hands and a camera. I agree that the entire body of a surgeon is not required, and it might be better to have three of four hands and several cameras (but that would represent a team of surgeons). I can see many other tasks where two hands and a camera would also be useful; to operate tools designed for humans, but there is no need for it to look like a human unless it needs to provide a comforting impression (and when under anaesthetic that isn't a concern, and it wouldn't be a concern in any of the other tasks I can think of either.) It might be if the Android was acting as a teacher, carer, therapist, but we'd need true AI before those would be better than real humans.

 

[Pyan]

Introducing the Therminator - no, really...

 

[Vladd67]

The robotic surgeons copy what actual surgeons do, so they are essentially two hands and a camera. I agree that the entire body of a surgeon is not required, and it might be better to have three of four hands and several cameras (but that would represent a team of surgeons). I can see many other tasks where two hands and a camera would also be useful; to operate tools designed for humans, but there is no need for it to look like a human unless it needs to provide a comforting impression (and when under anaesthetic that isn't a concern, and it wouldn't be a concern in any of the other tasks I can think of either.) It might be if the Android was acting as a teacher, carer, therapist, but we'd need true AI before those would be better than real humans.