In this blog post, we will take a look at how robots that look like humans have actually developed and consider whether we are ready to coexist with them.
The movie “The 200th Anniversary Man.” I remember watching this movie on cable TV channels that specialized in showing movies when I was young. Usually, I don’t watch a movie again because I’m tired of it, but strangely, this movie was a movie that made me feel moved even after watching it several times. When I think about the reason now, I think it was because my young heart was moved by the tearful efforts of a robot trying to become human. The robot Andrew is actually made to look almost exactly like a human, and he becomes a real “human” through a process that is difficult to imagine with current technology.
In addition, Andrew’s story raises profound philosophical questions about what “human” is and how far the boundaries between humans and robots can be extended. Andrew’s journey to become a human goes beyond simply showing the development of technology and leads to thinking about what it means to be human. Questions like “What is a human being really like, and what does a robot need to have human characteristics?” are naturally raised through Andrew’s journey. The robot in the movie desperately trying to be recognized as a real human being feels like a journey to find one’s true self.
So, is it really possible for a robot to become human? Also, what kind of robots have been created that resemble humans around us? In this article, we will discuss robots that resemble humans that coexist with humans in human society based on movies.
First of all, before discussing robots that resemble humans, it is necessary to define what a “robot” is. In the dictionary, a robot is a mechanical device that can automatically perform human actions or tasks. In addition, Dr. McClellan defined a robot in 1987 as 1) a device that can move on its own, and 2) The definition of the robot includes 1) the sophistication of work performance that can handle given tasks meticulously, 2) the portability that can lift and carry other objects, 3) the artificial intelligence based on data and programs, 4) the tools with sensory capabilities using video/audio sensors and tentacles.
So, what do the robots that are currently around us look like and what do they do? The “humanoid robots” that humans have created can be divided into two categories. One is a robot that resembles the appearance of a human, and the other is a robot that resembles the abilities of a human. First of all, a robot that resembles the appearance of a human, or a humanoid, is the main character Andrew in the movie “ Bicentennial Man.” According to the movie, Andrew is a robot that has been designed to resemble a human in both its skeleton and appearance. Such robots are also being developed in real human society.
Robots that already walk upright like humans, as well as robots that can speak and help humans, and even robots that can express emotions at a very basic level have appeared. At this rate of technological development, scholars predict that by around 2025, robots will have the level of emotion that a seven-year-old human can express, and that robots will have intelligence that is almost similar to or even more advanced than that of humans.
Another type of robot is a robot that resembles human abilities. At first glance, the phrase “resembles human abilities” may not make much sense, but robots that clean instead of humans, transport robots that carry loads instead of humans, or combat robots that perform combat missions instead of humans during war can all be said to be robots that resemble human abilities.
In fact, in the history of robot development, robots that resemble human abilities have started to develop first, rather than robots that resemble human appearance. However, robots that resemble human abilities may not resemble their appearance, so they may be perceived as less threatening to humans. As robots become more human-like in appearance, humans sometimes feel life in robots and at the same time worry about the distance between them.
As robots that resemble humans become more realistic, there is also a lively debate on whether they will be socially and ethically accepted. This is not just a matter of technological development, but also requires reflection on the morality, responsibility, and dignity of humans and the role of artificial intelligence and robots.
