Our Robots, Ourselves
David Mindell discusses our relationship with robots. How independent are robots at this time, and how autonomous can they be in the future? He explains the complementary relationship between humans and robots used for space exploration, deep-sea research, aeronautics, the military. Conclusion: the real "brain" is human, not robotic, and most robotic functions are human-controlled - for example, in the gathering of deep-sea data and Mars exploration.
His recent book addresses both the value of robots and the actual limits of robotic autonomy at a time when there is increasing controversy about the capabilities of robots.
David A. Mindell, Ph.D., Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics; and Dibner Professor of the History of Engineering and Manufacturing, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
| Our Robots, Ourselves |
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