Merging of Man and Robot
Seapower is the official magazine of the Navy League but under the direction of Richard Barnard, Peter Atkinson, and Rick Burgess in recent years it has also emerged as a great source of future tech news and information.
The May issue of Seapower is no exception. Among features on micro air vehicles and new uses for fighter targeting pods is a cover story about the merging of man and robot to fight the wars of the not-so-distant future.
In the story, titled "New Era," Seapower correspondent Roxana Tiron writes about how "scientists foresee the merger of man and machine capabilities, enabling creation of robots to fight side-by-side with humans." She goes on to suggest that "advances in biomimetrics will help scientists imitate organic life, fostering machine intelligence approaching human speed by 2040."
"Robots will be used routinely in the most dangerous missions," said Stephen DeAntonio, business development director at Carnegie Mellon University's National Robotics Engineering Center. "They will be fully autonomous with sophisticated behaviors and will be part of full-fledged networks where the is credible information sharing among ground robots, air vehicles and humans."
The article also mentions the notion that fast-acting robots could take over when odds favor enemy forces.
Can't you just see the headlines circa 2040? "General charged with waiting too long to commit robots," or "Soldiers complain that robots stole taste of victory."
(Update, 1200 EDT): And of course no Robot/Human article would be complete without running the "I Robot" scenario to ground.
"It is imperative for robots to become part of the command structure," said Thomas McKenna, director of ONR's Sciences Division. "Why should be build expensive wild beasts?"
Can you say "Robo Berzerker"? Sounds kind of cool, actually.
Check out the entire May issue of Seapower here.
(Photo: "Robolobster," developed by Northwestern's Marine Science Center for naval reconnaissance and surveillance, mine detection, and search and rescue.)
-- Ward
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"You took your cats to be neutered, didn't you?
If you look at any sort of tech advances in modern history, they advance very quickly right up until they get "good enough", and then they stop. Look at aviation, space exploration, nuclear power, automobiles, guns, or anything else. Major advances followed by a long period of stagnation.
Computer advances are driven by the market, which is fueled by nerds who want faster and faster video games. Eventually, the market support won't be there - the systems will be fast enough, and once that realization sinks in, computer research will trail off. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the PS3. ;)
Posted by: Brian at May 11, 2007 03:46 PM"
This is quite different from simple "video games"
and weapons, it is advancing human abilities which could be next to endless.
go here and read the article
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/07/15/bio.tech/index.html?eref=rss_tech_
if things like those scientists predict happen it will happen fast, and it will start with the children, what kid doesn't want to be able to sprint at top speed for 15 minutes strait? or hold your breath under water for hours... im 14, that sounds cool as hell, but its wrong. Eventually you would say "Well why not? I think ill get a new arm, I've always wanted to be superstrong" etc etc.... For many many understandable moral issues and also because it would change human life, first it might be good but as the computers and nano tech get smarter and are programed to do more things and scientists develope AI that have personalitys "Just to make them seem a little bit more friendly or easier to work with" they'll say....
http://www.positivefuturist.com/archive/25.html
people like the guy on posititve futurist are insane, a utopian society? B.S.
thats crazy, once they take over all of the chores that give life meaning or build character in a child you can imagine the population.
As for uploading your minds into another non-biological entity? i just cannot express how screwed up that is. it goes against everything that now seems morally right (at least to me).
People may not agree with it but it will happen gradually at first
example
"Hey you seen those new phone implants?"
"Ya they look awsome, but are kind of expensive..."
3 months later (tech improves and cost go down)
"Hey I just got a phone implant!!"
"Cool so did I!"
it may not be for 35 or 45 years before tech gets advanced enough to worry about but what about in the next 20 years? What happens to sports? Art? Music?
the next 45, religion, moral values, humans? what about lifespans?
We have those for a reason.
Some things might be ok to do and advance but some things.... Some things are not ok to do.
Have a nice life.
Posted by: ... at July 19, 2008 08:36 PM