Robots: True Face of Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence is the researchers' long-lasting dream to make computers/machines to act like human beings. Robots are the direct and explicit "product" to implement human's dream. Scientists make robots "playing" in the real life to replace persons' work. For example, robots can be used to find the victims in the collapsed buildings after earthquakes, or find the victims down inside the mines after collapse, or search for the livings after terrorists' attack. Robots become more and more intelligent. However, the tough job for the AI scientist is still to writing the software/programming to make smart robots. RoboCup US Open is an important annual event for the development field of robots. The example of this year event is that computer-programmed Sony Aibos look for the ball using cameras on their noses, communicate with each other over a wireless network and attempt to score goals, with the exception of the specially-programmed goalkeeping dog.

Magically, American researchers devised a small robot which can cope itself with the spare parts recently. This is the ever big step to prove that the ability to reproduce is not unique to biology. Their long-term plan is to design robots made from hundreds or thousands of identical basic modules. This report gave out a detailed story. Combining this with the biology of self-repair and of replication would make huge changes to the field of robotics. More important, I think, is that scientists have decreased the distance between robots and human to some extent. I.Rotot probably becomes really true in our future life. What will happen then?