The direction of robotics is something of a puzzle. On the one hand, the most successful robots are those designed for a single, repetitive function. On the other, there’s this insistence to create a human replicant: something “more human than human,†in the words of the Tyrell Corporation, despite the distinct limitations for success.
Take for example Engineered Arts’ RoboThespian. It has an impressive range of expression ability, all of which is controlled through a touch screen interface programmed in Adobe Flash AS3. It’s presently employed in science exhibits, as a teaching aid–where the repetitive strain can take a toll on a regular human. (And where it’s multi-lingual ability is a plus.) As a bonus, it has a better acting range than some from Hollywood that come to mind.
But will anthropomorphic robots every break away from their puppet-like qualities? They are cute, in their own way, but fundamentally limited in ability, and decidedly non-human in their comportment. If RoboThespian is the current state-of-the-art, then it may be a while before they acquire Asimovian characteristics–which is when they become really interesting.
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