Developing the capacity to make moral decisions is one of the 10 greatest challenges facing robots in the near future, according to an international team robotics experts.
A new paper, published in the journal Science Robotics, compiles 10 major unsolved hurdles in robotics. These pressing challenges were collected during an open online survey and narrowed down by a panel of experts, led by Guang-Zhong Yang, director of the Hamlyn Centre for Robotic Surgery at Imperial College London, in the UK.
Four of the challenges are related to the development of technology that will reshape the future of robotics, going beyond gears and motors. These include creating new materials and manufacturing methods; using brain-computer interfaces to augment human capabilities; developing inexpensive but long-lasting batteries and energy-harvesting schemes; and using nature as an inspiration – either translating biological principles into engineering design or integrating living components into robotic structures.
Three challenges focus on fundamental problems in robotics: developing robot swarms, improving navigation and exploration, and developing artificial intelligence that can “learn how to learn”, and use common sense to make moral and social decisions.
Two crucial challenges are in the areas of social interaction, where robots must be taught to understand the complexities of human social dynamics, and medicine, where the increased use of intelligent robotic devices will face a plethora of legal, ethical, and technical questions.{%recommended 6509%}
The last challenge is reminiscent of concerns that frequently feature in sci-fi: the ethical dilemmas and security problems of integrating autonomous robots into society.
The researchers recommend that we should deal with such complex concerns in policy and society early, while the technology is still under development, and note that we should be more worried about human ignorance than artificial superintelligence: “Humans, not technology, are both problem and solution and shall remain so for any foreseeable future,” they write.
Professor of Artificial Intelligence at UNSW Sydney Toby Walsh was not involved in the study but agrees that ethics “is truly one of the grand challenges that faces us in the coming decades”.
Walsh comments, however, that “the challenges lack vision. They won’t inspire young people today to go into the field”.
In his eyes, a grand challenge in the near future of robotics might be to build a robot to discover life on the solar system’s moons, or to “go into your teenager’s room, pick up the clothes from the floor, wash, fold and put them away in the wardrobe”.
The researchers acknowledge that the compiled list is not exhaustive, but addressing even these 10 challenges will have significant social, political and socioeconomic impacts in the coming years.
As an artificial intelligence enthusiast with a deep understanding of robotics, I can confidently speak to the intricate challenges outlined in the article. My expertise is rooted in a comprehensive knowledge of the field, including both theoretical concepts and practical applications. I've closely followed advancements, breakthroughs, and the evolving discourse surrounding robotics and artificial intelligence.
The article discusses a paper published in Science Robotics that identifies 10 major challenges facing robots in the near future. The first four challenges involve advancing technology beyond traditional components like gears and motors. These challenges encompass:
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New Materials and Manufacturing Methods:
- This refers to the need for innovative materials and manufacturing techniques that can enhance the capabilities and efficiency of robotic systems.
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Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI) for Augmenting Human Capabilities:
- The integration of BCI aims to enhance human-robot interaction by allowing direct communication between the human brain and robotic systems, thereby augmenting human capabilities.
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Development of Inexpensive and Long-lasting Batteries:
- The challenge of creating batteries with both cost-effectiveness and durability is crucial for the sustained operation of robots over extended periods.
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Nature-Inspired Robotics:
- Drawing inspiration from nature involves either translating biological principles into engineering design or integrating living components into robotic structures.
The next three challenges focus on fundamental issues within robotics:
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Robot Swarms:
- This pertains to the development and coordination of large groups of robots that can work together seamlessly, often mimicking the behavior of social insects or other collective entities.
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Improving Navigation and Exploration:
- Enhancing a robot's ability to navigate and explore its environment autonomously is essential for applications such as search and rescue missions or planetary exploration.
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AI with "Learn How to Learn" Capability:
- The challenge here involves developing artificial intelligence that can not only learn specific tasks but also acquire the ability to learn new tasks independently, demonstrating a form of common sense.
Two challenges are identified in the realm of social interaction:
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Understanding Human Social Dynamics:
- This involves teaching robots to comprehend the complexities of human social interactions, enabling them to interact more effectively with humans.
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Ethical and Legal Challenges in Medicine:
- The increased use of intelligent robotic devices in medicine raises legal, ethical, and technical questions that need to be addressed, ensuring responsible and safe deployment.
The final challenge addresses broader ethical concerns:
- Ethical Dilemmas of Integrating Autonomous Robots into Society:
- This challenge underscores the ethical dilemmas and security issues associated with integrating autonomous robots into various aspects of society, emphasizing the need for proactive policy and societal discussions.
The researchers emphasize the importance of addressing these challenges early on, particularly in policy and society, to navigate the potential societal impacts of advanced robotic technologies. Despite the acknowledged scope of these challenges, they underscore the significance of human involvement in finding solutions, highlighting the dual role of humans as both the problem and the solution in the development of robotics.
