Fear Not Humans - We're Here to Help!

We recently purchased an automated vacuum cleaner that's been engineered to map our house's entire floor plan and create the most efficient path for cleaning. The device also returns to its base station periodically to dump the collection tank and recharge the battery. Initially, this is a tedious process of trial and error in which our robot (my wife named it Goodyear) bumps into walls, furniture legs, and everything else in the ongoing quest to understand the new universe in which it exists; namely, our house.

Watching the various iterations of Goodyear as its onboard computer and algorithm develop based on input from each experience has become unexpectadly entertaining and each time its efficiency improves. Its precision while navigating small clearances can be quite impressive and as Goodyear’s cleaning ability improves, so does my perception of it as something more than a round disc containing simple mechanical parts controlled by computer chips. The more it evolves, the less it seems like a machine. Nowhere near the level of a pet, but more than a calculator.

These types of devices will inevitably continue to improve exponentially in the coming years and will no doubt eventually provide a wide array of services for humans and businesses, including serving as companions. The psychological ramifications of growing emotionally close to synthetic devices will open some fascinating doors. Hopefully, this technological inflection point results in innovations that positively affect humanity, and the potential negative consequences are understood and mitigated…..

Update – Robot Rebellion – It’s Saturday afternoon and we’re sipping cocktails. Goodyear just turned itself on and headed directly to where we’re sitting. Nothing was scheduled. Glitch? Russian hack? Does it feel neglected? Guess we can always run outside and let it have the house…