ROBOTS!

ROBOT

"A machine that does mechanical, routine tasks
on command."

WHY WE BUILD ROBOTS

• Robots perform repetitive or dangerous tasks.
• Robots can fit in places we can't
• Robots can operate in extreme environments like space or the bottom of the sea.

ROBOT EXAMPLES

Manufacturing / welding

ROBOT EXAMPLES

Drones

ROBOT EXAMPLES

Service / cleaning

ROBOT EXAMPLES

Exploration / probes

PROGRAMMING

Humans write a set of instructions which tell
a robot or a computer what to do. 

Also called "writing code"

LEARNING HOW TO PROGRAM

First Lego League

AUTOMATION

We can program computers or machines to do repetitive tasks without human intervention.

• Factory/industrial work
• Scraping data from websites
• Self-driving cars
• Solving cryptograms and puzzles

COMPLAINTS ABOUT ROBOTS

• Robots are blamed for rising unemployment as they replace human workers.
• The use of robots (drones) in military combat raises ethical concerns

ANDROID

"A robot in the shape of a person"

FICTIONAL ANDROIDS

C-3PO in 'Star Wars'

FICTIONAL ANDROIDS

Lt. Cmdr. Data in 'Star Trek'

FICTIONAL ANDROIDS

T-1000 in 'The Terminator'

CYBORG

"A human whose physical abilities are enhanced by (or dependent on) mechanical elements"

FICTIONAL CYBORGS

Darth Vader has robotic limbs, needs a suit

FICTIONAL CYBORGS

'The Borg' in Star Trek

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

A computer program which becomes 'self-aware'
— that is, aware of its own existence —
and is capable of thinking like a human.

FICTIONAL COMPUTERS

HAL 9000 in '2001: A Space Odyssey'

FICTIONAL COMPUTERS

Skynet in 'The Terminator'

REAL COMPUTERS Vs. HUMANS

Deep Blue

REAL COMPUTERS Vs. HUMANS

Watson