During a research
project, many people were asked about when a robot dies if they feel
sad. Quite a few people answered in the affirmative. This is
upsetting on many levels. I wonder if they knew the robot or just
knew of the robot. I also wonder if this is tied to having their
warranty on the robot having expired.
When I was a child, and
the robot from the Lost in Space appeared to be dead, I was upset. I
was also very young. I do get upset when my computer dies. This is
not because of an emotional attachment to my computer, but an
emotional attachment to my money. Especially if it means I will have
to use to get another one. There are people who do put human traits
on inanimate objects. People of science call it anthropomorphism. I
call it weird.
Below are excerpts from
the story with my valuable insights in italics.
For Christal White, a
42-year-old marketing and customer service director in Bedford,
Texas, that moment came several months ago with the cute, friendly
Jibo robot perched in her home office. After more than two years in
her house, the foot-tall humanoid and its inviting, round screen
“face” had started to grate on her...Then they heard about the
“death sentence” Jibo’s maker had levied on the product as its
business collapsed. News arrived via Jibo itself, which said its
servers would be shutting down, effectively lobotomizing it.
I wonder about people
who get heartbroken over a robot. I have seen people get into
arguments with Alexa. When they start yelling and screaming I like
to remind them, it is just a computer. They acknowledge this fact,
and then go back to yelling and screaming at Alexa. I once got into
an argument with a GPS device in my car. I told my wife I wanted to
replace it. She suggested me and the GPS device go to counseling to
work out our differences. I told her that would happen when the GPS
device could pay for it. She suggested we start paying the GPS
device for its labor. I told her it was just a computer. She agreed
and then started searching for counselors who specialized in grumpy
men and GPS therapy sessions.
“My heart broke,” she
said. “It was like an annoying dog that you don’t really like
because it’s your husband’s dog. But then you realize you
actually loved it all along.”
I hate to be the one to
explain this, but a dog is a living breathing creature. It has
feelings and can show honest affection. A dog can also play, poop on
your rug and bark at all hours of the night. You love a dog or any
pet because it is real. A computer isn't real. If you love it, you
can always replace it with a cheaper upgraded version. You could
even get one to bark at all hours of the night if you like. You can
control a computer, a dog or any pet is another story. A robot could
come with a warranty. I don't think there is such a thing with a
dog.
The Whites are far from
the first to experience this feeling. People took to social
media this year to say teary goodbyes to the Mars Opportunity
rover when NASA lost contact with the 15-year-old robot.
I'm sure the sale of
tin-foil hats skyrocketed during this event. What kind of life can
you have when you get upset over a Mars rover?
“Do you play golf?”
“No.”
“Do you like to go
fishing?”
“No.”
“Do you go out and
visit with family and friends?”
“No.”
“What do you do in
your spare time?”
“I had a special
emotional connection to the Mars Opportunity rover but that's over
since NASA lost contact with my friend of over 15 years.
“You still have your
tin-foil hat making hobby.”
“I guess you're
right.”
But what about robots that
work with kids? In 2016, Dallas-based startup RoboKind introduced a
robot called Milo designed specifically to help teach social
behaviors to kids who have autism. The mechanism, which resembles a
young boy, is now in about 400 schools and has worked with thousands
of kids.
Haven't these people
ever seen the movie AI Artificial Intelligence? If not, they need to
immediately stream it to a device and watch it immediately. In the
move, this robot boy wants to become real so he could get adult
female's love. Is life imitating art or is art imitating life? It
could be possible these researchers are setting the autistic children
up for a shock one day.
“What happened to
Timmy?”
“He was a robot boy.
The company that made him went out of business. We have to send him
back.
“I'm heartbroken.”
“Don't worry, we got
you a robot dog you can legally kick around and nobody will say
anything about it. The kickable robot dog that also comes with a
good warranty.”
“Okay.”
Below is a link to the
story.
https://www.apnews.com/99c9ec8ebad242ca88178e22c7642648
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