Living with Robots: What Every Anxious Human Needs to Know

Computer science professors Aylett (Robots) and Vargas aim to ease readers’ anxieties about robots taking over the world in this thorough survey. They argue that the best way to cut through fear is to understand what the machines “really are.” To that end, they break down the technology, which is often based on human or animal anatomy: robots sport cameras, microphones, and even, in some cases, “an electronic nose.” While robots still can’t process information as people do, they write, they can prove incredibly useful if they’re “tailored” to a specific niche, citing research showing patients with dementia, for example, benefit from interacting with pet-like machines. Aylett and Vargas also take politicians to task for applying AI to “killer robots” and not focusing enough on addressing the realities of what robots mean for a modern workforce: “If automation raises productivity, why does this not result in a four-day working week rather than growing income inequality and casualization of employment?” While occasional textbookish explanations slow things down, the authors cover an impressive amount of ground and approach the implications of advanced technology with nuance. Well-researched, this survey makes for an in-depth review of the present state of robotics. (Sept.)