Machines are often filling in for our smarts, not just for our brawn — and this trend is likely to grow.
Although last week’s labor market report showed modest job growth, employment opportunities remain stubbornly low in the United States, giving new prominence to the old notion that automation throws people out of work.
Continue reading… “Is automation alone killing our jobs?”
U.N. will begin to lay the groundwork for the role robots will play in war.
People are promised their quality of life will improve with the advances of technology, and what could be a better example of that than sending robots instead of humans into dangerous situations? Robots can help conduct research in deep oceans and harsh climates, or deliver food and medical supplies to disaster areas. (Video)
Continue reading… “Controversy brews over use of autonomous killer robots in war”
Toro-bots
No matter how pretty your garden may be it only gets that way because of all of the hard work you put into it. But, in the future gardens might not need your help at all, reordering themselves at a robotic whim. (Video)
Continue reading… “Toro-bots: Walking robotic lamps reorganize garden landscapes”
One day robots will replace humans in certain jobs.
Eric Schmidt, Google chairman, thinks robots have their work cut out for them if they want to replace people. “There’s something about humans that technologists always forget,” he said. “Humans are creative and unpredictable.”
Continue reading… “9 robots that are actually stealing our jobs”
Robots have been working in factories for decades.
Ray Kurzweil predicted a new era of thinking machines that will meet and then exceed human intelligence when he published The Age Of Spiritual Machines in 1999. The idea seemed outlandish at the time, but not so much anymore.
Continue reading… “Why the future of technology is all too human”
The UAE is looking to use drones to deliver government documents.
Drone delivery could soon become a reality in the United Arab Emirates. The UAE government announced it is developing a plan to use drones to deliver “official documents and packages,” stuff like government IDs and drivers licenses.
Continue reading… “Delivery drones that can scan your eyes coming soon to the UAE”
Robot Land
Since 2007, South Korea has been planning a robot-centric theme park. “Robot Land” is back on track after missing its initial opening date of 2012. Now slated for a 2015 opening, this place won’t be like any other theme park on Earth. (Pics)
Continue reading… “‘Robot Land’ – South Korea’s robot theme park to open in 2015”
The U.S. Army has recently declared that it is cutting troop levels. Over the next sixteen years, each and every brigade in the Army will see its soldier count drop from 4,000 to 3,000, with robots making up the loss in firepower. That’s according to General Robert Cone, who said robot soldier levels would reach their new peak between 2030 and 2040 during an Army Aviation symposium last week.
Continue reading… “By 2030 U.S. Army will replace 25% of soldiers with robots”
Drones that can fly into some of the most dangerous crime scenes and disaster zones are coming to the aid of police officers and other first responders who put themselves in harm’s way. (Videos)
Continue reading… “Drones could be the next frontier in emergency response”
Future Robot’s Furo at CES 2014
One of the many robots featured at CES 2014 is Future Robot’s FURo-S that is a service robot with a simulated human face for a head. Carrying a screen, the robot is designed with advertising or shopping in mind, and reacts to people through its facial, gesture and voice recognition all with an emoting face.
Continue reading… “Future Robot’s Furo is an intelligent and interactive robot”
Futurist Thomas Frey: 2013 has been a year of considerable change for both me and the rest of our team at the DaVinci Institute. While most of what you see here on Futurist Speaker is about my research, thinking, and philosophy on the future, I thought this might be a good time to step back and fill you in on the people behind everything you’re reading.
Continue reading… “Top 13 ‘Futurist Speaker’ Columns in 2013”
WildCat
Google has purchased Boston Dynamics, the lab of scientists behind some of the most awesomely scary robots you have ever seen. The deal gave Google an army of jaw-droppingly capable robots that can walk, run, and climb through seemingly any terrain. Let’s meet the team. (Videos)
Continue reading… “Google’s new robot army”
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