archive

June 14, 2013 We face a paradox: Although we lack sufficient reason to believe in the consciousness of others, it would be plainly unreasonable for us to give up this commitment.

Summary

March 9, 2013 Baxter is billed by his makers as a "collaborative manufacturing robot." It can work alongside humans to do simple, repetitive tasks. While some analysts fear that automation like this will kill jobs, Baxter's inventor says such robots could preserve jobs by helping the U.S. remain competitive.

Summary

January 28, 2013 To understand how social rules affect the interactions between humans and machines, scientists re-created a famous psychology experiment using robots. What they found is that if robots are nice to us, we're nice to them. If they're not, we "punish" them.

Transcript

On Morning EditionPlaylist

January 18, 2013 The fact is: we find it easy to attribute mind to what looks and acts like a human being and we find it almost impossible to attribute mind to what does not.

Summary

November 14, 2012 Wearable robots are making walking a reality for paraplegics in rehabilitation centers around the country. But before Iron Man-like suits become mainstream, they'll need to overcome cost and regulatory hurdles.

Summary

October 26, 2012 The Pentagon's research agency, known as DARPA, is challenging scientists to develop robots that can work in man-made disasters like Fukushima. The goal is to develop machines that can be easily operated immediately after disasters strike.

Transcript

On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

June 23, 2012 With DeeChee's help, researchers are studying how babies transition from babbling to forming words.

Transcript

On Weekend Edition SaturdayPlaylist

June 18, 2012 A Silicon Valley company hopes to make a Jetsons-style robot a reality in your home. But the personal robotics industry has a few hurdles to jump before you can have your own robotic maid.

Transcript

On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

May 16, 2012 Farm robots are here, not just in Star Wars. Some dairies already use milking machines that clean udders and monitor cow health, plus do the milking, and a fully automated tractor is coming out this fall.

Summary

April 30, 2012 There were robots everywhere at the USA Science and Engineering Festival in Washington this past weekend. Robots shot baskets. There was a wheeled R2-D2 robot at the CIA's booth. And then there were surgical robots that let future doctors — and patients — try their hand at tasks requiring pinpoint accuracy.

Summary

April 24, 2012 Between the techno-utopia of AI singularities of and apocalyptic environmental collapse there just might exist the relative equilibrium of "hackstability."

Summary

April 10, 2012 Wired reports that "sushi bots" were among the eye-catching products at the World Food and Beverage Great Expo, which just wrapped up in Tokyo.

Summary

February 26, 2012 Researchers at Harvard have come up with a novel manufacturing process for building robotic bees, finding inspiration from the worlds of pop-up books and origami. They hope that within two years their bees will be flying on their own, perhaps in swarms.

Summary

February 17, 2012 A fleet of Google's robotic cars has been tested more than 200,000 miles over highways and city streets. And Nevada has finalized rules that give special driving permits to the self-driving cars.

Transcript

On Morning EditionPlaylist

January 17, 2012 Now we have taken another step into making our machine fantasies a reality. It is, literally, impossible to know how things will turn out. But we should at least be cognizant of the corners we turn.

Summary