The robotics era: Sophia, Geminoid F or Katia “kisses”

One of the moments with more impact of the Websummit was the presentation of Sophia the Robot. Sophia was presented as an intelligent, person-alike robot, able to interact at a conversational level. She/it would answer questions, understand jokes, smile and even throw a joke back. She/it made an argument about own capacity and the right of robots in a future society as equal members.

We can believe it or not.

It could just be a doll with a voice tape programmed to speak at a certain moment. It didn’t look like she/it would answer a random elevator sentence like “what a rainy day!”. In fact, the 2 presenters were speaking about her/it for a while, without a move, a word or a sentence from her/it.

Believing or not, robots are everywhere while humanoid robots are also spreading. A quick google search lead me to Geminoid F. A robot “girl” hoping to become a “communication media for everyday life” (vulgaris girlfriend).

She is friendly, kind, always smiling and only talks when she is asked a question by her “partner” (man or woman). Ishiguro (the creator) said, “She’d make a great wife for anybody. Many Japanese parents are buying them for their sons.” Really?  Whereas you are a techno-optimistic or a techno-pessimist, robots like this will not bring much progress to society! Not even its creators are generating a new level for female competition, they also want to give these new “women” the role of a wife in the middle ages, throwing away a “few” achievements of the last centuries.

Dear robot geeks, the world is overpopulated, there is no need to make artificial people. Need more people? Make babies: they come with all the human features plus some surprising add ons. Need more robots? Sure! We do need more robots. We need robots that are able to do things that humans cannot do, such as: experimenting living in Mars, deliver nutrients and medicines inside body cells, collect data in the inner of the earth and predict earthquakes, …

Still, if you really need a sweet doll I am sure you can find one in the toy corridor. I suggest Katy “beiijinhos” (kisses), from Concentra, she kisses on face approach and says I love you.