What are robots?

Robots are typically defined as machines that can perform complex series of actions automatically. On top of that, most modern robots can understand and react to their environment. Some can even try different ways of completing their tasks – a quality made possible by the rise of cognitive computing, which is modelled after the way a human brain learns.

For example, autonomous home vacuum cleaners, fitted with sensors to detect dirt, can navigate around obstacles like furniture, without needing to “know” the home layout first. Some can even adapt their cleaning to the level of grime present; they will move over a particularly dirty spot multiple times, just like you would clean a stubborn stain by rubbing it repetitively.

That’s a big advance from earlier generations of robots. Then mostly confined to factories, those were programmed to focus on performing specific tasks on the assembly line with speed and accuracy. Anyone standing in their way would risk being hit with the machines’ full force.

Nowadays, as they move out of factories into our offices and homes, robots are designed to be accessible, collaborative, even sociable. (See “The Evolution of Robots” timeline.)

Baxter, a two-armed industrial robot covered in soft material, is already working alongside humans in small manufacturing firms in the United States. It does the smaller-scale but repetitive work that does not warrant a full-scale industrial robot, which tends to cost four times more and is relatively complex to operate.

Instead of programming instructions into Baxter, any factory worker can teach it to perform a variety of repetitive tasks simply by grabbing and guiding its arms. This means that Baxter has the versatility to be moved around, helping workers with different jobs such as picking, sorting or packing objects.

Baxter’s inventors even gave it “eyes” so it can communicate with its human co-workers – conveying emotions such as confusion, when it has trouble with a task, or surprise, when it senses a human in its way.

With significant progress in robotics sparked by technological advancements – improvements in silicon chips, sensors and computation – and greater investments, robots like Baxter could become commonplace in our lives.

Bots to boost productivity

In our daily lives

Meanwhile, catching an extra 20 minutes of sleep while your car drives you to work is no longer just sci-fi fantasy.

While Google headlines the self-driving vehicle movement worldwide with its autonomous cars, local versions have been created by the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART).

These driverless buggies will go on trial in the Jurong Lake District this year. Free rides will be offered to get commuters used to the idea of self-driving vehicles. The eventual aim is to use these bots to ferry commuters from nearby train stations to the office buildings in the area.

These self-driving vehicles could take a little getting used to. At a demonstration at the Science Centre Singapore in July this year, some passengers gasped as the NUS-SMART buggy started moving. They marvelled at how its steering wheel turned as though controlled by invisible hands; bystanders jumped in front of it to test its sensors. Safe to say, nobody was hurt, with the buggy stopping quickly whenever it detected obstacles in its path.

Social robots – designed to be companions rather than serfs – are becoming reality too.

Jibo, now available for US$499 (S$619), recognises your voice and helps with daily tasks such as answering phone calls, taking photographs or controlling home appliances. It can even read bedtime stories to your child. Designed to be part of the family, the home robot swivels its head to pay attention to whoever is speaking, just as a human would.

What’s next?

A*STAR’s Institute for Infocomm Research (I²R) revealed that it is in talks with several government agencies to introduce robots to boost productivity.

Dr Yau Wei Yun, Head of I²R’s Robotics Programme, said they are exploring robots that could help librarians with time-consuming tasks such as maintaining the order of books on the shelves.

“The ultimate goal of our R&D effort is to achieve economic impact for Singapore,” Dr Yau told Challenge. A*STAR has also created several social robots such as OLIVIA, a mobile “receptionist” robot that can respond appropriately to moods such as happiness, sadness, or excitement when it greets a visitor and answers general questions. The sleek 1.6m robot can even turn its head to face the person speaking to it, and gestures with its arms while speaking.

To nurture the next generation of robotics engineers, the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore and Singapore Polytechnic launched a Robotics & Maker Academy for 30 primary and secondary schools in July. Through hands-on activities such as workshops and competitions over the next three years, students will learn to code and create robots.

Are bots our frenemies?

While many are optimistic about the positive changes that robots can bring, there are those who have reasonably highlighted the potential pitfalls of robots pervading our world.

As history has shown, unemployment spikes whenever new technology is introduced to improve efficiency. Just look at how machines displaced workers from farms and factories during the Industrial Revolution.

Researchers from the University of Oxford predict that nearly half of the jobs in America today, including telemarketers, insurance underwriters and library technicians, could be replaced by machines in the next 20 years. For instance, self-driving vehicles could render taxi and bus drivers obsolete.

In this scenario, the government has a responsibility to help those who lose their jobs, said sociologist Assistant Professor Sulfikar Amir, who teaches the Science, Technology and Society course at Nanyang Technological University. One way is to assist these workers to re-skill and stay relevant. Schools could also prepare Singaporeans for the future by developing more “human skills” that involve creativity and hospitality.

The Ministry of Manpower’s Risk Management and Futures team is already looking into the trend of robots and automation, including its potential costs and benefits, said Senior Assistant Director Lim Tze Min.

“I’m personally optimistic about robots,” said Mr Lim, “but there’re also risks from increased automation. These include potential workplace safety and health risks when robots work alongside humans, as well as the possibility that the skills workers have today could become less relevant.

“Also, people may not take well to being served by robots – so you can increase productivity but lose your customers.”

Assistant Professor Sulfikar also highlighted issues that could arise from abuse of robotic technology. One example he raised was privacy concerns that stem from using drones, a broad category of unmanned flying vehicles.

“There should be laws that regulate the use of this kind of technology that can create problems in our society [and] rules to ensure that it would not be abused,” he said.

Although the technology for drones has been around for decades, and these small, unmanned aircraft have been rising in popularity over the past few years, regulators are still struggling to catch up. In the US, the Federal Aviation Administration is under pressure to draw up regulations for the certification and operation of civilian drones by 2015.

As of now, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore is looking into regulating drones here. But beyond that, which agency will regulate the many other kinds of robots that are already out there?

Embracing your new buddy

Love ’em or hate ’em, robots look set to be the new reality. As machines with increasing intelligence and capabilities continue to permeate our lives, we should consider our mindsets towards them. Would you have qualms about being served by robot receptionists? What about having robots caring for your baby or elderly parents?

Just as interacting with a portable rectangular device would have been unthinkable a few decades ago, what we think is fantasy could become reality in the future. Who knows, robots could just be our new best friends.