Back in the day, the word "robot" conjured up the image of a metal person. Then, over the past couple of decades, non-human-looking robotic devices have become prevalent, from manufacturing to vacuum cleaners. Now, robots that seem human are back in the limelight. Not only have technological advances made humanoid robots more of a reality, but they’ve also permeated popular culture. Why are we so fascinated with robots that are like us—and how close are they to being human?
Panelists:
Fernando Nascimento, assistant professor of digital and computational studies, Bowdoin College
Gabriel Margolis, PhD student, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), MIT
VIP caller:
Nicholas Giudice, professor, University of Maine; chief research scientist, VEMI Lab
Humanoid Robots
Maine Public
