One of the things that up to now has held back robots is the ability to have a pressure sensitive "skin" which feels and moves more naturally. A team of Tokyo University researchers has revealed a break through in material science; a rubber material that conducts electricity which would potentially allow for the development of robotic "skin." This new material is described:
"Another possible use being discussed is in robot development. The material would allow for robots to be much more responsive and life-like because their entire surface could have sensors since the electrical power source is everywhere. The day when robots match humans is even closer, as this material could be the "skin" of the robot human since it can be maneuvered to do virtually everything our skin does when it reacts with our surroundings. It seems quite surreal and perhaps scary, but we are closer to an "I, Robot" type world than some of us think."
Perhaps a nearer term application of this new material science is the development of a functional artificial eye according to researchers. I believe in the foreseeable future that many motor tasks which create significant obstacles for individuals with disabilities can and will be remediated with the use of robots or robotic components, if not Rosie from the Jetsons.
I remember Masamune Shirow mentioning something similar this as how many of the muscles and skin represents the sensation of touch with the cyborgs of Ghost in the Shell, I think it was somewhere in issue 1 or two... the only difference is that he said they also implemented fibre optics as well. This is the kinda stuff I always find cool, from sci-fi to normal sci. Great post!
Posted by: t9999clint | August 14, 2008 at 12:44 AM
Breakthroughs in materials science and increases in miniature processing power will allow for so many advancements in coming years, for the aged, individuals with disabilities, and even the average citizen. If you compare where we were (in a wide sense) one hundred years ago, and then consider the rate of increase in technological advancement as well as the development of whole new technologies (nano-tech), it's quite obvious that people one hundred years from now may actually consider us quite archaic in many ways. I'm a history major (who became a disability claims examiner, go figure), but I've always shied away from romanticizing the past. Despite all the bad, we currently live in the best time ever, and, hopefully, the future will be even better.
Posted by: Tim Moore | August 19, 2008 at 09:17 AM
Great post! I was looking forward and didn’t expect to see it so soon! Again, great, sound advice. Looking forward to reading more under those new tabs you added!
Posted by: Shazia | January 28, 2009 at 05:33 AM