Technological Singularity
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| (The red is human progress) (Green is robot) |
The history of the Technological Singularity
First quoted by, John von Neumann, used Singularity in the 1950s said "Ever accelerating the processNext, Alan Turning had talked about robots passing humans in intelligence and once robots started that thinking, they will no longer need humans to help.
Soon people like Ray Kurzweil had built a machine where the computer played the piano and not him actually playing. At the age of 17 he built it and demonstrated it. Soon 46 years later, he believes that computers will pass human intelligence and humans will be wiped out.
The Theory
Human Biological Enhancements
When we think of half human and half robot, we think of cyborgs and robotic enhancements to the body where the robotics will help humans in many ways. They could help the disabled such as people who cannot walk or stand up. There are things that can help the blind see again. Make people hear again. Robotics can create a better world for individuals to live the lives they want or don't have. But to do this, scientists have to create something to help these disabled people. They cannot just place a computer into these people and expect things to happen. They have to develop things that will work with the human system. The robot would connect to the humans nervous system and all the blood vessels and anything to function. This may take a while to create but things like prosthetic arms and legs have been in use for a long time. But soon to come are more things trying to be developed.
- Superhuman Vision- This dream power of everyone can be achieved through the scientific field. A kind of permanent contact lens better than 20/20 can be applied by surgery to create almost superhuman vision. Although you can't see through walls, this is a huge step into the future. Designed by Ocumetics Technology Corp. Dr. Gareth Webb created this contact lens to help the world. Its better than glasses and contacts and could almost cure your vision forever.
- Bionic Hands- If someone lost a hand due to an accident or a disability, bionic hands can give them joy again. Over the summer, a 29 year old women named Nicky Ashwell was born without a right hand. For 29 years of her life, she had only 1 hand. But she soon discovered the BeBonic, designed by a UK group called Steeper-Group. This hand had over 337 mechanical parts and moved with ease. Finally, Nicky was able to ride a bicycle for the first time in 29 years.
- Chip Implants- When wanting to turn off the light, heaters, or doors remotely Kevin Warwickinstalled a chip in his arm where he can do all these things remotely. Warwick has founded the Project Cyborg where he wants to be the most complete cyborg and has been testing various things to him since 1998.
Being disabled and having a robotic arm can be a bad thing. But on the other hand people have tried to make it a good thing. Some people perform in the Cybathlon. This competition is for the cyborgs and half robot people who have prosthetic and robotic help. Races in this challenge include things like prosthetic leg races, exoskeleton races, arm prosthetic races, brain controlled computer game, powered wheelchair races, and muscle stimulated bike races. This competition is something that is a step into the future and with the people who lost the chance to be athletes and competitors.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence, or also known as AI, is a term used to talk about the time where robots will have their mind of their own without the needs of humans operating it. When this happens, robots can actually end the lives of humans and end our human race.
On the first Sunday of 2015, Elon musk, a engineer, inventor and investor of many big companies, gave a speech addressing the topic of AI. Along with musk, there was physicist Steven Hawking who also agreed with Musk. Although, these two well known scientists of the world are not the first to address something along these lines. But the reason this topic is big now is because for the last 5 years, Facebook, Microsoft, Google all have spent millions to billions of dollars hiring people to create these AIs and algorithms. At this rate, these big companies may cause the extinction of humans in our near future. But at this point there isn't anything to worry about just because there isn't robots who can walk and think on their own and have opinions based on humans.
But with great power comes great responsibility. With Musk at a Puerto Rico conference, there was a letter addressing these bug companies to use AI with care and responsibility. It must be used for good and not violence. This letter will be the most important thing before people like ISIS or hackers get their hands on it to create weapons of mass destruction and can try to harness it for bad. Yes this does sound like something straight out of a science fiction movie, but the thing is, we are approaching the point where what believed science fiction ideas are coming to reality.
On one hand, AIs are being developed where some of the best AI computers are as good as 4 year old children.The University of Illinois Chicago gave the ConceptNet 4 Artificial Intelligence system (created by student at MIT) the Weschler Preschool and primary scale Intelligence test and it recorded that it is as smart as the average 4 year old. At this rate, computers will be smarter and smarter. The test showed that the computer did good on the straight fact answered questions but struggled on the why questions. But this is common and will take a while for these computers to really develop. But artificial Intelligence has a far way to go before they can hurt anyone. One thing is that it will take a long long time before these robots will even have common sense which occurs in most 8 year old children.
The aftermath of the Singularity
In any science fiction movie, we would know that we end by robots taking over the world. But with precaution, we can prevent a WWIII. As stated earlier, Elon Musk and many other companies trying to create AI, this must be done in a nonviolent, non-threatening way. We must build to help not destroy. As we all know, humans and their destructive nature will find a way. But when there's a robot uprising the world we know will be gone.
All we know is there is 2 possibilities.
1.When we find AI and harness it with its power, we can build a better world. With AI we can create a Utopia and with robots tending to our needs while humans can relax. Robots can then develop everything we want or need. They will have the nature of creativity and intelligence. With these robots, jobs will no longer be needed. Everything from farming, to manufacturing is done by robots. Humans don't need to work anymore.
2.When we find AI and harness it with its power, we can build a better world. But when putting these robots to work, with their own mind and conscious, they will realize there is no need for humans. All they do is lay down while robots do everything creating the world for them. Soon they will not need humans and can kill them. Making the humans extinct creating a WWIII where robots will win.
http://spectrum.ieee.org/biomedical/ethics/waiting-for-the-rapture http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/robotics-hardware/video-friday-cybathlon-dronecatcher-bistrobot
