I’ve been following the developments in the world of robots for years now, battle robots, terminator robots, bomb defusing robots and even sexbots. But now it seems that scientists are working on ‘bots that are meant to watch over and take care of kids. I’m not sure but I think this is like an episode of The Outer Limits or Twilight Zone that didn’t exactly turn out well for the kiddos (or the parents, I don’t remember which).
It sounds like science fiction but could soon become science fact – parents leaving robots to look after their children. One expert is so worried that he is warning that the metal nannies would create a ‘generation of social misfits’.
The robots could work well in minding children when supervised by adults, but parents would simply leave their offspring in the hands of ‘robot role models’, said Prof Noel Sharkey, of Sheffield University.
New domestic robots are being developed in Japan by Sony and NEC and tested in American schools. A childcare version of NEC’s PaPeRo robot is capable of recognising and talking to people. It can send images by mobile phone, as well as play games and sing along.
Adults can control the robot via the internet and see through it using cameras. They can even speak to children through the robot’s voice. Prof Sharkey, who is addressing the Cheltenham Science Festival today, said: ‘These robots are great for monitoring children. But my concern is that they may be too useful.
‘With more and more people working from home on their computers, it would be all too easy to leave the kids with a robot. ‘This may be quite safe but what kind of role model is a robot? Could this lead to a generation of social misfits? What does this say about the value placed on children in society?’
One store is already taking this first step with the help of a ‘bot babysitters at your favorite Japanese mall. Japanese retailer Aeon Co. entertains children in the play area of its shopping malls in Fukuoka city. The Tmsuk-developed ‘bot stands nearly five feet tall and can keep track of kids who wear special badges. It will then entertain them with limited conversation and by taking fun pictures, which the robot can display thanks to a projection unit mounted on its head.
In Japan the population is growing older and the birth rate is declining sitting at 1.3 per cent. The elderly demographic is increasing, which means many will retire leaving behind thousands, okay millions, of empty jobs.
A recent article posted on NewsDaily by Reuters, explained that more than 3.5 million jobs could be filled by robots in the next 30 years. A think-tank from the Machine Industry Memorial Foundation (MIMF), believes
robots could help people with small tasks, freeing up more time to focus on important things.
Apparently robots could even entertain children for short periods. These techno-humans will also be able to monitor the health of seniors, which, the MIMF said, could save trillions of yen (billions of dollars) in elderly insurance payments. The androids would, of course, be replacing human nursing care.
