Advice From iRobot: Forget the Humanoid Look

Humanoids -v- Trilobites

I'm with Colin Angle on this one. I've got both Roomba and Scooba and they do a far better job than a human with a vacuum or a mop, let alone a pseudo-human with ditto. They're made for the jobs they do; humans may be marvellous in many ways (hmm...), but they weren't made to manhandle vacuum cleaners and wield mops. Form is function, and all that.

Weren't made to manhandle...

We also weren't made to do taxes. Does that mean Roomba is going to come out with a robot that does my taxes? If so, will the appendages be helpful?

My point is that the world of Robots has advanced so quickly that there really are no 'rules' on what robots are supposed to look like. Sure, we have films like "I, Robot," and books and blah blah blah. Robots are what we make of them.

Humans weren't 'made' for anything aside from breeding, as far as I'm concerned. Our advantage is that _we_ get to design the robots. Some might need appendages, some might not. I highly doubt that there will be an international law written up in the future World Organization that robots must/must not have appendages.

Each will be designed for its own purpose. This article seems kind of pointless to me.

Don't forget the Humanoid Look

Please, forgive my bad English, as it is not my mother tongue:

With some level of independence of the robot's "intelligence", the mere humanoid appearance awakens in us a response of empathy. Just watch several Asimos, for example, behave in a scene, and it is difficult for people to think that they don't have "something" of humans. Other non-anthropomorphic equivalent machine, without arms / hands, or with wheels, for example, no matter how "intelligent" will be seen by people as only an advanced MACHINE. For humans, the relationship with an advanced humanoid robot will be more comfortable and familiar than with robots with other physical forms.

The improvement and development of humanoid robots provides valuable information on the biomechanics of the human body, and gives assistance to the development of better prosthetics for the disabled.

The advanced humanoid robots could serve as a slave, peer, messengers, partner (even a sex-partner), etc.. For people, especially for elderly or people with disabilities, or who live alone.

The "intelligence" of an advanced humanoid robot, being in a humanoid body, will be more understanding of the nature, potential and physical limitations of we humans.

Nothing would prevent the exploration of variations of athropomorphic body, for example: humanoids with three eyes, or with three arms, or with infrared or ultraviolet vision, or zoom vision, and so on ... These variants can be very helpful to humans.

Thanks to their physical form, these robots are ready - or are easily adaptable to- use tools, environments and systems used by humans; examples: Using a ladder, drive a vehicle, using a firearm (robot soldiers), use a keyboard, playing a musical instrument, etc.. Etc.. This characteristic makes them especially useful.