Main content

Robots for Humans

At the start of the World Service's "What if" season Click invites robots and roboticists to the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's Radio Theatre to imagine a world in which robots and humans sat down together

At the start of a new "What if" season on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service, a panel of experts on Click at the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's Radio Theatre asks: what if robots and humans sat down together to talk? Human/robot interactions are increasing every day but do we envisage robots as domestic servants, pets or professional friends? What activities might it be safe and advisable for robots to carry out in the proximity of humans? South Korea, for instance plans to install robotic teaching assistants in more than 8,000 kindergartens this year. But how will robots learn from us and us from them? If robots are ever going to be truly useful in domestic or social settings then this is the number one factor that needs to be addressed. Click's Gareth Mitchell and Bill Thompson are joined by a panel of experts including the leading roboticists Subramanian Ramamoorthy and Maja Mataric to debate the topic. The innovative theremin player Sarah Angliss also brings along her robot Hugo, and Peter Robinson is accompanied by the robot, Charles, modelled on the head of Charles Babbage. Comedy comes in the shape of a robot comedian called Data, along with her programmer, the roboticist, Heather Knight. And Benjamin Connell demonstrates how to build a Lego Mindstorm robot in the course of the programme.
(Photo: Rossum's Universal Robots: 1938 Β© Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ)

Available now

55 minutes

Last on

Wed 30 Jan 2013 11:32GMT

Broadcasts

  • Tue 29 Jan 2013 19:05GMT
  • Wed 30 Jan 2013 00:32GMT
  • Wed 30 Jan 2013 04:32GMT
  • Wed 30 Jan 2013 11:32GMT

Featured in...

Podcast