Robotics, in my view, is a science filled with empty promises. It’s the scientific equivalent of the Nintendo my dad promised me as a child: the one that never arrived. Robotics is filled with dreams of future mechanical companions: dancing, car-driving, fun-loving robot friends. In reality, scientists continue to focus on more practical robots to assist in assembly lines and kick hard-working Americans out of their jobs.
Despite the continual let-down, the Scientific American still reports that 2007 was a good year for robots. Alright, the robot that can play the violin is pretty cool. But a dancing, mechanical friend seems more important to me than a robot to perform surgeries in outer space.
