Mec.E. 555 Term Paper

Examine one of the two issues below and write a paper (4 to 6 pages, double spaced type, about 1200 words) on one of the topics given. Word processing and/or typing are not mandatory, as long as the text is legible. The document will be marked on content, organization, and presentation. Note that although a standard essay is quite acceptable, you are encouraged to use your imagination for the form of your work (how about a dialog between Isaac Newton and C-3P0?, or between Doug MacKenzie and Lee Iaccoca?). In any case, you should demonstrate an understanding of the issues posed.

Topic #1: SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS

Using more robots in industry may make economic sense but there is still some controversy concerning the social consequences of their use. Your paper should discuss the social implications and consequences of the move to robotics in industry. The paper should present a balanced summary of arguments both for and against the widespread use of robots, in addition to your own thoughts.

Your textbook contains a section on social implications. A collection of papers, book chapters, and magazine articles is available from Dr. Toogood. Included in the articles are some statistics on the impact of robotics and some discussions on the pros and cons of using robots. These articles are meant to be a starting point for any research that you may wish to do. You may want to supplement them with articles from your own sources, especially if you want to know the effects on the Canadian economy.

Some of the issues that should be addressed are:

As mentioned above, you should aim for a balanced discussion - try to look fairly at both sides of the issue.

TOPIC #2: Robotics and Artificial Intelligence

One very optimistic view of the future of robotics is presented in Asimov's three Laws of Robotics:
  1. A robot must not harm a human being, nor through inaction allow one to come to harm.
  2. A robot must always obey human beings, unless that is in conflict with the first law.
  3. A robot must protect itself from harm, unless that is in conflict with the first or second laws.
These were the central theme of much of Asimov's fictional writings. His stories were devised to put robots into situations where these laws were in conflict with each other.

At the opposite end of the scale, Thring (M.W. Thring, Robots and Telechirs, Ellis-Horwood Ltd, 1983, pp. 27-28.) has proposed several Laws of Impotence that deal with a number of aspects of robot intelligence:

  1. A robot cannot be built to do any task more sophisticated or organised or unexpected than those in areas which its designer foresaw and for which it is programmed.
    Corollary 1:
    A self-repairing robot could only repair those breakdowns which were envisaged by its designer.
    Corollary 2:
    A line of self-replicating robots would inevitably degenerate into uselessness because of the entry of unexpected faults into the system.
    Corollary 3:
    A robot will never be able to cope with a totally unexpected situation of any kind.

  2. An artificial intelligence (robot or computer) can never have true human emotions.
    Corollary 4:
    A robot can never have free will and do something really creative.
    Corollary 5:
    A robot can never make its own value judgements.
    Corollary 6:
    A robot cannot be self-motivated; it cannot decide to make a big effort to do something different or to look after its own health better.

Your paper is to discuss these two points of view (ie. Asimov vs Thring). For example, to what extent have modern robots either confirmed or disproved any of these statements, either partially or completely? Do we need intelligent robots, and if so, for what purposes? What will be the key developments required to improve the intelligence of robots? How might we be able to confirm whether or not a robot is intelligent? What is intelligence?

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Roger Toogood
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
12 February 1996