Robotics + Art
The topic I found most interesting in this week’s lecture
was robotics within art. It made me think of the movie Ex Machina, which really
made me question the role of technology in the advancing world we live in.
A photo that I think symbolizes how close robotics is coming to seeing and feeling real.
The lectures brought to my attention how technology is in
everything we do via manufacturing. Robotics allowed for mass production to
change the structure of the global economy and the way we live daily life.
Although the idea of the robot came out of theatre, it is now commonly
associated with mechanization and has allowed for globalization and instant
gratification to become easy.
The movie Ex Machina gives a glimpse to the future world
where artificially intelligent robots seem as real as we humans are. The movie
serves as a medium of art to raise questions and issues that are close than we
think. As Rodney Brooks states in his TedTalk, we are just on the cusp of this
world. I was almost frightened by Hod Lipson’s TedTalk where he suggested to
get to this point of robotic independence, we should let the robots evolve and
learn autonomously like animals. It made me rethink the movie and discern how
real the effects of robotics could be.
A scene from Ex Machina that demonstrates the realism of robotics.
I think robots are at a place in society right now where
they are functional and efficient, yet I fear a society where they have their
own intelligence and obscure the line between reality and robotic technology. Walter
Benjamin writes, “that technology has not been sufficiently developed to cope
with the elemental forces of society” because we have only allowed it to be
used for war due to our lack of maturity. I believe when robotic machines
become intellectually independent, we will only end up going to war with them
and losing.
A funny photo that could be a harsh reality.
REFERENCES:
Brooks, Rodney. (2003,
February). Robots will invade our lives
[Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/rodney_brooks_on_robots#t-12148
Lipson, Hod. (2007, March). Building “self-aware” robots [Video
file]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/hod_lipson_builds_self_aware_robots#t-135028
Myers, Maddy. "Explore the Inside of
Nathan’s Mind via This Ex Machina Analysis." The Mary Sue Explore
the Inside of Nathans Mind via This Ex Machina Analysis Comments. N.p., 28
Jan. 2016. Web. 17 Apr. 2016.
"San Francisco Robotics
Society of America (SFRSA)." San Francisco Robotics Society of
America (SFRSA). N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2016.
Walter, Benjamin. “The work
of art in the age of mechanical reproduction.” 1936.
PICTURES:
"Evolution to Death by
Robots | Shirtigo." Shirtigo. N.p., 19 June 2013. Web. 17 Apr.
2016.
Farkas, Holland. "Ex
Machina: A Feminist Sci-Fi Thriller | Geek and Sundry." Geek and
Sundry. N.p., 21 May 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2016.
"Implementation." SPARC
Robotics. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2016.
Nice post Jake! I thought of the same movie when thinking about robotics and art. I really like the first photo that you chose. It really represents how the reality of robots keeps increasing. This idea is fascinating but also a little bit scary. Like you said, the potential for robots to be intellectually independent, and maybe even smarter than man, is a frightening concept.
ReplyDeleteYou bring up an interesting point Jake. We have created our own societal dilemma in which we should be utilizing robotics to the best of our ability but must also fear the consequences of developing these technologies to their full potential. Despite what might come, I would argue that we should push robotics to the forefront of its capabilities. I believe that robotic payoffs as a whole far outweigh the concerns that currently keep the industry stunted.
ReplyDeleteHi Jake! Your post brought up very interesting points such as the example of ex-machina. The fact that our future might be filled with robots like the movie is a crazy thing to think about considering that technology is advancing each day. Hopefully, the idea of artificial intelligence doesn't turn out for the worst and works to be beneficial.
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