Where are the ROBOTS? Science fiction writers, including Jules Verne and Isaac Asimov, wrote about rockets to the moon, nuclear power, the Internet and robots.

Where are the ROBOTS?

[Рисунок: крупное изображение человекоподобного робота слева.]

Science fiction writers, including Jules Verne and Isaac Asimov, wrote about rockets to the moon, nuclear power, the Internet and robots. All of these things are now a reality: 1) ___ So where are these household robots we were promised? Where are our robot helpers to do the ironing, cook dinner, walk the dog, clean the house and so on?

It is true that we have already got some robots 2) ___ but what about the human-like companions we were promised that can walk, talk and cater for all our needs? Perhaps it is much more difficult in practice than in theory to build such a robot.

The truth is that for such a robot to exist it must be able to think 3) ___ They don't have the knowledge to give a robot intelligence or the power of reasoning. Worse still, it seems that they may never work it out. Researchers say that the best way to overcome this problem is to study the human brain 4) ___.

Nevertheless, scientists have already overcome other problems such as mobility. For example, Honda's ASIMO robot can walk, run and climb stairs without any problems. Also, robots can now look more human thanks to roboticist David Hanson's invention of a skin covering called Frubber 5) ___ Language may be another obstacle as robots have to be able to understand figurative speech such as idioms, 6) ___.

All in all, experts are divided as to when robot assistants may become a reality. Some say five years, others say fifty. Who knows – soon household robots may be as common as home computers.

[Фотография: темноволосый человек в тёмной одежде, справа от текста.]

A and try and create an artificial brain that copies its functions B and scientists simply don't know how to give robots this ability C as well as gestures and emotional responses D that is of course, except for the robots. E which has been used on robots such as Repliee Q2. F which can perform a single task such as vacuuming the carpets or mowing the lawn, G but robots do not have this ability.