Bot’n Roll ONE A User Assembling Manual
1.2. ROBOTICS
1.2.1. HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION
The word "robot" was frst used in a theatre play "RUR" (Rossum's Universal
Robots) written in 1920 by Karel Capek, a Czech playwright. In this piece, a
character built several artfcial men and used them to replace men work. It
was the frst tme someone used this word to designate "artfcial man". In its
original language, (Czech) "Robota" means, "forced labour". Perhaps due to
this secondary meaning, the robots are more associated with the industry.
Even before this piece, the robots were called "Automan" by the Greeks,
whose meaning is "to move automatcally."
1.2.2. THE THREE LAWS OF ROBOTICS
laws dictate the expected behaviour of robots:
1st law:
a robot may not injure a human being, or through inacton
allow a human being to come to harm
.
2nd law:
a robot must obey the orders given it by human beings,
except where such orders would confict with the frst law
.
3rd law:
a robot must protect its own existence as long as such
protecton does not confict with the frst or second law
.
According to Asimov, the main objectve of these laws was to make
possible the existence of intelligent robots (the laws presume enough
intelligence to distnguish between good and evil) in such way they
would not rebel against the human domain. Later on, Asimov
introduced one more law:
Law Zero:
A robot may not harm humanity, or, by inacton, allow humanity to come to harm
.
However, law zero, has the serious problem of transferring the power to the robot (possibility) to assess,
in face of specifc situatons, if the interests of humanity overlaps the individual interest. Such possibility
opens a dangerous loophole for machines dictatorship, which would elect by themselves the highest
good, being even able to harm a human being should they understand that it is the best for humankind.
These are not exactly laws in the real sense of the word, but just guidelines that all robotcs enthusiasts
and researchers implement when creatng and developing robots.
©Copyright 2018, SAR - Soluções de Automação e Robótca, Lda.
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Fig. 2:
Rossum's
Universal Robots
Fig. 3: Book “I Robot” by Isaac Asimov
Summary of Contents for ONE A
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