Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 |
Would You Date A Robot? 1 in 4 Say 'Yes'!
In a recent survey in the UK, one in four young people agreed that they would date a robot. Would you? Try looking at the idealized view in the first video from the 2015 movie Ex Machina, but then check out the more realistic actual robot in the second (linked).
(Ex Machina idealized female robot)
It may be the stuff of science fiction films like Ex Machina and Her, but new research has found that one in four young people in the UK would happily date a robot.The only caveats, according to the survey of 18- to 34-year-olds, is that their android beau must by a "perfect match", and must look like a real-life human being.
The proportion of young people who are willing to go on a date with a robot is significantly higher than the overall proportion of British adults - only 17% of whom were willing.
"Our bodies, our identities and our senses are enhancing thanks to technology and societal shifts," said Ghislaine Boddington, co-founder and creative director of East London design unit body>data>space .
The earliest example of a robot body used to for dating (as far as I know) is the teleoperated robot surrogate from the 1938 short story The Robot and the Lady, by Manly Wade Wellman.
In the story, roboticist Dr. Alvin Peabody, who describes himself as "scrawny and fluffy-headed," seeks a date with another researcher in the field, Muriel Winthrop. Embarrassed by his unprepossessing appearance, he sends a dashing robotic android in his stead. As it turns out, the other researcher has done the same thing! They decide to meet IRL - in real life - and love takes its course.
Another example would be the 1954 story The Mechanical Bride by Fritz Lieber - read about the mechanical bride.
Of course, the Ex Machina "robot" is actually an actress with some great CGI backing her up. To test whether what you really think, check out the latest - Sophia, The Personable Robot From Hanson Robotics. Via Mirror.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 4/26/2016)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 0 )
Related News Stories - (" Robotics ")
PaXini Supersensitive Robot Fingers
'My fingers are not that sensitive...' - Ray Cummings, 1931.
Artificial Skin For Robots Is Coming Right Along
'... an elastic, tinted material that had all the feel and appearance of human flesh and epidermis.' - Harl Vincent (1934)
Robot Guard Dog On Duty
I might also be thinking of K-9 from Doctor Who.
Wearable Artificial Fabric Muscles
'It is remarkable that the long leverages of their machines are in most cases actuated by a sort of sham musculature...' HG Wells, 1898.
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
Current News
Bone-Building Drug Evenity Approved
'Compounds devised by the biochemists for the rapid building of bone...'
Secret Kill Switch Found In Yutong Buses
'The car faltered as the external command came to brake...'
Inmotion Electric Unicycle In Combat
'It is about the size and shape of a kitchen stool, gyro-stabilized...'
Grok Scores Best In Psychological Tests
'Try to find out how he ticks...'
PaXini Supersensitive Robot Fingers
'My fingers are not that sensitive...'
Congress Considers Automatic Emergency Braking, One Hundred Years Too Late
'The greatest problem of all was the elimination of the human element of braking together with its inevitable time lag.'
The Desert Ship Sailed In Imagination
'Across the ancient sea floor a dozen tall, blue-sailed Martian sand ships floated, like blue smoke.'
The Zapata Air Scooter Would Be Great In A Science Fiction Story
'Betty's slapdash style.'
Thermostabilized Wet Meat Product (NASA Prototype)
There are no orbiting Michelin stars. Yet.
Could Crystal Batteries Generate Power For Centuries?
'Power could be compressed thus into an inch-square cube of what looked like blue-white ice'
India Ponders Always-On Smartphone Location Tracking
'It is necessary... for your own protection.'
Amazon Will Send You Heinlein's Knockdown Cabin
'It's so light that you can set it up in five minutes by yourself...'
Is It Time To Forbid Human Driving?
'Heavy penalties... were to be applied to any one found driving manually-controlled machines.'
Replace The Smartphone With A Connected Edge Node For AI Inference
'Buy a Little Dingbat... electropen, wrist watch, pocketphone, pocket radio, billfold ... all in one.'
Artificial Skin For Robots Is Coming Right Along
'... an elastic, tinted material that had all the feel and appearance of human flesh and epidermis.'
Robot Guard Dog On Duty
I might also be thinking of K-9 from Doctor Who.
