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Will Robots Take Over?
Flakey the robot is already figuring out how to move around the office, at the same time as artificial life forms are evolving inside a computer.
Category:
Computers/Technology, Engineering/Math
Date:
10-05-1994
To view video by transcript select start point:
" FLAKEY, FOLLOW ME. I'm
following. I don't see you.
HE SAYS, "I DO SEE YOU?
" NO, HE SAYS "I DON'T SEE
YOU" BUT IT'S WRONG. HE'S
OBVIOUSLY LYING.
YEAH, I KNOW. WELL, I DON'T
KNOW. ( imitates motor )
FLAKEY, STOP. Um... duh. DUH?
THAT'S A GREAT THING TO SAY
AFTER YOU NEARLY KILL ME.
TELL HIM TO TURN RIGHT AND
WE'LL FOLLOW... FLAKEY, TURN
RIGHT. I'm turning, boss.
TURNING, BOSS. I LOVE THAT
BOSS STUFF AND THEN HE STEPS
ALL OVER MY FEET. Alda: MEET
FLAKEY, THE SMARTEST ROBOT
AROUND. HE INHABITS THE
CORRIDORS OF THE STANFORD
RESEARCH INSTITUTE. DOES
ANYBODY OBJECT
TO TREATING IT LIKE A PERSON?
I MEAN THAT IT'S A BOX.
CURIOUSLY ENOUGH, ONLY THE
RESEARCHERS. REALLY, WHY?
THEY THINK THAT IT'S CHEATING
IN SOME WAYS.
THEY KNOW WHAT GOES ON INSIDE
AND THEY KNOW IT'S NOT YET
REALLY LIKE A PERSON. DOES
ANYBODY THINK IT EVENTUALLY
WILL BE LIKE A PERSON? OH,
SURE-- IT'S CLEAR. THERE'S A
LOT OF STUFF GOING ON IN
INTELLIGENCE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT
FACETS TO INTELLIGENCE AND
WE'RE ONLY STARTING TO PICK
IN AT THE EDGES. Alda:
FLAKEY, LOOK AT ME. Um, okay,
thanks. Okay, I gotcha.
( chuckling ): I GOTCHA. WATCH
ME, I'M GOING HERE. Alda:
FLAKEY IS A BUNDLE OF
COMPUTERS, WATCHING THROUGH
TV CAMERA EYES LISTENING BY
RADIO. NOW, IF I MOVE TOO
FAST... Researcher:
IT'S GOING TO LOSE YOU. IT
WILL REACQUIRE YOU. Alda: YOU
CAN TALK TO FLAKEY IN A HUMAN
WAY BUT AS WITH PEOPLE,
COMMUNICATION CAN BREAK DOWN.
WALK THIS WAY. Um, okay,
thanks. I'm looking, dude.
Researcher: IT'S JUST A
LITTLE SLOW IN GETTING
COMMANDS. WANT TO TRY AGAIN?
FLAKEY, COME HERE. Alda:
FLAKEY'S BLACK BOX CAN'T FIT
ALL THE BRAIN POWER HE NEEDS
SO HE'S CONNECTED TO
COMPUTERS ALL OVER THE
BUILDING. Researcher: WE'RE A
LITTLE SLOW. LET ME CHECK THE
COMPUTERS. Um... duh.
Um... duh. MAYBE THERE'S
SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE
BATTERY ON THIS. Um... duh.
FLAKEY, COME HERE. I'm
coming, boss. AH... LOOK AT
THIS, LOOK AT THIS.
"COMING, BOSS," THAT'S WHAT I
LIKE TO HEAR. Alda: IMAGINE
FLAKEY'S MY NEW ASSISTANT AND
TODAY'S HIS FIRST DAY ON THE
JOB. FOLLOW ME OVER HERE...
AND MAKE IT SNAPPY. Alda:
SO FIRST I'M SHOWING HIM
AROUND THE OFFICE. WATCH OUT
FOR THE WALL. ( electronic
beeping ) Alda: FLAKEY'S
SONAR SENSORS KEEP HIM FROM
CRASHING INTO THINGS. OH,
GOOD, GOOD.
IT GOT AROUND THAT CORNER.
Alda: KURT KONOLIGE, HEAD OF
FLAKEY'S DESIGN TEAM HAS
CAUGHT UP WITH US. FLAKEY'S
BRAIN SEEMS TO BE IN GOOD
SHAPE. FLAKEY, STOP.
Um, sure thing, boss. OKAY,
FLAKEY, LOOK RIGHT. Um... (
mechanical whirring ) FLAKEY,
THIS IS KAREN MYERS' OFFICE.
Um, an office, okay. Alda:
FLAKEY'S REPLY MEANT
HE'D NOW MEMORIZED KAREN'S
OFFICE. HE'S WATCHING OUT FOR
THIS WALL. Alda: AS WELL AS
HELPING HIM AVOID OBSTACLES
FLAKEY'S SONAR IS HOOKED UP
TO A MAP-MAKING PROGRAM
WHICH CREATES AND STORES THE
POSITIONS OF WALLS AND
DOORWAYS. FLAKEY, LOOK LEFT.
Um... I LOVE THAT NOD. THAT'S
REALLY FUNNY. FLAKEY, THIS IS
JOHN BEAR'S OFFICE. Alda:
FLAKEY NOW UNDERSTANDS THIS
DOORWAY IS JOHN BEAR'S BUT
THERE'S MORE HE NEEDS TO
KNOW. OKAY, PAY ATTENTION.
I'M ONLY GOING TO TELL YOU
THIS ONCE.
FLAKEY, JOHN BEAR KNOWS WHERE
KAREN IS. Um... duh? I DON'T
KNOW IF IT REALLY UNDERSTANDS
THAT. Alda: KURT'S SUGGESTION
IS TO TELL FLAKEY THE SAME
THING
BUT IN A VERY PRECISE WAY.
FLAKEY, KAREN IS SELDOM IN
HER OFFICE BUT JOHN USUALLY
KNOWS WHERE SHE IS. OH, THAT
HE'LL UNDERSTAND. FLAKEY,
KAREN IS SELDOM IN HER OFFICE
BUT JOHN USUALLY KNOWS WHERE
SHE IS. Um, okay, thanks. OH,
NO PROBLEM. GLAD TO HELP.
Alda: IN FACT, FLAKEY CAN
UNDERSTAND SOME PRETTY
ABSTRACT IDEAS
BUT AT THIS POINT, KURT'S TEAM
HAD NOT YET GIVEN FLAKEY THE
FULL VOCABULARY HE NEEDED.
HIS NAVIGATING ABILITY IS NOT
YET PERFECT EITHER. HE DIDN'T
SEE IT UNTIL A LITTLE TOO
LATE. HE'S SHREDDING THE
DOCUMENTS
ON THE SHELF HERE. ALL THE
DOCUMENTS ARE GETTING PUSHED
OFF THE SHELF. DID YOU EVER
THINK OF WORKING FOR THE
WHITE HOUSE? IT'S COSTING TOO
MUCH.
Alda: NOW IT'S TIME TO SEE IF
FLAKEY CAN PUT WHAT WE'VE
TAUGHT HIM TO USE. MARTY, THE
PICTURE IS COSTING TOO MUCH.
WE HAVEN'T STARTED SHOOTING
YET. YOU KNOW WHAT THIS
MOVIE'S GOING TO FINALLY
COST? Alda:
TO GIVE FLAKEY A REALISTIC
SITUATION TO WORK IN I'M
ACTING OUT A TYPICAL
CONVERSATION FROM THE WORLD
OF SHOW BUSINESS. I KNOW HE'S
GOT A FAMILY. WE HAVE TO MAKE
A MOVIE AT A CERTAIN PRICE.
FIRE HIM, FIRE HIS FAMILY.
LOOK, I HAVE THE BUDGET IN
THE OTHER ROOM. IT'S IN
KAREN'S ROOM. WAIT A MINUTE,
I'LL GET IT FOR YOU. ONE
SECOND, ONE SECOND. FLAKEY,
COME HERE.
I'm coming, boss. HOLD ON,
I'LL GET IT FOR YOU IN A
SECOND. FLAKEY, GET THE
BUDGET FROM KAREN. Um, that's
a big job, boss.
Here I go. Heading for
Karen's office. GOOD, JUST GO
DO IT. DON'T TALK SO MUCH,
OKAY? Alda: THE FIRST
CHALLENGE IS CAN HE FIND
KAREN'S OFFICE?
LOOKS LIKE HE'S MAKING THE
CORRECT TURN. AND BY THE WAY,
THIS IS FOR REAL. WE REALLY
DID SEND FLAKEY OUT ON HIS
OWN LIKE THIS. Hi, Karen.
Please give me budget file.
Hi, Karen. Please give me
budget file. Nobody is here.
Heading to John's office.
Alda: LOOKS LIKE HE REMEMBERS
THAT JOHN USUALLY KNOWS WHERE
KAREN IS.
Where is Karen? FLAKEY, SHE'S
IN THE FRONT OFFICE. Okay,
thanks. Heading to front
office. Please clear the
hallway for me. OKAY. Thank
you. Hi, Karen.
Please give me budget file.
Hi, Karen. Please give me
budget file. FLAKEY, HERE'S
THE FILE. Duh, could you
please repeat that? Alda: A
LITTLE ROUGH ON THE
COMMUNICATION
BUT FLAKEY GETS IT. Could you
please repeat that? Um, duh,
okay, thanks. Heading to Alan
door. ALL RIGHT, WE DON'T
HAVE TO FIRE EVERYBODY, ALL
RIGHT? NO, WE'LL MAKE OTHER
CUTS. WE'LL GO OVER THE
BUDGET.
THE BUDGET'S ON ITS WAY IN.
WE'LL GO OVER OTHER CUTS. NO,
NOT MY HOTEL SUITE. NO, WE
DON'T HAVE TO CUT THAT. Alan,
are you there? YEAH, I'M
HERE. Please take the budget
file.
Alan, are you there? YEAH,
I'M HERE. LET'S CUT THE
SCENERY. WE CAN KEEP MY HOTEL
SUITE... THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANKS, REST. Alan, are you
there? I'M HERE, I TOOK IT,
THANKS. TAKE A BREAK, THANK
YOU.
I GOT THE BUDGET HERE. LOOK,
PEOPLE... Nobody is here.
Heading to Alan door. GO TAKE
A BREAK, WILL YOU? GO HAVE A
CAN OF MOTOR OIL OR
SOMETHING. RELAX. I HATE WHEN
HE STARES AT ME LIKE THIS.
IT DRIVES ME CRAZY. ALL
RIGHT, WHAT CAN WE CUT? YOU
KNOW, WE DON'T NEED YOU,
MARTY. WHAT ABOUT THIS BIG
FEAR OF ROBOTS BECOMING SO
INTELLIGENT THAT THEY'LL
OUTSMART US
TAKE OVER THE EARTH AND RUN
EVERYTHING. WELL, YOU SAW HOW
HARD INTELLIGENCE IS TO GET.
CURRENTLY I'D SAY A ROBOT
LIKE THIS IS KIND OF CLOSE TO
THE DOG LEVEL. Alda:
BUT THESE CREATURES ARE THE
RESULT OF AN ASTOUNDING NEW
IDEA THAT MAY SOON TAKE US
FROM THE DOG LEVEL TO SUPER
INTELLIGENCE. ROBOTS LIKE
FLAKEY MUST BE PROGRAMMED
FEATURE BY FEATURE BUT NOT
THESE STRANGE THINGS.
THEY CREATED THEMSELVES
THROUGH A PROCESS CALLED
ARTIFICIAL EVOLUTION. Man:
EVOLUTION BY ITSELF HAS LED
TO THE CREATION OF INCREDIBLE
COMPLEXITY: OURSELVES, ALL
THE ORGANISMS IN THE WORLD.
THIS PROCESS HAPPENED ON ITS
OWN, AT LEAST IN MY OPINION.
THERE IS NOBODY THAT
ASSEMBLED ALL OF THESE
WONDERFUL THINGS IN THE
WORLD. ON COMPUTERS WE CAN
SIMULATE THE SAME PROCESS
AND WE CAN GET THESE VERY
COMPLICATED VERY INTERESTING
THINGS WITHOUT HAVING TO
UNDERSTAND THEM AND ASSEMBLE
THEM. Alda: WHEN HE FIRST
DREAMED UP THIS EVOLUTION
IDEA
KARL SIMS COULDN'T PREDICT
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. HE JUST
GAVE HIS COMPUTER SOME BASIC
PARTS AND LET HIS CREATURES
GO FROM THERE. Sims: THE
BODIES OF THESE CREATURES ARE
FAIRLY SIMPLE.
THEY'RE JUST MADE OF SOME
NUMBER OF BLOCKS. THE BLOCKS
ARE CONNECTED BY JOINTS WHICH
CAN BEND OR TWIST. THE
CREATURES ALSO HAVE A NERVOUS
SYSTEM. THEY HAVE SENSORS
WHICH CAN SENSE THE ANGLE OF
THE JOINTS
OR SENSE CONTACT AND THE
NERVOUS SYSTEM PROCESSES THE
SIGNALS FROM THE SENSORS AND
TELLS THE MUSCLES WHEN TO
MOVE WHICH GENERATES SOME
KIND OF BEHAVIOR. I'VE GIVEN
IT THE CAPABILITIES TO
INCLUDE ALL OF THESE ELEMENTS
BUT THE COMPUTER DECIDES HOW
THEY'RE ASSEMBLED AND HOW
THEY'RE USED IN SPECIFIC
CREATURES. Alda: NUMBERS
CHOSEN RANDOMLY BY THE
COMPUTER-- A SYNTHETIC
GENETIC CODE--
DESCRIBED HOW THE FIRST
SIMPLE CREATURE WOULD LOOK
AND HOW ITS NERVOUS SYSTEM
WOULD BE WIRED. THEN IT WAS
PUT INTO A SIMULATED LAKE AND
TOLD TO SWIM. IT TWITCHED,
BUT IT DIDN'T GET ANYWHERE
SO NOW THE COMPUTER WENT TO
WORK. USING THE ORIGINAL
NUMBERS AS ITS BASE THE
COMPUTER MADE A FEW RANDOM
CHANGES THE EQUIVALENT OF
MUTATIONS. IT DID THIS AGAIN
AND AGAIN
WHEN THE COMPUTER MAKES
MUTATIONS IN THE GENES OF
THESE CREATURES IT HAS NO
IDEA WHAT THESE MUTATIONS ARE
GOING TO DO. SOMETIMES THE
MUTATIONS MIGHT KNOCK OUT A
PIECE OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
AND CAUSE THE MUSCLES NOT TO
MOVE ANYMORE BUT OTHER
MUTATIONS MIGHT IMPROVE THE
MOTION. Alda: SO FROM THE
ORIGINAL CREATURE
INCREASINGLY BETTER SWIMMERS
EVOLVED OVER GENERATIONS
ALL WITHOUT ANY HUMAN
INTERVENTION. IN THE END,
THIS WAS THE BEST SWIMMER OF
ALL BUT WHEN KARL SIMS PUT IT
ON SIMULATED LAND IT WAS LIKE
A FISH OUT OF WATER. SO OVER
SUBSEQUENT GENERATIONS
WOULD THINK OF SOLUTIONS TO
THEIR GOAL WHICH WERE
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN I
EXPECTED. IN THIS ONE EXAMPLE
THE CREATURES GOT TALLER AND
TALLER AND TALLER AND WOULD
SIMPLY FALL OVER.
INSTEAD OF FIGURING OUT SOME
CLEVER WAY OF WALKING THEY
WOULD FALL TO GENERATE
HORIZONTAL VELOCITY. WHAT I
WAS TELLING THEM TO DO WAS TO
JUST MOVE AND FALLING WAS A
PERFECTLY GOOD SOLUTION
AS FAR AS THEY'RE CONCERNED.
SO THIS CREATURE SPECIALIZED
IN FALLING FOR AS LONG AS IT
POSSIBLY COULD INCLUDING
DOING A COMPLETE SOMERSAULT.
Alda: THE STRENGTH OF
ARTIFICIAL EVOLUTION
IS THAT IT COMES UP WITH
SOLUTIONS THAT COMPUTER
PROGRAMMERS COULD NEVER
IMAGINE. SO IF THE PROCESS
COULD BE APPLIED TO MAKING
ROBOTS WE MIGHT SEE A REALLY
SMART FLAKEY SOONER THAN WE
THINK.
( mechanical beeping )
Konolige: IT WOULD BE NICE TO
HAVE SOMETHING THAT WOULD
LEARN LIKE A LITTLE KID DOES.
I HAVE A LITTLE KID AND IT'S
GREAT TO WATCH HIM LEARN BUT
THAT'S A
VERY COMPLICATED
SELF-EVOLVING SYSTEM AND OUR
ROBOTS ARE NOT LIKE THAT.
YOU'RE A SCIENTIST AND YOU'RE
CURIOUS AND INVENTIVE AND YOU
WANT TO MAKE IT BETTER AND
BETTER.
IS THERE A POINT BEYOND WHICH
YOU DON'T WANT TO GO-- THAT
YOU'RE AFRAID THAT THIS WILL
THEN GALLOP AHEAD OUT OF
CONTROL? WILL I WIN A NOBEL
PRIZE? PRESENTATION OF
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN FRONTIERS
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