Here's a slightly creepy image: the Japanese firm Tomy is creating cute little robots for adults to play with. They can expect a healthy market, because Japan's population has started to decline -- even though life expectancy there is among the highest in the world. They simply aren't having enough children. Robotics engineers in Japan have been addressing this problem with machines to care for elderly patients.
One can imagine Tokyo in 50 years, with playgrounds full of cheerful frolicking little machines, watched by aged childless humans and their patient robot nurses. And 50 years after that, only the robots will remain.
There will be no need for a robot uprising. The machines only have to be patient and let us die out on our own.




Comments