10. Reading: Robots of the future

  

 

What role will robots have in our future? Will they only be functional, or will they be our personal companions? Computer scientists in Japan and the USA now believe that robots will be friends and helpers like C-3PO and R2-D2 in the film Star Wars. Helen Greiner says they are good for jobs that are “dull, dirty, and dangerous”.

Others believe robots will be a part of everyday life. Katsumi Muto of Sony thinks that elderly Japanese people might need mechanical helpers. His company has developed Aibo, a robot dog, and Qrio a humanoid, which can walk and play music. Robots will help to make people’s lives easier, by cleaning the house or delivering the mail, but they will not require much care like a family pet.

Scientists see the next step is making robots that can feel and show emotions. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has built a robot called Kismet, which can move its eyes and show emotional expressions. One day, people are likely to accept robots into daily life, as helpers and companions like a family dog, which they can love.

 

  

1.  Robots will not be our helpers in the future.

   

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2.  Katsumi Muto of Sony thinks that elderly Japanese people will not have mechanical helpers in the future.

   

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3.  In the future people will have robots that show emotions.

   

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