Congratulations, Robot(s) M-430iA, you’re the Robot of the Year, according to Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Sure, you’re just an arm. And you effect a manner not unlike that of a pecking chicken. But you beat out a field that included competitors with seemingly much flashier functions such as firefighter, human body simulator and delivery with a smile. And as your manager said to the AP of your job in pharmaceutical and food plants, “The trend these days is to try to avoid having human workers at all. People can get dirty and introduce unwanted objects.” And, of course, people taste like bacon.
Speaking of robots, SciAm’s Larry Greenemeier rounds up the year in robots. And about sex with robots… Joel Achenbach says we should hold on to the flesh-and-blood option, you know, for back-up.
-Greg Dahlmann
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photo: Fanuc LTD