...If it's robots that can combine smaller, modular robots to form larger ones, then that's fine. Looking at the photo however, I'm not inclined to believe that they can automatically form raw materials into new components and then assemble new units themselves.
Self replicating robots would likely come in one of two forms; micromachines made of simple materials-based mechanisms (toeing the line between machine and...well, a self organizing material, thus being a more advanced form of a chemical reaction), and large scale, fully automated refineries, steel mills, machine shops, circuitry production, and final assembly. Oh not to mention programming.
I'm sure there's work going towards those things, if not directly then by proxy components will be formed over time. Is this something people should be scared about? Probably not. Could it be heinously misused? Definitely. Will it? Someone probably will try, and my cynicism tells me it'd be for profit or oppression. What could we do to prevent problems from arising in the future? Focus on scientific literacy and a conscious presence in STEM by the general populace so misuse can be identified and dealt with before festering.
Also everyone's concerned about Terminator, the Matrix, and Horizon Zero Dawn but nobody is concerned about the Legion from 86. Just me?
Zaanix t1_iy22u8t wrote
Reply to MIT Engineers Design Self-Building Robots That Can Grow Into Bigger Machines by Test19s
...If it's robots that can combine smaller, modular robots to form larger ones, then that's fine. Looking at the photo however, I'm not inclined to believe that they can automatically form raw materials into new components and then assemble new units themselves.
Self replicating robots would likely come in one of two forms; micromachines made of simple materials-based mechanisms (toeing the line between machine and...well, a self organizing material, thus being a more advanced form of a chemical reaction), and large scale, fully automated refineries, steel mills, machine shops, circuitry production, and final assembly. Oh not to mention programming.
I'm sure there's work going towards those things, if not directly then by proxy components will be formed over time. Is this something people should be scared about? Probably not. Could it be heinously misused? Definitely. Will it? Someone probably will try, and my cynicism tells me it'd be for profit or oppression. What could we do to prevent problems from arising in the future? Focus on scientific literacy and a conscious presence in STEM by the general populace so misuse can be identified and dealt with before festering.
Also everyone's concerned about Terminator, the Matrix, and Horizon Zero Dawn but nobody is concerned about the Legion from 86. Just me?