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Articles

Designing Androids

Antoni Diller says that robots must be taught how to learn.

A great deal of effort in Japan, the United States and various European countries is being put into several competing projects to design and build humanoid robots. The ultimate goal is to produce machines that can interact with human beings in a meaningful way, as do the androids depicted in science fiction. For example, Lieutenant Commander Data, although lacking certain social skills and unable to experience emotions, is a full member of the crew of the Starship Enterprise in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Not only does he carry out his duties as well as, and sometimes better than, his human colleagues, but he also interacts with them socially. He plays poker with his fellow officers, gives violin recitals to the crew and in one episode is even seduced by a human crew member.

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