17. Robots

1. Are robots important?

Absolutely. First, robots are tireless workers. Unlike humans, robots do not experience fatigue, need rest breaks, or require sleep, which means they can work continuously without a drop in productivity. More importantly, robots can be used in dangerous places like nuclear power plants or areas hit by disasters, to take on tasks that would put humans at risk.

2. How can robots affect people's lives?

In many different ways. Robots can make people's lives easier and more comfortable. For example, they can automate household chores like cleaning, vacuuming, and lawn mowing. They can enhance human capabilities. For example, exoskeletons can assist individuals with mobility challenges in walking and performing physical tasks, while robotic prosthetics can restore lost functionalities like gripping objects or walking. However, robots can have a negative impact on employment as, being tireless workers, they have the potential to displace human workers from certain jobs and industries.

3. Are you interested in robots?

Yeah. I've been interested in robotics for as long as I can remember. For example, when I was a child, I built robots from a Lego set. I also read science-fiction books and was fascinated by movies such as Star Wars. And now I'm trying to learn the basics of designing robots. I mean I like to read articles that have anything to do with robotics.

4. Would you like robots to work at your home?

On the one hand, I'd love to as a robot could do chores such as cleaning and organizing things, which I hate to do. And this would save a lot of my time. Also, I like the idea of having an automated machine which could recognize human speech and do some specific tasks. For example, I could ask a robot to bring a glass of water or make a cup of coffee, and I'd just give orders, sitting on a couch.

5. Do you want to take a car in which a robot is the driver?

To be honest, I'm in two minds about it. On the one hand, I'd like to as most car crashes are the result of human error. And if I have a car in which a robot is a driver, this might be safer as a robot won't be affected by such things as alcohol, drugs, distractions, carelessness, and fatigue, which cause the majority of accidents. However, we all know that even the most advanced technology isn't infallible, and a computer malfunction, even just a minor glitch, could cause worse crashes than anything that human error might bring about.

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