Blay Whitby

Do You Want a Robot Lover?

Robotic carers and artificial companions are very much in the news. In January 2007 Bill Gates predicted 'a robot in every home'. In Japanrobots are seen as potential carers for the elderly. Many researchers are looking to make their products display emotion and respond to emotional displays by users. At least one writer has predicted marriage to robots becoming accepted by 2050. We need to look at the implications of these developments ? both technical and social. Is this an acceptable development? There are many difficult questions, such as what is likely to be technically feasible and just what should we allow?