The Heart and the Chip

October 1, 2023

With over three million robots currently doing everything from assembling computers to monitoring air quality, the robotics revolution has already arrived. Cutting-edge roboticist Rus, a MacArthur fellow who serves as the first woman director of MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, shares what's happening. Prepub Alert.

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October 15, 2023
A leading roboticist looks forward to the next generation of a crucial technology. The next step in social development will be the proliferation of robots, writes Rus, a MacArthur fellow and first female director of MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. In her first book for a non-academic audience, co-authored by Mone, she lays out the current state of the technology and makes informed predictions about the future. There are already robots working in the background of our lives, from the millions in factories to clever machines performing sophisticated surgery. As Rus notes, the turning point will be when they are fully capable of taking over mundane, everyday tasks, freeing us to live richer lives. The robot trashcan that will take itself out when full sounds like a prosaic but very useful machine. Rus takes a tour around the companies working in this field, looking at pioneers examining exoskeletons to improve the mobility of elderly people as well as robots that could work in dangerous environments. She explains the various ways that robots learn and can be taught, and she is careful to address their limitations. Robots will never compete with the nuances, flexibility, and creativity of the human mind, writes the author, who notes that in fields such as medical diagnosis, the best results happen when humans and robots work together. Rus believes that the ultimate effects of the proliferation of robots will be positive, so long as it is controlled so that "the chip works in service of the heart." The author clearly knows her field and offers many interesting ideas, but whether her exuberant optimism ("maybe I am a dreamer, an algorithm-infused utopian") is justified is a question that can only be answered over time. An authoritative vision of a world where technology allows us to enhance our humanity.

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January 22, 2024
Rus, a computer science professor at MIT, teams up with former Popular Science editor Mone (Sea of Gold) for an optimistic exploration of how advanced robots might help humans in the near future. Envisioning smart fridges capable of detecting and automatically disposing of expired food, exoskeleton suits “equipped with motorized joints that enhance or augment the strength of the individuals using them,” and a “two-armed, wheeled robot” capable of performing yard work, the authors argue that offloading daily drudgeries to droids will allow humans “to focus on higher-level work and interactions.” Taking note of the advances needed to realize such technologies, the authors explain that roboticists are still struggling to develop hand-like sensors to make robots more dexterous. Though Rus and Mone are bullish on technology’s promise, they emphasize the need to keep in mind ethical and environmental considerations, citing a 2019 study that found the electricity expended training the average deep learning model adds as much carbon dioxide to the atmosphere as the “lifetime emissions of five cars.” Unfortunately, the authors provide more speculation than actual science, and recommendations “to encourage developers... to draw power only from renewable resources” and to take a variant of the Hippocratic oath feel inadequate to the challenges at hand. Readers might not share the authors’ rosy outlook, but this still offers a stimulating glimpse into what the future might hold.

February 9, 2024
Rus, Director of the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, knows more about robots and artificial intelligence than just about anyone. Here she takes readers on a tour of the cutting edge of this technology. She assures us there's no danger of a robot apocalypse. She and many of her colleagues envision a world where robots and people cooperate to enhance our abilities, where the human heart and the computer chip work together to make the world better for everyone, especially people who are disabled or disadvantaged. Modern robots aren't clunky metal contraptions as they're so often portrayed. They can be made from fabrics, plastics, just about anything, in all kinds of shapes and sizes, and can be used in everything from non-invasive surgeries to training athletes to helping the elderly maintain mobility and independence. Robots can help us solve deep-set problems, even aid us in healing the planet. Not a world of robot overlords, but a world full of Iron Man suits made of stylish fabrics instead of steel. It's a compelling vision.

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