Lesson 10: The Future of Robotics: Implications for Society

Learning Objectives Identify three major areas where robots will likely impact society in the future (e.g., healthcare, transportation, work). Explain the difference between automation and artificial intelligence in the context of robotics. Describe two potential positive and two potential negative societal impacts of advanced robotics. Analyze a simple robotic scenario and identify key ethical questions a programmer must consider. Propose a simple ethical rule, using an 'if-then' structure, for an autonomous robot in a given scenario. Define 'algorithmic bias' and explain how it could affect a robot's decision-making. What if your homework was done by a robot, your food was delivered by a drone, and your doctor was an AI? 🤖 Let's explore that...

TermDefinitionExample AutomationWhen a machine or computer program is programmed to do a task that was previously done by a human. It follows a pre-set list of instructions.A car factory robot that is programmed to do the same weld on every car door. It uses loops and specific commands but doesn't make new decisions. Artificial Intelligence (AI)The ability of a computer or robot to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, like learning, reasoning, and problem-solving.A self-driving car's navigation system that can recognize a new obstacle (like a fallen tree) and figure out a new route on its own. Machine Learning (ML)A type of AI where a computer learns to do something by looking at lots of data, without being explicitly programmed for every single step.A robot l...

The 'If-Then' Ethical Check IF [robot action] could cause [potential harm or unfairness], THEN [implement a safeguard or require human approval]. This is a design pattern for programmers. When writing code for a robot, especially functions that make decisions, you must think about the consequences. This pattern forces you to build safety and fairness directly into the robot's logic. The Function Responsibility Principle A programmer is responsible for both the intended and foreseeable unintended consequences of the functions they write for a robot. When you create a function, like `findFastestRoute()`, you must think about how it could be used or how it might fail. Could the route be unsafe? Could it create traffic jams? This principle reminds us that code has...