Science Museum: The evolution of robots

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articulated-iron-manikin-with-book.-c-the-board-of-trustees-of-the-science-museum.jpg — (Image credit: © The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum)

Our uneasy relationship with artificial intelligence is well documented. You only have to look to film classics such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and Blade Runner as well as recent TV hits such as Humans and Westworld to see our continuing fascination with dystopian futures in which robots have the potential to overpower the human race.

Even influential figures such as Bill Gates, Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk have voiced their concerns about a world where the lines between the mechanical and mortal are blurred, with Musk declaring it as mankind's "biggest existential threat". As technology continues to shape our world and we increasingly welcome smart gadgetry into our homes, personal lives and workplaces, is it time to re-evaluate?

A new exhibition at the Science Museum seeks to delve further into the rise of robots, tracing a remarkable 500-year history of the human obsession to shape them in our own image. While the term "robot" was first used in 1920, the story dates back much further, and here visitors will be able to see first-hand such early examples as a 16th-century mechanical monk and iron manikin, used to illustrate the articulation of the human body.

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The collection of over 100 robots will follow their evolution through the centuries, investigating how forces such as religious belief, the industrial revolution and 20th-century popular culture have come to define their form. Highlights include Eric, the UK's first robot built in 1928, which was brought back to life last year thanks to a Kickstarter campaign, the mischievous Inhka – a robotic receptionist who greeted visitors to King's College London from 2003 until 2014 – and the forward-thinking Nao V5 Evolution humanoid robot, a fully programmable device that can be put to use in areas such as education and retail. It will also turn its attention to the cutting edge, offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the latest developments and research as scientists come closer to replicating human emotions and intelligence.

Running alongside the exhibition will be a number of special events giving further insight into the technology behind the creations as well as tackling the philosophical questions surrounding their future existence. As part of the varied programme, science broadcaster Dallas Campbell will chair a panel talk on 30 June, investigating the impact of increasing levels of automation on jobs and the economy, while on 31 July the debate will centre on whether robots will eventually outsmart us altogether.