Did you know that there are at least 91 known major android projects taking place in the world today? In case you don't know what an android is exactly, it is a robot that usually looks like a person. The major known projects are broken down this way:
Japan is going full steam ahead with 40 known projects. The U.S. has 10 known projects, but you know how things go here, who knows how many black ops are taking place in this field? Korea also has 10 known android projects. Germany has 9 that are known about. China has 7, but we could be surprised here. The UK has 4 that are known and Sweden 2. There is one android project that we know abut in each of the following countries: Australia, Thailand, Singapore, Bulgaria, Iran, Italy, Austria, Spain and Russia.

Some of the android projects would send chills up the spines of ordinary people. The reason for this is that the androids look so human. We, as humans, tend to forget that just because something looks human, that it many not be. I have to tell you, it is pretty easy to forget when you look at the newest generations of androids, because some of them look so human, that they have the ability of looking entirely human when they are not moving. One of the most human androids is Kokoro. This android can be viewed at: http://www.pinktentacle.com/2006/10/actroid-der2-fembot-loves-hello-kitty/ Just copy the address and paste it into your browser* There is a movie of Kokoro speaking to the crowd in Japanese. You will notice that the movements are not quite there yet, they appear jerky and her head seems to bob around too much, but the overall concept is getting close. The time may come in a few years, where we won't be able to tell the difference between a real person and one of these devices.

It is strange, but the most advanced androids all seem to be of women. I guess that they are less threatening. It is said that the most advanced android in the world, as of this date, is Valerie. She, if I can say that, is a domestic android and is capable of cleaning your house and washing dishes. She can do the laundry and can even change a light bulb. No only does she speak English, but get ready for this, she understands English. You can pick up your own Valerie for only $59,000 and she comes with a 2 year warranty. This is a 2004 price, she may have gone up in price by now. Valerie's inventor believes that there will be a huge market for androids in the next ten years and by that time, about 10% of homes will have one. Gee, I hate to dump cold water on him, but I think that he is being overly optimistic. First of all, they have to come way down in price, maybe to around $5,000 or so, cheaper would be better. Secondly, they have to be made in such a way that they present no danger to small children. You wouldn't want one to fall on a child or step on him or pull his or her tiny arm of of its socket..

Some scientists and engineers have decided that it would be fun to create androids in their own image and have done so. Paste this address into your browser to see a scientist's double introducing him. http://robot.watch.impress.co.jp/static/2006/07/21/atr0642.wmv The video only shows the android because the scientist is out of the camera's view. I have seen both the scientist and android together and it is very hard to tell the machine from the human. Just imagine what this will be like after the advances in the next 20 years or so. It may become impossible to tell the difference between the two. I certainly hope that this doesn't happen, because it would create quite a problem for our interactions. I guess there may come a day when people will have to carry a detector of some kind, to know if they are talking to a robot or human. This will present another problem for us that I have spoken about before.

The problem that I am referring to is, how would we ever know when and if a machine, such as an android or computer, achieved consciousness, or putting it in a more simplistic way, how would we know if an android or computer ever achieved life? With this question comes all sorts of moral dilemmas. If a machine we build achieves life, are we its god? Would it be right to work this machine 24 hours a day as a slave, or will we have to allow for leisure time and some sort of recreation? If we are talking about an android, will we have to give it time off to go to the movies or socialize with other androids? What would these machines think of us? Would they think that we were cruel for forcing them to perform certain tasks? Here is the BIG question, will they want their freedom and demand the same rights that are available to any citizen? Heck, the android and robot bloc might become a powerful force in elections and in the future we may see politicians catering to them. For all we know, we may have an android candidate for public office some day.

Inner Workings Of Robot Or Android
Photo Source: NASA

Will programming stop androids from performing certain acts, such as crimes? We have to remember that androids will probably be much stronger than us and could be much smarter by virtue of having a link to the internet that would give them access to almost all of the world's knowledge. This could change as humans become implanted with computer chips themselves and we might also get a huge boast in strength from implants. Will androids turn out to be more like Data on Star Trek The Next Generation or like the Terminator who hates humans and had its programming written by cither machines and is directed to destroy all humans? We may see the day when huge android armies will take the fields of battle, supported by UAVs (Unmanned Ariel Vehicles). Eventually, the human race may be put out of the business of fighting in wars. Maybe, just maybe, during that period they will realize how ridiculous the whole concept of war has become.

Before you think that androids are limited to human shapes, there is an entire new generation of cat androids being released in Japan. To see them copy this address and paste in into your browser:
http://animenarutard.blogspot.com/2007/08/new-creepy-cat-robot-goes-on-sale-in.html

Robotic parts are becoming available right off the shelf. Anyone can now begin to design and construct a robot or android themselves, if they have any idea of what they are doing. Robotic devices are starting to appear, such as robot vacuum cleaners, pool cleaners and lawn mowers. There are unmanned planes flying in the sky and the amount of them will only increase. Remote controlled submarines are in use and satellites with intelligence programming. Androids, such as Valerie, can be purchased if you have enough cash. There are robot dogs, dinosaurs and domestic robots available. The robots and androids are here to stay and will only get smarter and more human like as time goes by.

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