The Age of Robots

They look like us They move like us And very soon they will live among us They are humanoid robots In this episode we meet an astonishing group of humanoids iCub is the worlds first baby robot See how he can learn grow and adapt to his environment just as a human baby can But what are the implications that come with creating machines that look like us

Humanity has always looked at nature to solve complex problems taking a cue from the brilliant solutions that biological systems have refined through natural selection Now its the turn of robot makers to recreate some of natures inner workings and mechanics to create a new class of artificial systems Bioinspired Robots

By 2050 threequarters of the worlds population will live in urban areasnbspBy looking at robotic systems that are being developed worldwide we can take a glimpse at the city of the future In this episode we look at how private transportation will be transformed in the near future with selfdriving cars and AI to serve the community

The final frontier of human exploration is moving further ahead Inhospitable and difficult environments that would normally be unreachable now become accessible thanks to a new class of robots Robot Explorers With eyes that can see better arms that can lift impossible weights and legs that can move effortlessly over rough terrain robots can help us with difficult tasks like never before

Implants prosthetics and rehabilitation are more common than ever We are entering a new era one where we may eventually create a new type of human being a Bionic Man Humankind has long tried to find remedies to genetic or accidental disabilities using artificial limbs Can we get close to the real thing or perhaps even improve upon it

Robots are no longer a fantasy but a rising reality and are undoubtedly one of the key technologies changing our everyday lives These changes may include the way we spend our leisure time ndash with smart and sophisticated machines designed for fun Entertainment Robots Can robots go beyond entertainment to become a viable tool for education and learning