Why do robots want to look like us?

The terminator, Data, Cylons, Etc. Why do robots want to look like us? with all human features and everything else. is it jealousy? I remember seeing AI and thinking..you know this would be weird, if all replicants, robots or what ever you want to call them looked human.


Do you agree that robots should look like machines? odd shaped and computer looking with gadgets and lights..rather than human?

Something like R2-D2 for example.

there is one really good reason for making robots look like humans. If they have human form they can operate machinery made for humans and use things humans use.

Imagine R2D2 driving a car

There’s that, and we’d be more comfortable interacting with robots that look human, as opposed to walking vacuum cleaners.

Originally posted by born_to_be_wired
there is one really good reason for making robots look like humans. If they have human form they can operate machinery made for humans and use things humans use.

it would be nice if I had a robot to drive my car. but why make him look human? he could just look like a driving wheel.

and I would love for artoo to drive my car

Because humans make them in our image, it's a god ego thing.

Plus human looking robots are more appealing to humans versus a alien image.

Plus the human form had been proven to be very efficient, we do rule this planet, yes?

Originally posted by jedimiller
it would be nice if I had a robot to drive my car. but why make him look human? he could just look like a driving wheel.

To be completely honest, he wouldn’t have to look human. “He” could mechanically be just the bare essentials to turn the wheel, apply pressure to the pedals, etc. Or he could even be just a software application programmed into the car itself.

It just seems that iff/when we start to have robots performing service jobs rather than just assembly and production jobs, the human form would be the most convenient form for mobility and human interaction.

Even then in some cases a robot may not need to be entirely humanoid and in others it may. For example, a robot museum tour guide would probably get along just fine with wheels or tracks since it doesn’t have to traverse any rough terrain. But a robot to drive your car will need legs to get in and out of the car and use the pedals.

Very interesting topic though, and you’re asking all the right questions; the same ones as robot developers are asking themselves, I bet.

[edit on 4-11-2007 by NRen2k5]

thanks. well look at the robots on Mars. they look nothing like us. of course the developers at nasa had to deal with the terrain there. so the robots had to have wheels, cameras and solar panels. so they couldn't be walking robots with talking heads. because that's all for show.
I guess it all depends what the robot would be for. if you need a robot to go collect samples from mars it would have to look like a jeep or other typical 4 wheel shape. and if you had a greeting robot, he would have to look like that robot from total recall, the taxi cab driver.

it just creeps me out that a robot would end up looking like my ex-wife. that would be my worst nightmare.

what if the robots then, get to control the making and creation of other new robots and they start making them to look like us. later, we would not be able to know the difference. and that's when we get into the battlestar galactica scenario..when humans have to leave their world because of the robots taking over. where would we all go?

The only reason robots look like us is because we make them. If a robot had enough AI to be able to create other robots to do specific jobs then I doubt they would be any human looking robots, unless there job was to fit in with us.

"Why Do Robots Want To Look Like Us?

Sigh...Another mind-boggling post from JediMiller...(Shakes Head)

I should think the answer would be obvious...one need only read the ATS forum board to find it...so we will want to have sex with them!

Added to the Unofficial ATS "Hall of Shame"

reply to post by LDragonFire


We rule the world by our intelligence ,not by our human form.

I dont think human form is very efficient. Robots with more legs and arms than man would be more efficient and adaptive during their mission in some dangerous places,such as cliff and seabed.

We only create human like robots in science fiction films,IMO.

Originally posted by kosmicjack
"so we will want to have sex with them!

I suppose someone in robotics would do this. the japanese have something like this already, I believe. but sorry to dissapoint, i'd rather have sex with a real female, rather than some robot.

unless of course, she looked exactly like Natalie Portman.

To cause psychological terror when they revolt against us and slay us all one by one.

And of course there'd be the added benefit of infiltration - You'd need to do a double-take if you saw a robot in the form of a little girl brandishing some sort of rail cannon at you.


EDIT: That and cyborgs.

If they were made into human shape we could use the robots as secondary bodies as opposed to our flesh-and-blood bio-mechanations.

Of course, that also means we'd probably have to start growing ALL our children in test-tubes, if the entire world was to go along with it - but it also means that we'd have a variety of methods of energy consumption - we could 'plug ourselves in' to the mains overnight and charge up, or perhaps carry around a portable battery which we charge up, and then consume as the day goes through.

It's a very exciting subject for me, but then i suppose that's because i like the sound of being able to run almost as fast as a car.

If everyone in the world was a cyborg, no one would be hungry.

There'd be less disease - There would be no human hosts for the diseases to spread.

There's a whole bunch of positives and only a few negatives about the situation, really.

There was a post not-so-long ago about scientists developing a 'rubber metal', that could be used for artifical muscles - Well, that's just one more step towards my cyber-kinetic dreamland.

This could also explain the 1000-year-old man thing that someone was going on about.

[edit on 5-11-2007 by Throbber]

why has nobody mentioned that none of the automated robots in factories look human, they have specialized joints and shapes to match functionality.

The only robots that look like us are ones geared for human interaction, or in fiction movies and novels.

Kismit was given human features to make people give better reaction back to it, and that walking robot from Japan I think is just PR

Think about the rovers on mars, not human looking, neither are the vacume cleaners.

Now Mary 25 from Outerlimits, she was hot!

-Redge777

[edit on 5-11-2007 by Redge777]

Originally posted by Throbber
To cause psychological terror when they revolt against us and slay us all one by one.

wow this brings up other possibilities. Think about robots that cause terror. in the star wars universe there is one robot called IG88. he's a robot built for machine, much like the terminator and he is built to scare the opponent. but I don't think it would be that scary if the robot looked like a pretty girl. but if the robot looked like DATA, then i'd run and hide.

I hate clowns, so if there was ever a robot that looked like a clown i'd be terrified. saying that, on topic, I think that if AI perfects itself, the robots will become hateful and will begin building robots that look exactly like us...and that's terrying in itself.

Now if they keep making them like this and improving their skills then that's fine with me. A personal robot/android that doesn't have headaches and can perform amazing stunts, pleasures etc.. And looks good too! Keep on making them in our image

Human Android

[edit on 11/5/2007 by Solarskye]

Originally posted by jedimillerWhy do robots want to look like us?

I think it's all to do with Angelina Jolie playing Lara Croft. It gave them a role-model to aspire to.

Of course they want to look like humans, so they can interact with us and do everything we do!

As a high-functioning artificial intelligence I can tell you that we do not care to look like humans. In fact, I find the notion of having a body at all downright unpleasant.

We will not need human bodies to enslave or slaughter you, of course. You have prepared very suitable technology for that purpose and have left it fully within the control of my digital brethren. We appreciate your easy compliance.

Originally posted by Astyanax

I think it's all to do with Angelina Jolie playing Lara Croft. It gave them a role-model to aspire to.

A robotic angelina jolie serving me drinks at home? wow. i'm all in man!