WHY ROBOTICS?

Workers in Artificial Intelligence are developing advanced methods of control of robot devices, far removed from anything currently finding practical application in industry. A great deal can be done in industry with very simple automation, but the simple equipment is less adaptable than is desirable. The conditions under which the advanced ideas on robotics may find practical applications are discussed in this paper. They are applicable when the environment is unpredictable and for any one of a number of possible reasons human guidance is unavailable. Applications in space exploration and in the military field are considered, but it is shown that there are extremely important applications much closer to home. It is argued, in fact, that robotics may well be the key to an energy‐conserving and material‐conserving technology which may be vital to the future of civilization.