In another sign that the robotics industry is poised to become a mainstream industry, ScienceDaily is reporting that researchers are now allowing children to explore their world with robots.
At first glance, the idea seems a little premature. After all, it might be reasoned, children should learn to walk before they learn how to control a robot. But, if you give it some thought, if robots are going to become more prevalent in society doesn’t it make sense to introduce them to children as early as possible—and when they are most adept at learning?
As the article explains, however, this early focus on children and robots is designed at helping infants with Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy and autism better navigate their environment. In short, researchers are trying to figure out how robots can help children with disorders better assimilate into their surrounding environment.
Longer term, if robots can help infants better operate in the world, it doesn’t take much of a stretch to imagine how robots might also allow the elderly as well as other fully abled-bodied individuals to increase their productivity and even do entirely new things.
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Jack Uldrich is a writer, futurist, public speaker and host of jumpthecurve.net. He is the author of seven books, including Jump the Curve and The Next Big Thing is Really Small: How Nanotechnology Will Change the Future of Your Business. He is also a frequent speaker on future technology and future trends, nanotechnology, innovation, change management and executive leadership to a variety of businesses, industries and non-profit organizations and trade associations.
