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Robots on Earth
by Jerry West

Explosions. Car chases. A man and woman, drenched in sweat, limping from a building as it crumbles to the ground, muster the last of their strength to rescue humanity from its inevitable extinction at the cold, metal hands of humanoid creatures with artificial intelligence gone awry. For decades, books and movies have dictated how we think of robots. Simply the word "robot" can bring to mind images of evil, mechanical creatures bent on taking over the world and wiping out every glimmer of humanity. And yet, the truth of machines is dramatically different. Today's robots hold little in common with their villainous cousins from action-packed science fiction. Most robots have no interest in harming the human population at all; they exist to aid people in making life safer, healthier, and more productive.

For example, jobs such as welding and painting are important to civilization as we know it, but experience has taught us that these activities can be hazardous to human health. In addition, fumes in automobile and airplane factories can harm organic bodies that become exposed to their toxins in the assembly process. Even when the best precautions are taken, workers may still suffer from lack of adequate ventilation. What is the answer to these difficult dilemmas? Robots. Because machines don't rely on clean air or comfortable temperatures, because they can function even in the midst of deadly gasses, they can take over with ease where humans would suffer greatly. Working together, humans and robots can get the job done.

A robot's job isn't limited to the terrestrial level, either. Even in space, machines such as the R2 humanoid robot at the International Space Station complete dangerous tasks for astronauts, protecting them from potentially deadly situations. And then, when there are mundane but essential tasks to conduct on the space station, R2 takes care of those, as well, freeing up the astronauts' time for more important responsibilities. Thus, in space and on Earth, robots manage to create healthier, happier humans.

In fact, there are robots on Earth that exist specifically to boost human health. Just as contact lenses enhance human sight, robotics can increase human mobility. People with disabilities and various forms of paralysis now have hope that they can achieve better range of motion, when before this wasn't possible. With the help of robots, scientists are working to create an exoskeleton that will attach itself to the outside of the human body, establishing a connection to the human brain. Neuroscientist Miguel Nicolelis has a dream. "We are working with the Brazilian government, who is helping fund the project. At the 2014 soccer World Cup celebrations we hope to have a Brazilian teenager with quadriplegia walk out and make the opening kick."

Explosions and car crashes may sell tickets for the summer blockbuster, but robots have so much more to offer, and much of it is positive service to humans. At the heart of the field of robotics is not the creation of people-destroying machines with evil artificial intelligence, but something much more useful. Robots aren't our enemies; instead, they are the valuable result of scientific endeavors to create safer lives for people everywhere.