this post was submitted on 22 Nov 2025
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[–] BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world 37 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

Probably hundreds of movies show all the ways making humanoid robots can go wrong. Why the hell does anyone think it's still a good idea to make robots that are significantly stronger than humans?

[–] absGeekNZ@lemmy.nz 16 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Got nothing to do with being humanoid.

Bipedal predators are a rounding error, probably the most effective hunter/killer robot would be dog shaped and medium dog sized, with a back mounted turret.

Give it pack tactics, with radio comms....

[–] PlantJam@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

It doesn't need comms if the pack is functioning as a multi part individual the way bees or ants do.

[–] squaresinger@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago

Aka: radio comms, when talking about robots.

[–] moopet@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 weeks ago

Vernor Vinge has entered the chat

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 6 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Why the hell does anyone think it's still a good idea to make robots that are significantly stronger than humans?

So they can easily do tasks better than a human or that a human could not possibly do. Like moving heavy furniture unaided.

[–] jjlinux@lemmy.zip 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I'm much more interested in a robot that can cook. That'd be something.

[–] mic_check_one_two@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

They already have stir fry robots. They’re not humanoid though, because they’re built specifically for stir fry.

[–] jjlinux@lemmy.zip 1 points 3 weeks ago

That's definitely a step in the right direction.

[–] chunes@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago

The strongest wisdom I have learned in life is that if humans can do it, they will. Ethics can never prevent something from arising; only physics.

[–] 01189998819991197253 14 points 3 weeks ago

It's totally safe, bro. It will never be used for anything but home assistants, bro. Trust us, bro.

[–] HaraldvonBlauzahn@feddit.org 11 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Related: Robotics pioneer Rodney Brooks saw this coming: https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/10/why-irobots-founder-wont-go-within-10-feet-of-todays-walking-robots/

I think this is a well-written and important article.

One more aspect: The article lines out that todays control algirithms for robots are not inherently stable and can't guarantee safety.

I have seen some code that runs in some if such humanoid robots and would like to add the following warning: the control code for robots is typically written by researchers, not safety experts. While there might be some brilliant programmers among them, such code will be, in most of the cases, a hot mess which cannot guarantee any safety. It will certainly not meet requirements which are commonly mandated for things like complex medical devices, automobiles, or other dangerous work equipment - but due to the much larger complexity and dangerous mechanical forces in such robots, the requirements should be higher than in automobiles.

[–] Alaknar@sopuli.xyz 3 points 3 weeks ago

Nothing that uses any form of today's AI systems can be stable.

[–] mrgoosmoos@lemmy.ca 11 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I don't even trust the well established automated 6 axis robots in use all over the world in factories today. I'm sure as fuck not trusting one of those things standing next to me.

you ever seen a robot go from super slow teaching speed to 100% a few seconds later with a few hundred pounds attached to it? it'll set your safety sensors straight real quick

[–] echodot@feddit.uk 4 points 3 weeks ago

For most robots in factories the safety system is don't go near it. Because no one can guarantee that the robot will stop in time.

[–] HaraldvonBlauzahn@feddit.org 5 points 3 weeks ago

Would you go near an uncontrollable maniac swinging a ten-pound sledgehammer, or stand two meters below a larger-than life bronce sculpture of Neptun with a harpoon, weighting 150 kilograms, which is not fixed, unstable and could at any moment fall upon you?

No? Then you should not go near such a robot.

[–] CosmoNova@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago

Isn‘t this why they‘re putting human workers into driving cages so they don‘t collide with working robots?