Kenney Malaney

Prof. Redding
English 1102H
26 April 2016
Research Essay
In todays society science fiction dominates the media whether it be for a good reason or
bad. Under the topic of science fiction you will be able to find many different aspects that make
it up. Conscious humanoid robots would fall under this category because they are only a figment
of our imagination and are beyond the scope of our technology. But what if they were real? The
applications associated with these machines would be so significant for our society and very
impactful on it as well. There is no end to what these humanoid robots can achieve so their
applications must be unveiled and greatly considered because one day this science fiction could
turn in to reality.
Throughout the course of human history, war has been something very prevalent. Over
the years, there is an accumulated death toll associated with warfare of over four hundred million
worldwide. Conscious humanoid robots could even replace all soldiers in combat so that no
casualties would ever be recorded in future battles. Many combatants have died in the frontlines
from these horrific wars that have taken place and some will never forget the losses. If there were
conscious humanoid robots, then these machines could turn into frontline combat soldiers. There
are already many different automated machines being used in warfare today. For instance,
unmanned flying drones can be flown from experienced pilots, while they are on the ground,
which definitely helps to save their life. Also, robots in today society help humans in combat by
carrying excess weight or even to keep them safe by providing protection when necessary. The

department of defense has been looking into replacing humans in the frontline for some time
now. They recently released a directive called Autonomy in Weapons System in which they
explained the replacement of humans in warfare by saying they will, Function as anticipated in
realistic operational environments against adaptive adversaries.(Albus 13) This means that
robots are required to adapt with the environment as well as who their enemies are just like
people. The department of defense would love to see these robots in action only if they do not
fail and go rogue which is a major concern. However, the make of this particular robot model is
still in the production process, not because it is difficult to create, but because scientist would
like to make them as human as they possibly can be. In order to do so, these machines cannot
just walk on two legs, but would need to be able to think for themselves as well. Which is why
these machines specifically would be so great in combat. Having the ability to think for
themselves, act, and react to certain events would shape them into the best military machines that
they could be, while still performing like a human. All in all if these conscious human like robots
had the ability to fight in wars, there would be a less death toll and definitely be the best
application for them.
Healthcare is something in todays society that is greatly treasured and needed. However,
schooling for these positions is rigorous and tough, and can sometimes be impossible for few.
Even after schooling there are many human errors that can occur and are bound to happen while
practicing medicine. To apply humanoid robots to the healthcare industry, they would have the
ability to be very precise in measurements and even the surgery aspect of it. There are many
healthcare robots in todays society and are very prevalent but there are not any humanoid robots
just yet. For instance there is a robot being used to perform surgery on patients with ACL tears
and other muscle related injuries, this robot is called Orthopilot. As described in The History

of Orthopilot the performance of it has been on point by saying, As of today there have been
over 80,000 surgeries performed using the Orthopilots navigation system.(Cohen) What this
means is that robots are currently being applied to the medical field but do not possess these
human characteristics and are not conscious which is what would be needed. Although this may
be the case, this unhuman like robot was successfully able to perform surgery without any
complications. Which is why having a humanoid robot in this setting would be a great
application for them. The difference between the two would be that healthcare robots now just
help to measure data and diagnosis diseases and do not assist in bedside manner, that these
humanoid robots could be able to do. Being a part of the medical field is not just about knowing
the material and how to diagnosis, it is about proper patient care and etiquette. By pursuing this
further I found that the highest dissatisfaction percent from a local practitioners office was from
having bad bedside manner which entailed, being rushed, late for scheduled appointments, not
listening well or dismissive of patient concerns, according to the study.(Rodak) This study was
done on a small sample and helped to reinforce the fact that we need to have these conscious
humanoid robots in the medical field in order to have the best bedside manner possible as well as
the ability to work effectively. I believe this because a robot would not be late for appointments
or anything of that nature because it can be programmed to show up on time and always be
working at one hundred percent efficiency. The future ahead of us would greatly need these
humanoid robots in order to have the best bedside manner and patient care possible.
Not only would these conscious humanoid robots help in frontlines of war or even in the
hospital setting but most importantly the educational aspect, which is the classroom. The
classroom setting is the most important for students of all ages and is used to help teach material
effectively to a large mass. Teachers now a days have an abundance of students and it makes it

hard for them to truly spend one on one time with them, but by having these specific robots to
help assist this field, it would help students learn more effectively and efficiently. In earlier years
of adolescence when kids first start attending school it is not too necessary to have such an
educated professional teaching them. A humanoid robot for instance, could teach an entire class
itself without using the resources of this other professional which would allow them to work
where it is needed. This would help save resources as well as educate children to the same degree
as any other professor could. A research organization has been looking into humanoid robots and
how they interact with students, particularly with autism. This organization is referred to as The
Robota Project and have been working towards, empha- sizing the humanoid aspect of the robot
and the intentional use of robots as therapeutic or educational toys specifically for use by
children with autism.(Francis) This is groundbreaking because, if in todays day and age there
are already robots made for educational use then why not use the same type of robot for a
classroom setting. By making these robots look as human as possible they would be appealing to
students and be very formal and to the point with their lectures. The potential for these conscious
humanoid robots in a classroom setting is through the roof and should be a very useful
application for them.
Science fiction is exactly what it sounds like and that is fiction. However future
technologies seem to defy science fiction as we know it. These conscious humanoid robots are
only figments of our imagination but could eventually become a part of our everyday lives. Not
only would they be applied in; frontline combat to help reduce casualties, a hospital setting to
reduce human error, or the classroom setting to utilize teachers effectively, they could be used for
almost anything else as well. The research does not end here, there is still a lot to be done and

hopefully these robots will live amongst us one day, working side by side with humans in order
to become as significant and be applied as well as the should be.

Work Cited
Albus, James Sacra. Brains, Behavior, and Robotics. Peterborough, NH: BYTE, 1981. Print.
Cohen, Barry. "All About Robotic Surgery." Surgical Robots, Robotic Surgery, Robotic Systems.
Robotic Surgery, 2014. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.
Francis, Taylor. "Building Robota, a Mini-Humanoid Robot for the Rehabilitation of Children
With Autism." Taylor & Francis. PubMed, 22 Oct. 2010. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
Rodak, Sabrina. "Survey: Patient Satisfaction May Depend on Bedside Manner More Than
Medical Skill." Survey: Patient Satisfaction May Depend on Bedside Manner More Than
Medical Skill. Becker's Hospital Review, 1 May 2013. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.