Chapter 9:
Applying Science: The Challenges

This section explores applied science and engineering in the context of robotics and human-machine interaction. It highlights the practical benefits of humanoid robots while acknowledging the constraints inherent to their design, including power sources, self-repair mechanisms, and environment-specific programming.

The text draws parallels between computer instructions and the immutable rules of nature, noting that computers can simulate both deterministic and statistically flexible scenarios, and that learning algorithms may approximate artificial intelligence. Concerns are raised about AI’s potential impact, including the risk of humans losing the ability to critically evaluate information.

Attention turns to the future interface between humans and machines, including brain implants and mind-control technology as potential ways to integrate human cognition with robotic systems. The section emphasizes that human evolution alone is too slow to keep pace with rapidly advancing technology, highlighting the growing importance of engineered enhancements and man-machine symbiosis for the next “Age-of-Man.”