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As UK Robotics Week begins, a new survey has found that nearly a quarter of respondents believed that there is potential for more robots to be included in everyday society.
But robot-friendliness is taking time to grow. Only 20% of adults polled in the survey said believed we’re already co-existing in harmony with robots in the UK.
The survey also revealed some interesting perceptions about the limits of what robots should and should not be allowed to do.
Almost a quarter of the sample suggested that there should be some ethical laws around the work robots can do, and 13% agree there should be an upper limit on the number of hours robots can work per day.
The research, commissioned by the EPSRC UK Robotics and Autonomous Systems (UK-RAS) Network, is being released ahead of UK Robotics Week, which returns from 21st – 29th June 2018.
The survey, which combines robots with other types of autonomous machine, reports that 35% people polled would feel comfortable with having robots around the house.
Professor Guang-Zhong Yang
Professor Guang-Zhong Yang, Chair of the EPSRC UK-RAS Network, writes:
“These survey results demonstrate that the general public is clearly engaged in thinking quite deeply about advances in robotics technology, and what it means for society and the future of how we live and work.”
Now in its third year, UK Robotics Week will see robotics-focused activities taking place up and down the country, spanning lectures, conferences, hackathons, and open days.
In what has become the centrepiece of UK Robotics Week, the International Robotics Showcase in Liverpool on Thursday (21st June) will feature exclusive talks by world-renowned experts in science and technology, plus lively panel discussions and debate covering the ethical, legal and economic impact of robotics and artificial intelligence (AI).
