The interesting factor the Xenobots capable of ‘self-replicating’. The self-replicating robots robots that can reproduce create copies of themselves make babies like humans do. The tech firm which is offering money to people to have their faces imprinted on robots to create what they call robots with human faces.
What is Xenobots
The reproductive robots they’re being nurtured in the united states scientists have created robots that can produce an offspring. They’re calling them xenobots. This is what they look like these tiny organisms that you see these spherical clumps they’re xenobots and they’re not made of metal or plastic they’ve been created from biological tissues which essentially makes them living robots.
Robots that can move on their own heal on their own and now of course reproduce on their own. How exactly were they created by assembling stem cells from embryos into synthetic life forms. The design of these xenobots, scientists first created random 3d designs on a supercomputer like the one that you see simulative blocks of skin and heart cells that can move on their own.
These blocks or configurations were then assigned tasks through an algorithm what kind of tasks like walking in a certain direction basic things the most promising configurations here. The ones that perform the tasks well were then taken to a lab to be injected with life. Life taken from african clawed frogs these toads that you see they’re the source of life in xenobots the species is found in sub-saharan africa.
It can regenerate its skin when wounded. So this is what scientists did take out skin and heart cells from the embryos of these organisms and then inject them into 3d blocks through tweezers and electric tools. Once injected these blocks were kept in dishes of water to keep the frog cells alive and they did stay alive and all of this was done in 2020. Not only are these creatures alive and kicking they’re reproducing they’re creating copies of themselves just like molecules do.
So what are they doing first they release loose cells then they smush them into clusters swash them with water and if the cluster is large enough within a few days it takes a new life. It evolves into a child xenobot it does sound like a fun experiment. But the question is what’s the point of it. what are these xenobots for what are they going to do here’s a human question for these living robots what is their purpose the scientists are yet to decide.
What is the use of Xenobots?
They’re not sure how these xenobots can be used but they’ve suggested some immediate applications here’s what they can do collect microplastics from waterways or wipe away cancerous cells inside the human body and these are all suggestions suffice to say the scientists themselves do not know at this point.
Now consider this right now these organisms are reproducing tomorrow they could grow nervous systems develop a cognitive ability take decisions on their own and if you’ve seen science fiction films you’d probably know how this ends.
Well we’re creating independent life from animal tissue microscopic robots that can reproduce forget about them going rogue or evolving into something dangerous just imagine what happens if they end up in the wrong hands and this experiment was partially funded by the defense advanced research project agency it’s a federal american agency that oversees technological innovation for military use.
The involvement of the military in such a scientific project does not inspire trust neither does imprinting human faces on robots, not a good idea. A tech firm is gearing up to launch a new line of human looking robots robots with a quote unquote friendly face the name of the tech firm is promo bot. It doesn’t plan to generate these friendly faces through computers.
Scientists are looking Actual Human Face
They’re looking for actual humans to lend their facial features for these machines what do you get in return 200000 us dollars. That’s the amount of money they’re offering the company is offering it says it is open for applications from all races and genders. But the applicant must be above 25 years of age.
What will happen once your application is selected, if it is selected well you’ll be made to sign a contract that will allow your appearance to be used for a robot for an unlimited period of time. This will include your voice too the applicants will be made to record 100 hours of speech material to make a robot not just look like you, but also sound like you.
First of all all of this is creepy letting a robot use your face and voice forever it’s almost like giving away your identity to a machine letting a company do whatever they want to do with your face and voice plus it’s dangerous you may get paid and paid well in return for selling your face but think about the potential risks involved.
If you know about deep fakes you already know what this could involve what could be done with your face fabricate videos of you use your face to commit a crime use your voice to intimidate someone.
The last two years have taught us something it is this science is not always revolutionary it can also be devastating if one virus can threaten human existence reproductive robots in the hands of militaries can do much worse.
These people never read science fiction they’re creating robots that can multiply and machines that will look like us what could possibly go wrong well that’s the question.
