Robotics Through Science Fiction: Artificial Intelligence Explained Through Six Classic Robot Short Stories

Six classic science fiction stories and commentary that illustrate and explain key algorithms or principles of artificial intelligence.This book presents six classic science fiction stories and commentary that illustrate and explain key algorithms or principles of artificial intelligence. Even though all the stories were originally published before 1973, they help readers grapple with two questions that stir debate even today- how are intelligent robots programmed? and what are the limits of autonomous robots? The stories-by Isaac Asimov, Vernor Vinge, Brian Aldiss, and Philip K. Dick-cover telepresence, behavior-based robotics, deliberation, testing, human-robot interaction, the uncanny valley, natural language understanding, machine learning, and ethics. Each story is preceded by an introductory note, As You Read the Story, and followed by a discussion of its implications, After You Have Read the Story. Together with the commentary, the stories offer a nontechnical introduction to robotics. The stories can also be considered as a set of-admittedly fanciful-case studies to be read in conjunction with more serious study.Contents
Stranger in Paradise by Isaac Asimov, 1973
Runaround by Isaac Asimov, 1942
Long Shot by Vernor Vinge, 1972
Catch That Rabbit by Isaac Asimov, 1944
Super-Toys Last All Summer Long by Brian Aldiss, 1969
Second Variety by Philip K. Dick, 1953