Engineering eye... May 2016

News, rumours and gossip from the world of engineering

The founder of a company that makes lifelike robots was shown up by his firm’s latest creation – when it told reporters it would destroy us. During a video interview with the robot Sofia, David Hanson light-heartedly asked “Do you want to destroy humans? Please say no…” to which Sofia replied with gusto: “OK. I will destroy humans.” The machines are actually intended for a peaceful purpose. Hanson Robotics hopes to use them for healthcare and education. The aim is for Sofia to become “as capable as any human”. Let’s hope she doesn’t get smart enough to mobilise a robot army and wipe us out.

Meanwhile, in other robotics news, a restaurant in China recently had to fire several robot workers owing to in-competence. The owners of the restaurant, in Guangzhou, had hoped the initial outlay of 50,000 yen per robot worker would save money in the long run. But the automatons failed to understand anything other than simple meal orders. The mechanical staff didn’t even reduce human labour needs. The robots were unable to steadily carry soup or other food, often broke down and couldn’t pour drinks. Perhaps the planet is safe from a robot overlord race, after all.

Japanese online retailer Rakuten is set to launch the world’s first drone delivery service this month. The draw-back? The service is only available at a golf course in Chiba, a suburb of Tokyo. Golfers can get a range of equipment and snacks delivered to them anywhere on the course via a smartphone app. The drone was developed by nearby Chiba University, but Eye is yet to learn if it has a built-in golf-ball collision avoidance system. Fore!

• If you have any rumours or gossip, email pe@caspianmedia.com